More Shaving Horses and My Mobile Set-up

A shaving horse is an invaluable tool if you create or work with odd-shaped objects that are otherwise difficult to clamp or need to constantly move around. A horse, in combination with a small bench of the same height can act as a fairly complete workshop that is reasonably portable and adaptable. Carpenters, furniture makers, […]

Making a bow

Here is a post from several years ago tracking the process of making a bow. In this case, from Osage orange. Splitting the seasoned Osage orange (Bois d’Arc) stave. This is a tough process. As can be seen in the photo above, I use an axe, froe, and hammer. Not visible here are short hickory […]

Revisiting the Bowyer’s Craft

Tracking the process for creating the ancient and venerable flat bow; a complex hunting tool from five continents. This is a very brief overview of a process that takes many bows to master. I can honestly say that bow-making was my gateway skill into the primitive technology world. It’s one of the few things I […]

Trade Card from a Bow and Arrow Maker

An advertising card from when people appreciated hand made archery equipment. No training wheel, gizmos, releases, or sights. There is no date on the image but I suspect that late 18th century or early 19th century would not be too far off. Apparently javelin throwing was in vogue at the time as well. Now we […]

The Graces of Archery

Satire on archery from 1794. More at the British Museum.

Mongolian bamboo arows

Originally posted on The Reverend's Musings:
I’ve been doing a little consulting to my nephew*, who has been making a Mongolian bow for a school history assignment. His theory is that the Mongolian bow gave the advantage to the Mongols during their invasion of China in the 14th century, so he’s making one and…

In a spin about fletch wrapping

Originally posted on The Reverend's Musings:
At most find-sites that have arrows there will be a non-equal mix of S- and Z-wrap on the bindings. The dig report will assert that left-handed fletchers were responsible for those that aren’t the majority direction arrow binding, probably without mentioning whether it’s the Z- or S- that they are…

Robyn Hode on Archery Sunday

Robyn Hode – England, ca. 1450 A.D. An hundred shefe of arowes gode, The hedys burneshed full bryght; And every arowe an elle longe, With pecok wel idyght, Inocked all with whyte silver [or silk]; It was a semely syght. A Gest of Robyn Hode, lines 523-8 in English Popular Ballads, 1922 edition

Don’t Let Your Arrows Droop With Feathers Low

A sheef of pecok arwes, bright and kene, Under his belt he bar ful thriftily, (wel koude he dresse his takel yemanly: His arwes drouped noght with fetheres lowe) Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales, Prologue, The Yeoman, lines 104-7.

Tools of the Bowyer

I have been working on a bow-making tutorial for quite a long time now. Trying to be as explicit as possible while not dumbing everything down is a tricky narrative to follow. Just gathering the appropriate images of the process is time-consuming and difficult but truly, a good image is worth a thousand words.