Making an English longbow

[Ayahuasca]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goTxYjbfXN0

This craftsman makes an English longbow from scratch from a bit of sapling. Very relaxing watch. Video making skills rival bowyer skills.

Inspired, I tried to make one too, was going swimmingly until I tried to bend it, when the fker snapped.

[C2Red]

Ayahuasca said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goTxYjbfXN0

This craftsman makes an English longbow from scratch from a bit of sapling. Very relaxing watch. Video making skills rival bowyer skills.

Inspired, I tried to make one too, was going swimmingly until I tried to bend it, when the fker snapped.

It’s all in the grain; something my daughter does at her club in Bures. White dragon archery if my memory serves

[Celtic Dragon]

He didn’t do a bad job of making that! I’d love his woods to play in, I have to admit.

Always had a hankering to make a pair of snowshoes like the ones in this video at 9 mins in
https://youtu.be/Q4EbbH5mZzU

[indigochim]

I used to shoot when I was a kid and I always remember some of the old guys building their own. I could never understand at the time why but now I guess I get that to using something you've made yourself is a great feeling.

[Equus]

I don't know why, but my YouTube account recommended a video about a gadget called the 'instant Legolas' (which looks quite good fun), and I ended up watching a few videos on from that.

There's more to the technology than meets the eye?

[citizensm1th]

Ayahuasca said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goTxYjbfXN0

This craftsman makes an English longbow from scratch from a bit of sapling. Very relaxing watch. Video making skills rival bowyer skills.

Inspired, I tried to make one too, was going swimmingly until I tried to bend it, when the fker snapped.

The most important thing he did not explain is the difference and use of sap wood and heart wood in the bow.

traditional english longbows get their power from combining the differences between these parts of of a bow stave

sap wood is elastic and will bend and want to return to its original shape and resists compression.

heart wood is not elastic and hates to bend but is good under compression.

you shape a longbow stave with sap wood on the outside of the bow because as you draw the bow it stretches and wants to act like a rubber band.

the heart wood on the inside is compressed but wants to also return to its original uncompressed state.

you can see this here at 16.23 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5fHMs9ca74

the light band is sap wood

[Ayahuasca]

I think in a different video he goes into the sapwood etc explanation. Also good to see how he makes the bowstring.

There is a different English bowyer, a professional one, who does a very good video on making bows too.

[citizensm1th]

Now this is what you want

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVUWuySzQ10

smaller lighter and capable of much more power

[trando]

citizensm1th said:

Now this is what you want

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVUWuySzQ10

smaller lighter and capable of much more power

Loved that. Thanks. Great skills...