Contrast is good when making bows!
I have to admit that I am an artist first and a bowyer second. Yes, making bows is an opportunity to unleash my inner mad scientist, but it is also a chance to express my artistic ability. Whenever anyone asks…
String nock files for making bows
When I first started making bows, the best instructions that I could find said to use a "6" rat tail file" for cutting in the string nocks at the limb tips. The 6" file made a pretty wide string groove…
Grip size of a longbow
The grip on a longbow is usually smaller and more refined than the grip on a hunting recurve, a target recurve, or even a compound bow. Obviously, the most comfortable grip size is determined by the size of your bow…
Interview with Ken Rohloff of WhippenStick Custom Bows
Ken Rohloff is the founder of WhippenStick Custom Bows. Ken is a custom bowyer and creator of the bow he calls the "Whippen Stick" custom bow. I first met Ken at the Leatherwall traditional archery forum probably in the early…
Five common styles of longbow grips
It might seem like there are a million different types of longbow grips/handles, but I think they can easily be classified in five categories of common styles: 1) straight or “Hill”-style, 2) dished, 3) humped, 4) locator, and 5) sculpted/recurve…
Interview with Bill Howland of Brackenbury Custom Bows
This is the first of what I hope will be a series of interviews with custom bowyers. There is so much to learn from these bowyers who work full time doing the craft. I hope you find this information useful…
Is this the best rasp for making a longbow or a recurve bow?
Probably the best rasp in my tool box for making bows is the "Universal Bowyer's Rasp," also called the "UBR10," designed and sold by Dean Torges. It is really useful for making all types of bows: recurves, longbows, and self…
Applying the designer’s “rule of thirds” to tip design
Anyone can glue on some tip overlays and shape them into a suitable bow limb tip, but do they look good? As a graphic designer, I'm always interested in making my bows look good and have good proportions. This applies especially…
Splitting an osage log into bow staves
A straight Osage Orange log is like a log of gold to a selfbow bowyer. As you probably know, Osage trees don't usually grow very straight, so finding a clean, straight one is a rare find. My friend Brent brought…
Thoughts about bow balance and vibration
I have developed a little different theory about bow balance than what seems to be understood and taught in most archery books, articles, and what you read on most archery forums. Most people are just doing what they have been…