How to Make a Flat Bow and Arrow

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Get some wood.

   Any number of woods can be used to make a good flat bow; however, hickory, oak, ash, teak or yew work very well. composite bows are the best, but they must be sinew backed and that is not covered in this article.
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   Step 2: Check to make sure your wood is about one to one and a half inches wide and five eights of an inch thick.

   When you're done it should be about one centimeter thick and three eights of an inch wide at the end and the same as what you started with at the base where the limb and the handle meets.
   
   There can't be too many branches on the limb
   -- branches mean weak points.
   
   Shave all the bark off of it except for the back of the bow which is the the outer part of the curve.
   
   Put your hand where it will normally be and mark it with a pen.
   
   Once this is done, put a second mark over the top limb's mark.
   
   The arrow will go in between these marks. , Do not cut into the handle part.
   
   Use a thin hide, such as rabbit or squirrel hide.
   
   Wrap it tightly and use either fletching glue or hide glue.
   
   This will stay the same way it is so that it can support the limbs.
   
   To make this process go faster you can hack rather than whittle the wood.
   
   The best to use is a coarse sandpaper.
   
   Make the thickest part of the limbs at the base and make it narrowest at the end.
   
   Both limbs must be the same thickness or the bow will not bend right, making it worthless. , Make the notches for the string on the sides of the bow, cutting them diagonally facing down on the belly.
   
   Make the string two inches from the notch. , Braided sinew works good.
   
   Nylon string works ok. paracord works well.
   
   You must take three strings and twist them together.
   
   And if that still isn't enough then repeat this procedure two more times and finally twist all three of them together.
   
   Make the individual lines about 5–10 inches (12.7–25.4 cm) longer than the bow is.
   
   Keep in mind you will also need extra string for loops and string gets shorter when it is braided together ,,, The final part of making the string is to make a primer so that the string does not wear out. ,, Once it has dried, put some bow finish on it.
   
   Without bow finish, it will crack and break from rotting.If you put the bow finish on before it dries out, it will lock the moisture in.
   
   This will cause the bow to warp.
   
   So it's wise to be patient and let it dry. , First, don't try putting it in a hot attic.
   
   You'll leave it there and forget it or overestimate the time it needs to be in there.
   
   The heat box is a better method.
   
   Find a long enough box for your bow.
   
   Then cut a hole on the wide side on both sides.
   
   Take a 125 watt light bulb and fix it to dangle in the box without touching the box.
   
   Do not use a cardboard box! It will catch fire.
   
   Use a nonflammable box.
   
   The way a heat box works is it pries the moisture out of the bow and the moving current through the holes carries the water away. , Before purchasing, roll them on the floor and if they roll they are straight.
   
   If they are not straight, they won't fly straight.
   
   Don't sharpen the ends of the arrows.they will become dull within a short amount of time.instead use glue on triple point broad heads.
   
   There is a cheap military issued broad head called M-A3-L.
   
   Some archery shops will sell these. , For about a 45-60 pound bow, it should be four to six feet tall.
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   Step 3: Begin shaping the wood.

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   Step 4: Understand that you must leave the bark on the back of the bow (the side that faces away from the archer) If removed

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   Step 5: it may crack and break.

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   Step 6: Making the bowstring.

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   Step 7: Make the string three inches longer than intended to be so you can make a loop for stringing and un-stringing.

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   Step 8: Start taking a fourth string that is two inches longer and twist it around it.

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   Step 9: Begin making loops for stringing and un-stringing.

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    Step 10: Take a long string of the same material and wrap it tightly around the string only where you are going to nock your arrow.

11. 11

    Step 11: Let your bow dry before stringing so that it does not warp and lose its springiness.

12. 12

    Step 12: Understand there is a faster way to make it dry.

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    Step 13: Make arrows out of cheap dowel rods.

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    Step 14: Know that the longer the bow the more power it can have and the easier it is to make

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    Step 15: Depending on your height

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    Step 16: you may want to make it as tall as you are.

Detailed Guide

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