Hazel Longbow. Tillering a 'Wonky' Bow to first Brace. Follow me as I build a Hazel Longbow. Part 7

[@Dustypilgrim1]

I fully enjoy the way you depict the hidden fact that the creation of something like a Longbow requires the absolute 'cooperation with', rather than 'domination of', the wood. The apparent 'finessing' of and collaboration with the grain and even hidden nature of the stave is as imperative as it is a pleasure to see. Superior series.

[@SurakuHirano]

DustyPilgrim1 amen to that, also, love your icon. I've been making bows since 2008-2009, and this series has really brought me back to the romance which started it all. He is very modest, soft voiced, and actually puts his heart into it... Keep your fingers crossed for him.

[@MickGrewcock]

Thank you, lovely comment, much appreciated - yes the challenge of working with the wood which I'm learning oh so slowly. Glad you enjoy, more on the way. Mick

[@MickGrewcock]

Thank you Suraku, very kind of you. Mick

[@Priessnitzgold]

I think you inspire a lot of new bow makers and given very helpful advice to young people, like me, to improve my bow making skills.

[@MickGrewcock]

Hi, well that's why I make these videos - to show that with few tools, some wood and a willingness to have a go virtually anyone can make a passable bow. Thanks for watching and commenting - appreciated! Mick

[@johnroberts3723]

I take my hat off to you for you patience and love for working with that auqward bend on one end, I'd tend to shorten the length or try and steam it out.

[@MickGrewcock]

Hi John. Yes, that would be a solution - but I found much learning in tackling an awkward piece of wood. Thanks for watching. Mick

[@wrongturnarchery2337]

Thank God you left that tip alone I love that bow it's like the best of 3 worlds longbow recerve an static tip all in one i

[@fleurcluistra2649]

I think this is so peaceful to watch😇

[@MickGrewcock]

Thank you Fleur 😃😃

[@MerlijnSB]

I really hope this bow works out for you. What a great project!

[@MickGrewcock]

Thank you - I hope so too! Mick

[@mihaizograf5599]

I have seen and reviewed many times your videos about Hazel bow and wonder to myself when will be the 8th episode? KNOW that the job is delicate at the end, so I wish you good luck and I expect PART EIGHT that of many others !!!

[@MickGrewcock]

Part 8 now posted Mihai!! Mick

[@mihaizograf5599]

slowly, slowly is a good thing! I like this

[@MickGrewcock]

+Mihai Zograf 👍 Thank you for watching! Mick

[@arnold9448]

I love your bowmaking video's so much!

[@MickGrewcock]

Thank you Arnold, delighted you enjoy. Mick

[@gastonn8]

Delightful peace of visuals and sounds! Keep making and shooting those longbows Mick!

[@Taistelukalkkuna]

I think this is great learning opportunity, no matter how bow turns out to be (I hope succesful). That twist in other end seems challenging. Thank you Mick, for sharing this, and good luck. =)

[@MickGrewcock]

Yes indeed, I'm learning a great deal and am getting great advice also from many superb bowyers. But it remains a challenge! Thanks for watching, Mick

[@ignacios.7965]

I really appreciate the effort you put into making each video and every explanation loaded with motivation for those who just started in this art of making bows I also have to thank for the extra work you have in filming the process and add that enchanting music that achieves that every video of you is an adventure. Greetings from Chile :)

[@asdrasdre9002]

Mick,you motivated me to make my own bow,bu im doing it from ashwood,today I did rough shaping,tomorow ill start refining and tillering...anyways keep up the good work! :D

[@noahcasimirtiefenberg1581]

Hey there Mick. :-) Watching from Denmark and really have to tell you how much I love watching your vlogs. The downtempo style you produce your clips with, coupled with such an authenticity and personality you possess, really remind me of another of my heroes. Namely Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall. You should have your own series on BBC :-) Btw. I am in the process of creating my very first hazel longbow, and your take on it really helps me along. Especially concerning the "Fear" you mentioned earlier... Thanks a bunch and keep them buildalongs going. I love it!

[@MickGrewcock]

Hello Noah - great to hear from you and thank you for watching and leaving your comment. I'm glad that you enjoy my videos - sadly the BBC haven't been in touch!! I enjoy HFW as well, great programmes. Yes, easy to be frozen with fear when starting to make bows. Just have a go and keep going slow and steady and you'll get there. Check out the blackthorn build along, just doing part 2 right now - no idea how it will turn out!! Thanks again, Mick

[@noahcasimirtiefenberg1581]

Will do. :-) I promised myself to start out with and keep going with hazel until I have the confidence to move on to woods like ash or even yew. I am sure that i will have my fails along the way, but those shall be welcomed as part of a learning process rather than to scare me away from such a great craft.

[@MickGrewcock]

Agreed! By the way, if you can get some yew that is much easier to work than either hazel or ash. That said, both those woods will teach you a lot (as they've done for me) so your plan is good!

[@noahcasimirtiefenberg1581]

I have access to some yew, and from carving with a knife, i would agree with you partially as to how easy it is to work with the grain of the wood. What worries me with the yew is, that it also has way more bumps and lumps and those tricky knots that are hidden in the wood. The hazel I have used for carving so far, seems on first appearance much more suited for a beginners first few bows than the yew is. But we'll see... :-) I plan to document my builds or at least some of them, and share them here.

[@MickGrewcock]

I see. All things being equal, I would say yew is easier to work, shape and bend - it's very forgiving. However, it sounds like not all things are equal between your yew and hazel. Knotty yew is a challenge - like any knotty wood - so you are right to leave that until you've had some practise. But now might be a good time to cut the best piece of yew and season it - it takes a good while to do it properly. Hazel and ash hate compression, the squashing force on the bow's drawn belly; yew has no problem, ash, hazel and others easily get tiny fractures so the shape of your hazel bow will be different to, say, a yew bow. Mick

[@marcelovhm1]

Great stuff Sir, have to agree with Fleur below, but also makes me anxious to start again myself!

[@MickGrewcock]

Thank you very much - and that's great if you are going to resume bow making! Good luck and many thanks for commenting. Mick

[@sunrise4186]

Beautiful work Mick! I commented before from my wife's youtube account but have opened my own now, we have somewhat different interests. I will try to get some staves when we go to Wisconsin this month. They have Osage, Hickory, and Black Walnut. Hopefully I'll have a chance to get into some woods while I'm there. Your videos provide a great deal of good information on bow making technique. It's greatly appreciated! Mat Nottingham

[@MickGrewcock]

Hi Mat, good to hear from you and thank you. The USA has a huge bow-making heritage as I'm sure you know and you've named woods that I believe are all excellent bow woods. Have a look at 'JR's Place' on youtube. It's John Riggs' channel, he's in north Michigan and a bow maker. You may find something there that helps you - he's a great guy and readily answers questions via his channel. He also has an ebook (or paperback) on Amazon called 'A Bow Maker's Notebook' which guides you through making three typical bow styles (obviously with a US slant). It's hand written and illustrated so rather charming and certainly useful. Enjoy Wisconsin! Mick

[@davidhinchliffe5058]

Nice one Mick, it's looking good. Good progress indeed Progress slowly. Thumbs up. Cheers David

[@MickGrewcock]

Yes, I'm rather slow at this (rather different to business life!) but it's creeping nearer! Thanks for watching. Mick

[@w.d.8729]

Hello Mick, very interesting, as always.

[@MickGrewcock]

Thank you Wilfried. Mick

[@gilbertosalinas384]

Lovely looking bow Mick!

[@MickGrewcock]

I hope it will be! Thanks for watching. Mick

[@bigjano]

Thanks again for sharing your progress, Mick. God bless you.

[@MickGrewcock]

Thank you my friend! More to come soon. Mick

[@joelaut12]

Mick, nice job and looks like it is coming along fine. One suggestion, place a light colored backdrop behind the bow, will be easier getting an idea of the slightest difference between each side.

[@MickGrewcock]

Hello Joel, yes it's slowly getting there but quite a challenge for me!! Yes a backdrop would be nice but I haven't really got anything suitable. I would prefer a wall to tiller against but nothing suitable. I may make up a piece of plywood to use as a backdrop is I keep making bows. Thanks for watching, Mick

[@markwilson3941]

I Love this stuff ! Thanks for sharing it. My friend

[@MickGrewcock]

Thank you very much Mark. Mick

[@hogtied12]

You are the best Mick

[@MickGrewcock]

Thank you 🙏

[@ionsorinporojan149]

Hi Mick !!! I have seen the last 2 videos that you have posted ... I am impressed !!!! 😀😀😀😀 If you are a beginer in bow making , I am a fliyng pig ... 😂😂😂😂 You are not a beginer , you my dear friend , are an expert bowyear and an excelent instructor in bow making ...😯😯😯😯 Congratulation on your perfect videos !!! I AM IMPRESSED !!! TRUE !!!!

[@MickGrewcock]

Sorin, are you saying I'm telling lies? 😭 You'll have to be a flying pig I'm afraid!!! 😉 You've seen on my videos every bow I've ever made - just seven!! LoL. Yes maybe I can explain stuff okay, I do have years of encouraging, explaining and training people in other skills. Perhaps I am now an 'improver' bowyer, you know, tiny bit of skill, a bit of confidence, a great bunch of people who follow me on instagram, Facebook and here on KZbin and offer their incredible knowledge - sometimes on this page - which helps me (and others I hope) along this road. I'm thrilled that you enjoy the videos and it's great to have you along - it encourages me! Take care and have a great weekend. Mick

[@ionsorinporojan149]

+Mick Grewcock 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 My dear friend , what I've said it's my personal opinion... PLEASSE DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE YOU !!!!!!! 😯😯😯😯😯😯😯 Oh , and pleasse , more video-images with your dog !!! It is a superb animal !!!! ☺☺☺☺

[@MickGrewcock]

That's lots of faces Sorin!! 😉 My dog's name is Ben; I try to include him in every video so you'll always see him. Have a great weekend Sorin! Mick

[@crajneelchand5382]

Another joyful video. Thanks for sharing. I wish you make your videos more often. I would like you to give us more tips on making an arrow.

[@MickGrewcock]

Hi Cranjeel, Thank you! I would love to make more videos but it's very time consuming. All my videos are self-filmed and edited. The video you've just watched has a ten minute duration but was filmed over four days wither three cameras and edited from around 1.75 hours of raw video and audio. Editing was done over three separate days and totalled about seven hours of work plus 85 minutes to upload and 15-20 minutes to prepare for posting - then maybe an hour or so answering comments etc. 😃 These are complex videos so are very time heavy - and I have to make a bow between times so making more than one video a week is tough. I will be making some arrow videos soon - arrows are much quicker and easier to build and filming is not too hard is if I have two or three cameras running at once. Keep watching please!! Mick

[@sabowcraft]

Hello Mick! Nice video as always! Hazel bark on the back surely adds character... BUT! I highly recommend you to remove the bark from this bow. it slows drying time alot! It doesnt give it more poundage or any more resistance against breaking, and whats even most important, hazel bark is kinda heavy. On this particullar bow it can weight even about 150grams!!! (of dead, not working mass). One day i was making some little (about 160cm) hazel flatbow, my goal was to leave the bark on... so i started to tiller it (the bow weight was around 420 grams at the moment) when the limbs started to bend more and more, ive heard a loud crack and my heart instantly stopped for a while:) luckly it was the bark only! so i was forced to remove it all... after that i was suprised that the scale with the bow on it showed 325grams! So the bark was almost 1/4 mass of the whole bow! still the bow was showing the same poundage as before bark removal... think about it!:)

[@MickGrewcock]

Hello, yes thank you I hear exactly what you are saying. My previous hazel bow was made in the same way and the bark is still intact, looks nice and shows no sign of injury after a year's use. I think the bark may pop off/split if the hazel is perhaps dried slowly or maybe harvested at a different time of year - mine are winter harvested so the bark is tough to get off. As to weight I've never thought about that! Great point and food for thought. I didn't think the bark made any positive contribution to performance, I just like the appearance. Thanks for watching, glad you liked the video. Mick

[@delcat8168]

Three good reasons for leaving bark on. 1. It can act as natures strain gauge (especially on yew) showing cracks across the bark whare strain is most, so nicely spaced cracks show good tiller. 2. It protects the back of the bow keeping it pristine, whereas it could get nicked during bark removal if not done with care. 3. hazel bark polishes nicely. I can't understand how the bark could be 1/4 of your bow mass unless it was a V low draw weight bow.

[@sabowcraft]

yep it was very light bow, 30#, with very thin and preety wide limbs... didnt believe that too!!! dunno why but my attempts at leaving bark on the hazel always fail, due to bark cracking and popping off. So i debark my hazels straight away after harvesting... when i have winter harvested staves i know that is harder to take the bark of, but like u said it must be done with care (IMHO this is a keyword in bowmaking;)) My way of debarking hazel goes in two steps: 1. carefully draw knife most of the bark, leaving only a bit of it ( so you cant see any real wood yet), then scraping off the rest with a knive, or cabinet scraper and then sandpaper... ...about YEW, when i make a bow from yew, i leave the bark on, getting the stave to dimensions, and start to bend it slowly, and like you said it shows nicely where the bow is working the most by crakcking and poping of, so i just keep on going until the whole bark is loose, this method just gives us pristine first ringed back... the problem is that its very hard to get used to sounds it makes when popping off!:D about the looks of hazel bark, i agree it looks very nice, adds character and all that stuff, but it just didnt worked for me... PS. Del, i have invited you on FB... And i want you to know that i follow your "bowyers diary" blog and i like it very much! I wish You check my bows too!

[@MickGrewcock]

Nice chat, useful to me. Mick

[@Spiritof48]

It is going to be a good bow Mick . You are going slowly and carefully (as allways) and you are making it at least your own height . You could heat bend the other tip with a heat gun from the belly , but might as well tiller it before you decide. Looking forward to the next video :) Cheers.

[@MickGrewcock]

Thank you Rasmus! It's a puzzle of a bow for me, a real challenge, but I'm okay with that. I hope it comes out okay, I'm just listening to advice and thinking how best to move it forwards and get the tillering as good as possible - as well as make a video!! Thanks again, appreciate you watching and commenting. Mick

[@Spiritof48]

Oh thank you . To be precise, such a small reflex in the tips will not affect the overall tiller much, if at all . But it looks great and reduce vibrations a bit.

[@simonmccutcheon5825]

The tillering looks tricky but you're doing good so far

[@MickGrewcock]

Yes Simon, I'm finding it hard and baffling sometimes - and all on camera!! Thanks for watching, Mick

[@fancymcclean6210]

Interesting and informative as ever. I've got a couple of staves of Manuka (I live in New Zealand) drying in the garage which hopefully will become longbows. I working on an Ash board at the moment. I've added a piece of shaped Kwilla to the handle area and I'm about to start the dreaded process of tillering. Anyway, best of luck with your endeavours and say hi to Ben for me. Flaxen Saxon

[@MickGrewcock]

Hi there! Ben has been greeted fro you! He says 'woof'. All that wood sounds exotic to me - good luck with your bows. Thanks a lot. Mick

[@chriscowan8203]

Mick you are so awesome

[@garychynne1377]

GOOD SHOW. THANK U GARE

[@MickGrewcock]

Thanks Gare. Mick

[@bugout2bushcraft347]

looking really good! would look even better with reflex at the other end... would give your arrows an extra "zing" can't wait see how it turns out!

[@MickGrewcock]

Hello there - yes I reckon it would like nice with a recurved tip at the other end but I'm going to try steam bending on another project and just keep the series as it is. I have long piece of yew that wold make a 50lb bow but it's curved all its length - I may try to make it straight with steam. Mick

[@bugout2bushcraft347]

Mick Grewcock I'd like to trade you a bow for a bow

[@MickGrewcock]

+bugout 2 bushcraft Oh, I see. Interesting indeed but I don't really have anything to swap. What were you thinking?

[@bugout2bushcraft347]

Mick Grewcock I wanna build a long bow, idk, you keep making videos and I'll keep watching. I'll upload my video on the raw hide backing I did last weekend. turned sweet!

[@mihaizograf5599]

you can band the other tip , but if you want to keep the bark on back of this bow you let it so, for more personality. Have a nice good day !!!

[@MickGrewcock]

+Mihai Zograf Thank you Mihai! You too. Mick

[@oliver8451]

Nice work!!!

[@MickGrewcock]

Thank you Oliver. Mick

[@kingblue71]

The bend adds more power to the bow because it's cause the bow to reflex but the other end idk anything about that

[@MickGrewcock]

Okay! Thanks for watching. Mick

[@ubayuzu1115]

Lovely work man, i've understood quite a lot from this tutorial. My question is, how you deal with knots when shaping the bow? I can't get much wood where i live and the piece of hazel i've managed to get has like 4-.5 knots on the belly..

[@MickGrewcock]

uba yuzu Work carefully around them, leave a little extra wood but try to avoid creating an over stiff area. It’s a challenge but every bow I’ve ever made came from knotty wood. Good luck!

[@lkalaschnikow]

hi Mick. I really love your work and got an idea for a next project. can you make a traditional japanese bow?

[@MickGrewcock]

+Leo K Wow Leo that's a great idea but that will have to be a future project I'm afraid! Thank you 😊 for your thoughts! Mick

[@Aulaein]

I think if something ever happens to that bow, we'll all be just as disappointed as you are. I know im getting antsy at this point, wondering how itll turn out. By the way, have you ever thought of selling and shipping them? I know you consider yourself a beginner, but you clearly know what you're doing and id be happy to buy one made by you someday.

[@MickGrewcock]

Well thank you, looks we have shared ownership of that piece of stick! I'm hoping it'll work out okay - videos are virtually real time so the next bit is still unknown. No I shan't be selling bows, but it's nice that you think so well of what I do that you'd consider buying. Thanks, Mick

[@QuantumMechanic_88]

Excellent

[@MickGrewcock]

Thank you - looks like you are going through my back catalogue!!

[@QuantumMechanic_88]

Hah ha !!

[@kaaajeee]

hey mick, can you explain this to me? the ruller is all same thickness and bends to part circle. how is it possible that the bow with kinda distal taper (thickness gradient) on its limbs also bends to a part circle? just intuitively i would gues that thinner sections would bend more than the thicker middle of the bow...

[@prestoncooper8227]

Hopefully it turns out good considering how much time you put into it.

[@MickGrewcock]

Let's hope Preston! Thanks for watching, Mick

[@DavidFraser007]

What other types of wood can be used for making a bow and whats the best time of year to cut a stave?

[@MickGrewcock]

Hello David, in the UK you can use everyone's favourite which is yew (if you can get some), ash, elm, hazel and wytch hazel. There are many other woods that will yield a useable bow such as apple and plum; I am trying some blackthorn next. Easiest to find in the UK is hazel and ash. I think though that you can make a bow from most any wood provided the design matches the wood's capabilities to withstand compression and tension; some handle both, some one or the other. In the US, aside of Pacific yew, osage is I believe very good for bows plus various oaks and ash - but I have little knowledge of non UK woods. Hope that helps, Mick

[@TheKadgh]

Hi Mick, I was wondering about knots in a bow - If you're making a bow from a sapling, which side (the one with more or less knots) should you use for the back and which for the belly? Where do they pose the greatest threat of breaking the bow? Thanks in advance!

[@MickGrewcock]

Hello, I have only a bit of experience with knots - fortunately no big ones so far! I'm not sure how to answer you with so little knowledge of knots. I've had knots on the bellies of bows and one on a bow's back and worked around them or cleaned them out and filled them with glue/wood. So the best I can say is that I would GUESS that I would prefer - if I had to - to experience knots on the belly rather than the back. Sorry that I can't help you any more! Atb, Mick

[@TheKadgh]

Mick Grewcock Thanks! It's a great help for me as I'm working on my first bow and wasn't sure what to do. We'll see how it turns out. Keep up the amazing work you do!

[@MickGrewcock]

Thank you!

[@WoodoakWilderness]

Is there a reason for tillering the bow with the scales fitted? does it help or could I tiller my bow and only occasionally test its draw weight?

[@MickGrewcock]

Woodoak Wilderness I keep the scale on to avoid me pulling above the intended draw weight. Not necessary to keep the scale on though, just my habit. Thanks for watching.

[@WoodoakWilderness]

Thank you. Ive just got to sit here and watch my Hazel stave dry in the corner. Its got a bit of a kink in it so its clamped to a straight board and I hope it will dry nice and straight. Oh the long wait.Thank you for sharing and producing some fantastic vids.

[@MickGrewcock]

Woodoak Wilderness With hazel you don’t have to wait. I sometimes work them green down to bow dimensions then clamp to a form (like you are doing). Hazel dries easily in 10-15 days. When dry (10% ish moisture I aim for) then finish and tiller your bow. Either way, good luck!!

[@frankhatton8242]

could you sand it while in a lock tiller'd position eg tie it to a peg knocked in the garden ?

[@MickGrewcock]

Frank, I could but I think the process needs the belly wood to be relaxed. I do tweak them when fully strung, but only the finest of shavings. Thanks for watching. Mick

[@rodparsons521]

We can do that once it is braced high enough, but you have to be careful of the string if you're scraping and I wouldn't want to be doing that at a drawn length..

[@pipmccann7734]

|Hi mate...I love your videos and they have really inspired me to start making bows from cut wood from the woods... I also love the Celtic music you use .. What group is it ? But i was wondering.. Do you you normally talk like that or is it just for the camera?Sometimes you talk normally but sometimes you "Kinda...talk..in .. a ...slighty...staccato.. way.."! eg .. " Today .. i am going .. to select... a stave.... to make ............. a hazel...bow" seriously though..I'm only being light hearted about it and just having a laugh.. thanks for your vids .... as a new , experimental bowyer ..your vids have really taught me a lot ...so thankyou !

[@MickGrewcock]

Well thank you! Music used in my videos is nearly always credited in the description below the video. This piece is by Audionautix. I know you are being light hearted but you make a good point about my speech. Oftentimes the staccato stuff is when I have to get stuff said in a particular way and sometimes I need many takes to get it okayish. It's like my brain's buffering the data as I try to do the on camera stuff, say what needs to be said (not just talking for the sake of it), make sure the audio is at the right levels and that I remain in frame and in focus (I very rarely use autofocus and auto cameras settings) and so on. I know when it's right and when I deliver a bit slowly and broken up - I guess I just got to keep practising presenting on camera until I become fully fluent!! Thanks for being constructive, I always welcome that - and delighted if I've been able to share a bit of what (little) I have learned about bow making. Mick

[@marcuswishart154]

Mick do know if ur a metal man the noise is nippy but I would like to see u make a carbon steel bow

[@rodparsons521]

Well Mick. Straight to the post with no floor tillering? And why glue lumps of wood on the tips (which might shear) when you can just cut a tillering nock? Which end is going to be the top and why? How did you find the centre? Do you intend to keep the recurve in the tip or let it pull out in the draw? If so, partially or completely? And why would you reduce the "handle" before tillering the bow. That is not a good idea. Tiller both limbs and only then adjust the centre. At this stage I would be using a cabinet scraper. Rod.

[@MickGrewcock]

+Rod Parsons Hello Rod, lots of questions 😊 Too heavy to floor bend, fearful that fastflight might bite into the wood, chose the balance point, I think the right might be the top (left appears stronger), reduced the centre a bit because it was just too heavy, hoping the tip will pull out a bit in the draw, I mix cab scrapers and sandpaper. Reading arrow stuff just now. Mick

[@rodparsons521]

Hmmm. In terms of balance in the tiller I would think recurve tip on the bottom, slightly shorter limb. Looks to me like you're too long in the recurved limb on your present post placement, but it's hard to read when the camera pov is not trued up. And my view would be that I'd like to see the thickness/taper more balanced before it goes on the tiller. You appear to have started with a fatter (recurve tipped) limb and a thinner (straight tipped) limb. Let's see where you go from here... I figure it will look and be more in balance if you shift it a little to the left on the post (between 2% & 4% of the total ntn length). Then it's just a matter of teasing some of the irregularities out in the draw. Think "andaman", but only slightly. I always put my bows on the tiller with the top to the same (right) side, but when sweating out nuances in the emerging shape it's useful to keep flipping it end for end. Suggestion for a temporary nock: just whip a wedge into place to stop the string loop or hitch. Rod.

[@jeffreyburton6419]

Rod Parsons I'm no engineer but I believe the shear strength of most glues used in bowmaking is pretty high compared the shear forces produced by drawing 80-100lbs. Looked like epoxy to me...

[@rodparsons521]

+Jeffrey Burton : I'm just someone who has been making and shooting bows for a while and would you like to guess how many times I've experienced or witnessed glued on nocks shearing off? In any case, the draw-weight is not the force applied laterally to the plane of shear at the nock. In such a case the glue layer often remains intact when one of the bonded surfaces fails leaving traces on the glue surface. The proximate cause is usually how the sides of the nock create a point of stress when incorrectly cut, but the real point here is that the glueing onto a stave of this type of nock is not necessary; the medieval staves probably just had side nocks cut into the tips of the stave. When the cones are cut to fit the horn nocks, the tillering nocks are at least partially removed and then covered

[@MickGrewcock]

Thank you Rod. On it again soon. Mick

[@cretudavid8622]

Hello! Do you still comment on this video? I want to know how do I move the center line at a tip of the bow... The tip of my bow tilts like 1-2 cm to the left from my handle... Can you help me? 😕

[@MickGrewcock]

I try to answer everyone, though at the moment I have nearly five hundred answers to write! Check out my good bow from bad wood video and also my elder bow and hazel bow videos. They show how to move tips - but remember these are not instructionals as such, just me doing it. I use a DIY heatgun, vegetable or linseed oil (be careful, it is flammable) to prevent the wood scorching, and a weight to pull the tip into line. Check the videos. Good luck.

[@cretudavid8622]

@@MickGrewcock thank you very much!! 🙏 You are a good person, I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused:)!

[@MickGrewcock]

Cr3t2u David No trouble at all: a pleasure. Good luck.

[@rensvanderburg4802]

Hi mick great video I am making a hazel longbow right now But mine is much thinner than yourse but it is still a lot over 100 pounds so what must I do because my bow has the same dimmensions as yourse but it is 15mm thick?

[@MickGrewcock]

Hello. I am surprised it is 100lbs and so thin. How are you measuring the weight?

[@rensvanderburg4802]

Mick Grewcock I weigh the weight exactly the same as you do

[@MickGrewcock]

Rens Van der burg I see. It is 15mm at the handle?

[@rensvanderburg4802]

Mick Grewcock no at the midle of the lims the handel is 35mm depth and 37mm width and the tips of the bow are 15mm thick and 20mm width

[@AutodidactEngineer]

*I’accept you as my Lord and savior!!*

[@lodaygyeltshen1634]

What is the cost of a Bow? I may like to have one.

[@southronspirit]

how long should the first tillering bow string be on a 67" bow ?

[@MickGrewcock]

I would make a tillering string around 72" - 75". When the bow is sitting on the tiller tree, I'd normally have the string with about 3" space between the grip/centre and the string (it will be hanging quite slack). You can shorten it as you go. Good luck.

[@samw4924]

Hi Mike loving this series so far. I have a question. I am currently working on my first bow, also hazel. Do you leave the bark on for any reason other than aesthetics and to add character? Would it affect the bow if it's removed?

[@MickGrewcock]

Hello Sam and thanks for watching. I leave the bark on simply because I like the appearance. I am not sure if the bark itself lends the bow any properties, but most people remove it first. If the hazel is seasoned naturally over a long time, it's very likely that the bark will pop off/split when the bow is bent. It seems to stay secure when the stave is worked green and dried quickly. I would remove bark before tillering if choosing that way, just in case it makes a difference. Hope that helps in some way. Mick

[@samw4924]

Mick Grewcock that helps a great deal Mike thank you. i dried the stave quickly much like yourself. I'm rather impatient. so the bark is intact, but has a saw mark on the back of the bow. so needs removing. I'm almost at the tillering stage so will remove it, when I next work on the bow. Thank you and I'm looking forward to your next video.

[@MickGrewcock]

+Sam W Okay Sam, good luck. My bark has two nicks in it but I will still leave it on - adds a bit more character! Mick

[@ryansy7060]

Maybe if you leave the tips stiff it won't be as hard to tiller because you can disregard the tips.

[@MickGrewcock]

Yes, I try to ignore that curved tip when tillering but it does make the right limb act differently so it's hard to put it out of mind! Thanks for watching. Mick

[@matthewmccabe776]

I have a nice yew bow stave but I've heard horror stories about the toxicity of yew and people feeling ill after working on yew bows. Did you suffer any ill effects after working on your yew bow? I notice you have not made any yew bows recently.

[@MickGrewcock]

+matthew mccabe Hi there, the only reason I've not made a yew bow recently is simply the lack of staves! All parts of yew are toxic but with only modest precautions I have not suffered any ill effects and I will not avoid working with yew in the future. I am not aware of any bowyers suffering as a result of working yew - but don't take that as affirmation that there are no issues. For my part I wear a face mask when sanding yew (and other woods). Otherwise I adopt common sense handling procedures - washing hands etc. With my limited experience that is all I can say on the health side. Of course among us are those who react badly to certain triggers so working with any materials can expose a person to unexpected reactions. You might want to join Facebook groups used by bowyers and voice your fears there. Sorry I can't be definitive. Mick

[@briananuvattanachai6646]

What do you use to finish your bows?

[@MickGrewcock]

Tung oil, beeswax and sometimes yacht varnish on woods that absorb moisture easily. Thanks for watching, Mick

[@williejones344]

Brian Anuvattanachai,

[@superscience8944]

How long do you spend on editing?? This would take the film industry years!

[@MickGrewcock]

About seven hours of actual editing using around 1.75 hours of video/audio recorded over three days with three manually set/focussed cameras. Self filming using two to four cameras triples the work time of the actual thing I'm doing so I might take 30 hours videoing what would be a ten hour job. I try to achieve high production values so I have to repeat shoot tasks from different angles etc which brings continuity challenges etc. It would be easier with just one static camera, press the auto button and go - but that's not what I want! Thanks for watching, Mick

[@mihaizograf5599]

You work hard for a 10 min. video. thanks for all !!!

[@davidlonergan5875]

...Asymmetrical ends...not a feast for the eyes. I hope things worked out as you wanted, but it just isn't that pretty.