Build Your First Hickory Self Bow

[@daveanddanniejacobs9432]

Shot bow all my life I'm 53 going on 54 damn cool to see that there is actually young men still out there keeping it real.

[@DanSantanaBows]

The bow gods are smiling! This video will greatly lower the barrier to entry and allow so many new bowyers to enjoy this craft I hope it’s alright if I offer some further thoughts and minor disagreements for the sake of discussion. We all do things differently The problem with tillering gizmos is that they mark out an even circle. For the vast majority of bows this leads to too much inner limb bending and stiff mid and outer limbs. Thinner wood can bend to a tighter radius than thicker wood before it reaches the elastic limit (takes set.) This means that the outer limbs of the bow can bend to a tighter radius than the inner limbs. If you bend them to the same radius you’re overworking the inner limbs and underworking everything else. If you had no thickness taper then it would make sense to have circular tiller but otherwise pretty much any straight stave design will call for a more elliptical bend shape. I do also recommend the gizmo because the wrong tiller shape is better than no tiller at all, or a broken bow. But if you use it I suggest manually working the mids and outers more than the gizmo suggests Another part I’d suggest doing differently is the handle, and fades as well. Typically modern bowyers leave the handle blocky and then carve the handle once the bow is tillered. Bowyers who specialize in self bows tend to rough out the entire bow, including the handle and fades. The width and thickness fades are established at the time of the rough out, and then they are incrementally tillered together with the bow. The big advantage this way is you’ll never have the handle jump scare you by bending when you don’t expect it-because you adjust it carefully and incrementally together with the limbs. More importantly, if the handle and fades are already established once the bow is tillered, it means you don’t have to do risky carving near the fades. Typically on bows with fades the fading from handle to limbs is done in both width and thickness over the same distance. In this bow the width fades and thickness fades are distinct, which takes up more space than necessary. This is definitely an overly pedantic nitpick, all I mean is that one could save a couple inches of bending limb by making the fades the traditional way. For good examples of fade design study west coast paddle bows for bending handles. For stiff handles search for buchanan dips. Swiftwood Bows and Clay Hayes also have many videos showing the handle features I mention here. Most side on pictures of fades show the side profile but keep in mind that the fades have both a thickness and a width component, and that they should be complimentary. Ie the limbs are wide and thin but the handle is thick and narrow. Or when you narrow the handle you need to thicken the fades. If you separate the width fades from the thickness fades you’re creating weak points anywhere you narrow the handle but don’t increase the thickness. I worry that the handle bending in the video may come from these abrupt transitions. I hope these points are taken constructively. If I have been picky it’s because this video has great potential to advance the craft. Now may the algorithm gods do their work!

[@coinbash626]

Thanj you!

[@adamtomlinson918]

"im not very good at archery" proceeds to hit every spot he wants. Yea, okay. Always love your videos Kramer!

[@JTin-p3k]

I did it, with the help of shatter proof archery videos and Kazdens expertise I made an oak bow!!!!!

[@frankbarbagallo9399]

Great job! Love hickory and Osage. Something awesome about building a bow and seeing it shoot well ! Thanks for all the great videos! I am 71 years old and made my first bow when I was 12 years old out of a hickory sapling and killed my first rabbit the same day! I have been shooting bows ever since. I did not build another bow again until 1999 and really dove into the self bows and started making indian arrows and knapping flint arrow heads. So satisfying and even took a few deer with them ! Great to see your enthusiasm you have! Keep it up 👍 thanks again

[@AaronBleess-yz4cw]

Not only do I watch your videos but I truly enjoy your videos. Every time I’m on KZbin I look to see if you have a new video. Thank you for your wonderful content.

[@mark70rich]

I just hit my 54 th birthday grew up a city kid,now I live semi rural I actually want to make a bow and learn to shoot it. Your uploads are gonna help me loads.

[@KD8HDY]

Love this video! Thank you a much for sharing this information with us.

[@viewtifuljay2531]

Been studying varoius sources for a year or so now when it comes to bow making. Keep in mind ive never made a bow myself. With that being said this video was the best in terms of allowing beginners to understand the process and steps behind making a bow. You kept it simple, but showed some more advanced techniques to strive for in the future. I think il finnally give it a try

[@AesthMed]

I have some Osage orange staves with pretty significant bends in them, but the grain and rings are perfect. I’ve only ever tried board bows so this is a new challenge for me. Maybe in a future video you could show us how to go about correcting a bend? It bends forward/backward. Not side-to-side.

[@shawndooley7778]

I've never built a bow but it's been an idea for a project, seeing you build one from scratch with these few tools gives me a boost of confidence and plenty of information going forward. Please keep making great vids like these they are inspiring.

[@rmcdaniel423]

I don't know anything about building bows, but I've done a fair amount of basic woodworking and carpentry. Handy enough with tools. I recently inherited a super heavy stave of osage from my father in law who passed away this summer. He was immersed in old timey shooting sports. He started it in the 80s, and never finished it. It's like a log compared to that hickory stick shown here. He was making it in a really natural way that was following grain curves around where maybe branches used to be. I need to learn how to finish that bow to honor his legacy. Thanks for sharing this. It will get me off to a good start.

[@fulcrum789]

I just got the 3 staves I ordered in the mail my kids and I will build them one for each kid so they can have memories.

[@SWINGERINTO]

Never stop! Love you helping people! Love you finding a way to grow a business at the same time, even more! Keep it up!

[@mschultz88]

I just got me a hickory stave the other day, and now you make this video!! Ready to start shaving off material for my first bow. Thanks for the information!!

[@furqanmuhammad2932]

It's an art... This guy is an artist. There is a lot of patience needed in reaching that level.

[@noahsmith8988]

I have some great hickory trees on my little plot of land all sizes if I was younger iwould be making me another bow I have made some many years back with nothing but a hatchet and knife and sand paper they were pretty good bows

[@Short_vids_daily]

Approximately how many hours of work do you think this takes. I'm trying to find a fun project for my woodworking class in school. I'd love to know if I'd have time to make this.

[@Nathan-d6q3v]

hell buddy, make time, a good teacher would understand the quality factor...or should!

[@connorgarland113]

Man, "not really great at archery" very humble and inspiring from someone who's made bow making their profession. Says alot about someone who is ok enjoying the journey. Thanks for the great content 🤘

[@shrewsbrewery183]

Hey I've been watching your videos for a while now, love you enthusiasm, it's a bit infectious :) I really want to get into bow making and you have inspired me!

[@jdryak]

Excellent videos and you have such a great and generous attitude. Thanks so much!

[@baptisteb7144]

Amazing Work ! Watching you from France is a real pleasure and inspires me to start bow making ;)

[@troyfrazier2538]

Very gifted. I love watching your videos. Maybe one day I will make a bow. Very good information. Thank you.

[@antkadelbach]

Amazing. The tutorial I whish I had in my childhood, the hours of carving I wasted, when I shattered my bows by drawing them out without any tillering...

[@Gimli_syn_Gloinuv]

Awesome, thank you for the video :-) not really a bow shooter, but i like to shoot from time to time, and bow was actually a second thing i bought for the first money i ever made :-) and still have it, almost 20 years old now ... Recently i got into historical fencing and stuff and with some money i manage to put aside i'm now trying to learn new skills, bowmaking is next up, so your video is here in the right time for me and with a lot of good and valuable informations :-)

[@mickusable]

Awesome build Kramer, keep the videos shatterproof 🏹

[@cj.972]

Wow u have came so far in ur journey I remember watching you over a year ago maybe even 2 When u first started showing people how to make bows I've learned so much from you And I've even tried making my own only twice I need more Practice or I may just buy one of ur templates to start Keep it up buddy

[@philipdavis5638]

Idea for will it bow. Building a takedown bow from two axe handles. I think they are usually hickory.

[@dylanlawrence5261]

You should build one of those native american shortbows, basically this but much shorter. Curious how much harder it would be to do.

[@shadowcastre]

Awesome video...! Going over 50# with hickory un-backed is no problem. I have one that is 70#. Thanks for the video...

[@glenn_r_frank_author]

I've made a sucessful board bow out of Maple... really want to try hickory too! Inspiration!

[@richj5735]

Great video. Love learning this stuff!

[@edjohnston3227]

Once again, you "nock" it out of the park with an awesome video! Thank you for all the information you post man!

[@AesthMed]

Wow, very thorough. I love the quick and easy tillering tree. I’ve been building without one but I can easily make this in my apartment. Thanks!

[@paullewis5045]

Really, really nice build demo! One caution though. When shooting off your bare hand take care to check your fletching for damage. A feather splinter is no fun at all. Check some videos of Japanese archery where form is more important than where the arrow strikes. The arrows are shot off the hand from self-bows. But the leading edge of the fletching is scythed and served. No one should have the wonderful experience of having a 4-inch fletching driven two inches into your finger.

[@samfulks4896]

Your experience is helping a multitude of archers and bowyers

[@gnothisauton2116]

Great stuff. Keep up the wonderful tutorials.

[@samuski36]

This is an art of Our people, thank you for preserving it Sir!

[@charlesdavis9937]

I made a hickory English longbow. 72" 44#@28"

[@christophertracey7201]

Awesome vid

[@dee-n1cearchery805]

Could you do one in reflex deflex and bamboo backing ? And how short of a bow can you go? And even a two piece bow ? Thanks

[@cliffpurcell6363]

You’ve inspired me- I’m going to build one!

[@kirisilvermane]

Always an inspiration! Now looking for hickory in the uk!

[@stree7geek]

You’re preserving the art of survival mate, THANK YOU!!

[@Curie_ELiTE]

You are so talented. Its a pleasure watching your videos and craft. Thx from Denmark.

[@lordscan1047]

Great video, you really make me think on make me one for myself, but i would like to know, What are your toughts on pvc bows?

[@henryng7893]

Great video👍👍👍

[@aaronbowers3660]

Great video, I like the simplicity of this build for the beginner and the graphics you added. What's your opinion of pvc bows?

[@allencross3599]

Why don't you give your hand at an asymmetric bow like the Yumi? (or the shorter Hankyu) Why did it work well for them?

[@Jordan_Makes]

Love your vids! I broke my first attempt at following one of your videos from years ago. I feel it’s time to try again.

[@kyleconnery1929]

i have watched you videos for a thew years and now with this it feels like i can build one myself now 👍

[@JohnBrown-ou1tw]

First off, I absolutely love your videos. Can you do a video on how to fix propeller twist on a board bow? New to bow building. Thanks so much for your videos. Very informative.

[@reapergrim76]

Love this! 😀

[@ralfbear]

I wish it was as easy here to get decent timber as it is your side of the pond... Sigh... Thanks for your videos, really enjoy them. 👍🏻

[@MrGaza74]

Best beginner video on KZbin. 👍🏼

[@Nathan-d6q3v]

nice sir, start to finish. Well done, shooting PSE terra as my entry back into traditional, 52# at 30", I think I may give this a shot, good trigger for renewing a section of man-card

[@NoahSpurrier]

Good stuff. I’m getting inspired.

[@larryb9771]

Love your content. I have a few pieces of shagbark hickory staves can I use these dimensions and process to make a bow from it?

[@sherwinpalacio3227]

Very nice grouping and awesome bowbuild❤

[@cecilsowers8242]

I always love to watch your bow building videos. I need to try it again especially with hickory. I tried it with red oak and cut too much, hinged it and it broke. I never tried again but I’m thinking I would like to do it because I would love to have some thing that I built for myself. Keep up the good work buddy.

[@gaza102289]

Do you think you could make a bow with just a Swiss army knife? (Or equivalent)

[@Golden-Gun]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us, absolutely gonna try it 👍👍

[@rtcoleman3626]

You're awesome dude I love watching your videos they have taught me a lot

[@coenschut3596]

Watching this after having my first bow break lol. It was an oak stave with the wood glue and glass fibre tape backing that you made a video on. Luckily, I have another piece and will try without backing! I think I might have made the ends too thin, because the middle wasn't bending like yours is in the video. Would you recommend roughly keeping the same thickness throughout tillering? Because my ends were not even a third of what it was near the handle.

[@keithramsay5987]

So eucalyptus would be a good choice being in Australia?

[@robertlee8400]

If I (& that’s a big If) was to make a bow , it would be out of osage orange wood or Brazilian walnut wood or Australian buloke wood .

[@ericbulich9812]

Definitely like this bow and plan on trying my hand at building one real soon

[@willemgrobler-x9c]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I really appreciate it.

[@Skip-k7z]

Thank you for these videos! I plan on making my first bow, what type of arrows would you use for a self bow like this?

[@kevinhall5766]

What a great video full of awesome information Ty

[@joshoconnor6684]

The piece of Hickory I had was only 49 inches long, so started making a bow out of it. Anyway, will this be too short to tiller properly?

[@propelledchuck6815]

So you can scrape material off in the tiller without unstringing the bow? I haven't gotten to tiller yet with my first build but it seems like having to take the string off and on every few minutes wouldn't be good?

[@trollforge]

Kramer, why do you want 1/4" positive tiller in you bow?

[@DanSantanaBows]

Even when you make a bow perfectly symmetrical, you can’t actually use it symmetrically. You can’t both hold the bow in the center and shoot from the center, so you have to cut a compromise. Since we shoot above our hands this puts more mechanical advantage on the lower limb. So to compensate, we leave the lower limb slightly stiffer, leading to positive tiller.

[@trollforge]

@@DanSantanaBows Beautifully explained, Thank you!

[@NullFX]

I'm not sure if I'm actually gonna get into archery. It may just end up being a passing interest. Nonetheless I think it's extra cool that you just teach people how to create the products you're selling. If I do end up getting into archery I know I'll definitely be giving you a good chunk of my business.

[@bassemedres4470]

I don't have these woods in my country, but Beech Wood is available, and I thing lemon tree wood. I am thinking about making a 60" laminated bow, using beech wood in the belly and lemon wood (2x 40" pices) in the back also i want to put around 5 or 7 layers of the fiberglass drywall tape and a layer of artificial leather. And a layer of fabric in the belly of the bow I don't know if it's gonna work or not. Any thoughts or advice?

[@Osrsog]

I’m inspired ❤ I’m going to start soon

[@davidzeegers6583]

like your your work, thank you for the informative content. any extra considerations for a 6olb from outset?

[@brycemurphy1320]

What do these staves start out as? I’ve been watching your videos of lumber store board bows along with many other peoples videos on them. Is that what these staves start as or are these cut from real lumber and chased rings, that sort? This is awesome you can but these staves though, I might take this rout for my first bow build!

[@andrewsackville-west1609]

What are the dimensions of the gizmo? How far out does the pencil protrude?

[@juanpablofajardoramirez1008]

"I am not too good", proceeds to deadeye the first target he calls hahahah great video man, always loved your content, and i have a feeling I will always love it

[@garykruta145]

May have to get one of those staves from you

[@GeorgeShook-b2u]

When you put that block in the middle of your bored what's the measurements for gluing it to the would and if you want to put a wooden arrow rest on it instead of the hand how would you go about putting that in there I don't see that on this video I don't see anywhere where you pick out the grain I don't see how do you pick out the growth rings any of that

[@thomasanderson3785]

Very cool stuff ❤

[@U812-k7j]

Is the Hickory kiln dried or does it need to be green?

[@zacoliver5183]

How thick are you shooting for on your limbs for the staves when floor tillering ?

[@Rezay_Animation]

Love it Bro ❤❤❤

[@dust154]

fantastic video thank you:)

[@GeorgeShook-b2u]

How do you pick the growth rings on a hickory bowl

[@PNWWoodcraft]

Hey, Kramer I just wanted to let you know that you inspired me to learn how to make bows. I've improved my skills a lot and I just created my own channel documenting my journey. Is it possible for you to pin this comment? Thanks.

[@Welther47]

Could you make it a foot or two longer and get >50 lbs?

[@Alex-ix4qr]

How would this work with Ash wood?

[@bienyamientoefy1923]

Thank you

[@MikeOsborne-fp9bf]

Great video

[@GeorgeShook-b2u]

😅 on your screws you can take shrink tape cut them a quarter inch heat shrink them on the screw put the screw down to the edge of the quarter inch string tape that will protect your string

[@GuyGleason-s9z]

Have you ever tried to make a fire hardened bow before?

[@TylerOwings-fn5rl]

Would dogwood work?

[@schoolhaters1992]

In the past month I've been trying to make a bow and the 3 that I have built all broke in roughly the same spot(near the handle). I have used different wood and tried multiple designs. If anyone could help that would be nice.

[@tdog_]

im a righty, but left eye dominant so aiming with my right eye is annoying.

[@happinessmashava]

❤ thanks man 👍

[@caseysmith544]

If Me I would have glued only on both sides a mini piece of wood pre shaped as a bow rest and I would have used a thin layer of clear epoxy over the bow for a protectant on my bow as well as a backing.