Making a Highland Longbow (and a wee bit of history)

Archery was a big part of the Highland warrior culture and bows were used in the Highlands up to the 1690's. Now, I'm a beginner to bow making, but in this video I try to make a longbow from the materials that might have been available to someone in the 17th century Scottish Highlands.
If you would like to SUPPORT THE CHANNEL, you can become a PATRON via my Patreon page:
/ tomfandabidozi
Or you can make a one off donation via the Paypal link: www.paypal.com...
If you would like to get in contact with me and keep up to date with events, here is my Facebook page: / fandabidoziwildernessa...
You can also follow me on my Instagram page: / fandabiwilderness
Here are some USEFUL LINKS for more info on the Scottish Bow:
Gaelic Archery blog post: ceathairne.blog...
Video on “Gaelic Bow”:
• gaelicbow
For more on Bow making, here is Mick's channel:
/ @mickgrewcock
Follow me on social media if you want :)
Facebook page: / fandabidoziwildernessa...
Instagram page: / fandabiwilderness
Music:
Energetic Irish gig- Royalty free music.
#longbow #highlander #scotland

[@FireCreekForge]

I am liking the historic bent of the channel. Everybody does "bushcraft" videos, but the history and getting and idea of some ancestral connection / history is cool.

[@MasterMichelleFL]

He breathes life into his info with living connection to our history.💚

[@malcolmlewis5860]

Fire Creek Forge well said.

[@brolly2479]

Agreed

[@KrawllUnchained]

beginner to making bows maybe .... but that bow shoots real straight and real fast so regardless of the mistakes you may or may not have made and regardless of the criticism you may get from any bow making experts out there, that bow works and it's powerful so you still get a lot of credit for being the one to make it :-D

[@MrTacklebury]

For future projects, please for your own sake, use a mask when working with deer antler. I have a close friend who was making knife scales from antler and didn't use any protection. It can cause a major issue in the lungs and as he found out, even occasional use can cause the damage. He's only got one lung now and it's a transplanted lung. He has nearly died many times, so anyone working with antler, do it in a well ventilated area and use at least a paper mask to keep the dust out of your airway. Same goes for napping flint if you try that.

[@ShadeSlayer1911]

Oh jeez, thanks for the warning.

[@codymarkley8372]

Why what did it do to his lung

[@MrTacklebury]

@@codymarkley8372 fibrotic lung disease which also leads to mesothelioma cancer

[@garymccallum667]

Wow.. I wish I'd heard that when I was a wee boy as I used to go hunting for old antlers and either selling them for pennies or drilling & sanding them down for specific purposes Usually letter openers & handle grips

[@christianbowyer7812]

Not only Antler dust isn’t healthy - yew wood is toxic, too. So good ventilation and if not possible, a pretty FFP2 mask ist advised. Nonetheless your successful attempt to make a longbow out of this knotty stave shows quite a bit of craftsmanship. Congratulations! Also the bits of historic research you pass on is quite interesting. Thank you very much - by the way a nice remembrance of of a vacation my wife and I had in the highlands in 2006 😉

[@magicdaveable]

I started building bows in the early 1950's as a youngster. It took me about 10 attempts to get one that gave me a modicum of satisfaction.

[@Tesshier]

Running all the way from so far.. I thought you'll just say : It's... (cue the Flying Circus intro)

[@eldorados_lost_searcher]

He'd have to be out of breath for that.

[@OldNavajoTricks]

"And now for something completely different..." Fits his videos perfectly as an intro lol.

[@gordonlawrence4749]

Jack Churchill was still using a longbow in WWII so if you count that then the Scottish longbow was still in use to 1945.

[@harkonen1000000]

He was captured in 1944, and he got too late to the Pacific theater to do anything there.

[@skeltonslay8er781]

He also used a long sword if I’m not mistaken

[@ignacejespers8201]

@@skeltonslay8er781 broadsword

[@sethbennett617]

He was from shrilanka, his parents were english. He only played the bagpipes because of the military traditions. in shrilanka. His longbow was english, as are almost all longbows. The "scottish" longbow only exists because the scots knicked it from the english.

[@Dante2099demon]

I think he use a English long bow aka a warbow

[@michaelharris2640]

who else is here to learn the process so you too can honour your ancestors? I am going to use mine for sport, highland games, hunting and fishing #ScottishPride For @Fandabi Dozi you have done a wonderful job on your weapon. Your family and ancestors are proud for keeping our culture alive.

[@jessicaservello6833]

Absolutely loving these historical videos. Side note: I could listen to you talk all day everyday, I absolutely love your accent.

[@stellarguymk]

Dude! Idk if you can tell, but your scottish accent is very mild. I'm from the US, North Carolina, most of us here are descendants of Scottish people, at least where I live. It's crazy, because some of the words you say, I can hear a North Carolina/Appalachian accent in your voice. I enjoy your videos dude!

[@jasonkraus2831]

That's where the southern accent comes from! It's a rhotic English/Scottish accent that eventually turned into what you hear now. The proper/posh English accent is typically non-rhotic and didn't start coming to the fore until the mid 1700's. There's some fascinating stuff out there about the connection between the Britain, immigration, and the US's Southern accents.

[@phdotsco]

His accents extremely common for anyone living in central Scotland.

[@MasterMichelleFL]

I noticed that first when watching Diane Jennings (an awesomely sweet and fun Irish KZbinr, if you don't know...). I completely understand what you mean! There are lots of Irish, in my research of family lineage and the areas my ancestors settled (Cades Cove, for one...Shady Grove, Florida for another). I heard vocal attributes of the Irish folks I hear, and my family's "accent".💚🇺🇸

[@stellarguymk]

@@MasterMichelleFL oh I love Cades Cove! My family used to take trips to Eastern Tennessee all the time. That's where you're talking about right? I loved the slow meandering drive through the park and all the nature and animals we got to see. And then stopping off at those old cabins and houses and churches. Such good memories 😊

[@MasterMichelleFL]

@@stellarguymk YES! I am a direct descendant of the Olivers... John and Lucretia, and others in the area. They were the first white settlers, had to leave when the government stole all the land, sent native people and friendly settlers off the land they worked so hard to survive, on...😥 You saw their cabin, and others, probably. ❤ The descriptions make it sound like they left voluntarily. They didn't, according to family history.

[@Stephenrsm7600]

I applaude your effort in making a long bow!!! Great job at finding and explaining the history of Scotish long bow use!!! Thank you SO very much for your education!!!!

[@screamingnighthog7155]

As a individual with both Scottish and Native American ancestry this video on longbow making appealed to me on two levels. You do a good job of making history come alive.

[@JoeyGee1000]

European peoples had similar lifestyles to those of American Indians, it was just much farther back in the past.

[@mahaliathompson3639]

@@AudioJeep it’s interesting to hear you feel this way towards native culture. I have ancestry to both Scotland and Native American, but I only grew up exposed to the Native American side. Hearing you talk about native culture, I could say all the same things about what im learning in Scottish culture, at least how cool I think it all is, and often take growing up learning native ways for granted. Hope this helps you appreciate your Scottish heritage more

[@tonystone3397]

Och aye the noo Jimmy!

[@WickedKingLycoan]

You did a damned fine job! Keep doing these videos, and keep working your hand at perfecting the bow! I have a feeling that you will perfect it!

[@Labroidas]

Fun fact: the european yew, once a very common tree, has become extremely rare in the wild. The reason for that is that they were systematically cut down and exported to England for making English long bows. By 1568 there was according to Duke Albrecht no "yew worth cutting down anymore" in all of Bavaria. It's extremely rare that you will come across a true european yew (other species of yew are being grown in cities) by chance in the wild. That's a shame, because yew trees are extremely slow-growing and long-lived, and could potentially live up to 2000 years, though no tree of that age has survived to our knowledge. So to anybody from Europe who wants to make longbows themselves: please consider making your bow out of ash or oak wood, or use imported wood from other yew species♥don't go into the forest and cut down a yew tree.

[@indianasquatchunters]

Great video! I’m pretty new to the channel. What got you interested in the history of the Highlander culture?

[@FandabiDozi]

Welcome :) Well I grue up in Scotland and have always been interested in bushcraft and wilderness living. Only when I found out about the Highlanders using the plaid as a multipurpose garment did i start researching into how they lived and it just became more and more interesting. Also good to rediscover your history and ancestors :) Hope you enjoy the channel!

[@Atkrdu]

Did the same thing! Only I live in the US, for now.

[@MasterMichelleFL]

@@Atkrdu Me too. I'm fascinated imagining the REAL native tribes of Florida (not the "Seminoles"...but the pre-1500s tribes), the Florida explorers (pre-Plymoth Rock/Jamestown era), and the settlers in my lineage that seem to have come from Ireland. That leads to becoming fascinated with how those coming over would have lived and built homesteads, which led me to Wesley. 💚👍

[@kaibrinkley6]

I love how much history you include in your videos (I'm a major history buff). I really want to visit Scotland and get more hands-on research.

[@america8706]

Now I want an authentic Scottish RPG in the vein of KCD. Man that would potentially be really cool.

[@LordoftheOzarks]

Man, i love your video topics. I have read some instances of English war bows having up to a 175 pound draw weight, and firing 1/2-3/4" diameter arrows. Those bows were made for throwing arrows as far and as fast as possible, though....We don't have Yew here, but im hoping to start on an Osage Orange longbow this spring. Cool video.

[@Atkrdu]

I could have sworn I heard something about 210lb draws on the English bows (at least some of them). If I remember, this was in Convict Conditioning 1 or 2 by Paul Wade.

[@BobSmith-cx4og]

Yes, I think I've heard of 185lb English warbows.

[@Brasilikilt]

@@Atkrdu Yes, I believe one of the bows recovered from the wreck of the Mary Rose is the one you're referencing.

[@SuperFunkmachine]

Most yew in England was imported anyway.

[@robertsroberts1688]

welsh longbows were twice the draw weight and made of ugly elm wood but were powerful weapons and preffered to be used up close and personal as a shock weapon like a combined force of a cannon firing at a group of soldiers or cavalry

[@Myn6211]

Now, I'm betting they didn't have a power drill back then to hollow out the deer antler. 😃 Brilliant job on making this bow. I really enjoyed watching the video and seeing how well the bow worked. Did you make your own arrows as well? Lovely craftsmanship.

[@haroldellis9721]

Props for getting stuck in. How many years have I had the same book, and talked of making a bow? I rather not say.

[@MasterMichelleFL]

I KNOW it's not the same, but I'm learning Irish (Gaeilge), and I also like Jas. Townsend and Son (American frontier historian and reliving history guru). These videos are like the Townsend's...Brilliant, and combine cool cultural history, skills and life. Except this stuff pre dates American settlers skills. It's fun to realize where American skills came from. ALL over. 💚 I adore your channel. Thanks!💚

[@princesscorvus2636]

Woah, that's cool😀 Well done! It looked like the arrow got sticked with strenght (I am sorry if that doesn't make sense, I don't know how to express it in english😂) so you could probably hurt someone with it.

[@Gillian1746]

Amazed at how fast the fleche actually travells once fired. Well done. Very interesting and exciting to watch you make the long bow.

[@Detrucci]

This looks like so much fun, I have always loved archers and bows and your one shoots so fast!

[@MasterMichelleFL]

Hemp... there were SO many uses! That's why it's banned. Financial slavery of those who aren't able to be self sufficient. I'm growing rather fond of this channel. 💚

[@gordonlawrence4749]

Nettles can be used for most of those uses and nettle tea is not bad and once you get rid of the stingers nettles are damn good eating.

[@itssharkey9592]

@None of Yourbusiness The sting is neutralised when you boil them.

[@iainooooo]

Fantastic video! Facinating to see how the highlanders lived and what they used in the harsh terrain. Amazing power and strengh in that bow! Very good shooting.

[@NotAnAngryLesbian]

I made a NA bow. I really like making things. That bow, hands down, was the physically hardest thing I have ever crafted. The tools used were remarkably simple which I felt was encouraging because anyone with access to a junk store could gather the needed supplies minus the wood and cord. After bow making, a friend let me use his atlatl. I really preferred it to my bow. I could throw very accurately and it it simply made me feel like a kid again. Now making the arrows....thats another endeavor.

[@mattwilcox3645]

plant some yew trees! everyday arbor day!

[@feralgrandad4429]

Tom, im an Archer as well as a "Bushcrafter" that is an awesome video! Top, top job. I also think that the bow stayed popular was because (sometimes) the ammunition was reusable and of course it was quite. Which im sure a Highland raider would appreciate. Great upload, one of my favourites. Thanks for sharing :-)

[@aal-e-ahmadhussain3123]

Those pictures look very much like Asiatic Reflex bows (aka horse bows). Was there perhaps some cultural exchange via the Danube-Rhine corridor traversed by Atilla the Hun or other Turkic tribes?

[@anonymouscausethatshowirol828]

More likely convergent evolution, simply due to the distance between the respective locations and the fact that the bow is an extremely common technology for a culture to possess

[@alexandertheok4868]

"Hemp was being grown all through the UK" So ya'll were fucking blazed?

[@vigunfighter]

Having made several self bows myself, I can really appreciate what you've done. You did a great job with the tillering. Very fair. No hinges or stiff spots that I can see in the video. Also seems to shoot fast! would love to know what kind of velocities you are getting from that.

[@scottishcanaltrash7067]

In a Jacobite society myself, and just loving your bow. Also have spent the night wrapped in my plaid on Culloden moor. Keep up your excellent informative work

[@likejohnnyandjune2024]

American here. So are you a Jacobite or a Jacobite historian? It's be cool to think the Jacobites are still an active group

[@scottishcanaltrash7067]

@@likejohnnyandjune2024 In a Jacobite society which does commemorative events . We used to do battle exhibition but it became too tied up in red tape etc.

[@bencameron539]

@@scottishcanaltrash7067 how dae yi join wan ae them sounds class

[@handiman5]

Is there no end to your talent? I really enjoy learning from your videos. Great job, keep up the good work.

[@mcnab1383]

That's an impressive bow you made - looks fast and accurate, which is all you need. Thanks for the links to the blog and gaelic bow video, the blog also mentions that hazel was sometimes used. As a Scottish archer, this is all very interesting, especially that the Highlanders were using shorter hunting bows with a recurve, I had no idea. I currently shoot traditional recurve but I would really like an authentic Gaelic bow - ideally about 45-50lbs and 54-60" long - but don't have the time or expertise, do you think Mick would make me one? (I could probably source some Highland yew and if not hazel or ash).

[@FandabiDozi]

Yeah I would like one too. I think he specialises in longbows but you could ask :)

[@robertopinzani6774]

For a " gaelic bow" according with gerald cambriensis narration elm is more exact than other woods, moreover as my personal council based on bow making ,experience,elm is more affidable than every other bow wood (excepting osage orange wood),is almost impossible to break, choose a three four years stave ,and you ll reduce the only problem with elm wood, it take set ,and follow the string more than yew. elm shaped with flat lenticular section ,not a D section as the EWB . www.tapatalk.com/groups/paleoplanet69529/the-welsh-and-irish-bows-t40271.html ps. sorry for my terrible english bye

[@rodparsons521]

Nice. Having a high proportion of sapwood on a yew bow can make a beginner bow more durable but more elastiity and a lower resistance makes for a softer cast. Long fibres can make hemp a reliable choice for a bowstring. For bow wood we use what we can get. Where I live Ash is ubiquitous. I believe the Stellmoor was made of Scots Pine, not something we might think of as a bow wood but once plentiful in the Caledonian Forest. I've thought of using Rowan or Hornbeam. Blackthorn shows promise but bow staves might be hard to find Birch has been used successfully where not much else grows and of course Wych Elm was a much favoured meane wood.

[@mcnab1383]

​@@robertopinzani6774 - thanks for this information. Your English is good. Sláinte.

[@withastickangrywhiteman2822]

Do the Scots had Longbow? i though it was a English thing

[@cdbc4023]

Super Vid. Go back a wee bit to Bannockburn 1314. Scottish archers confounded the English by using triangular formations on the flanks of the Scots to drive the English into the centre of the Scottish formation. The fabled Shiltron of the Scots. Edward the 3rd (son of the defeated Edward the 2nd - English King at Bannockburn) was so impressed (and very, very, angry) he adopted and improved the tactics of the Scots. Have you heard of Crecy? Humm! How History Flows!Very Much looking forward to all of your videos. Thanks.

[@dantheman4908]

I’m English, Welsh, Scottish and a bit Irish so I can be greedy and claim everyone’s history “teeheeheee...your history is mine... mwahaha”

[@jamescooper2618]

Great video! You know, if you're not making any mistakes, you're not getting anything done! Well done making the bow. I especially liked the view of the arrows coming at the camera. That was a good idea!

[@Gee-Man-Adventures]

Well done Tom, it's not easy to make a decent bow from native yew. You did yourself proud there. Love the channel. Keep it up.

[@graceschwendiman914]

Scottish history and survival skills, kids can watch themselves for twelve minutes

[@stoutyyyy]

Grace Schwendiman show this to the kids, bushcraft is a good thing to learn

[@maicka4417]

make a bow with the kids?

[@stoutyyyy]

Oliver Evans definitely

[@Snugglez187]

Could you have found a stave with any more knots in it? xD

[@andydavidson4108]

Thanks for the video and the history. Like the kilt. Went out last Friday with a piper friend (where we live in Mt. Horeb, WI) and had a Wee deoch n doris of Glenlivet. Both parents were born in Scotland and still remember my dad singing the old songs.

[@anonymousthesneaky220]

In the Americas bows were sometimes sealed with birch tar, which leaves a really pretty finish.

[@congdaniel7796]

I like your bow so much! Greeting from Vietnam.

[@alistairdunlop9174]

Great job! Looks brilliant. I'm really enjoying this channel.

[@turtlewolfpack6061]

Nicely done! The longbow in one form or another is a pretty useful and simple tool.

[@omid-nasi]

Just wanted to say much respect to your culture and you for sharing it with us, I appreciate learning more about it. You deserve more subscribes and likes. Great job! Keep it up please. :)

[@lonniecrook1684]

Great video and great job on your first bow! Keep up the good work! Loved the history lesson!

[@PineValleyDigital]

My 7th g-grandfather, James Ross was captured at the battle of Worcester 3 Sep 1651 and in May of 1652 was sold as a servant in Boston, Massachusetts. Since I found this information I have been fascinated with the 17th century Highland way of life, always wondering what it must have been like for him before Worcester. I am glad I found your channel and watch each and every video with great interest.

[@tylerwaddell5216]

PineValleyDigital so your like 1% Scottish?

[@PineValleyDigital]

LOL! Oh Aye! Maybe a wee bit more than Elizabeth Warren's claim to be Native American. My mother was also a descendant of the Cameron clan. I'm not claiming to be a Highland Scotsman, just proud to be the descendant of one.

[@kathiego233]

Wow! Awful lot of words. Could've saved us time by just saying "I hate Jews!" Classic example of CYA via pseudo-intellectualism.

[@PineValleyDigital]

@@kathiego233 - I assume you were addressing "loaded brush" ?

[@DB-um1ij]

One of your socks is higher than the other one does that mean that the highland warrior u r roleplaying is selling ye olde drugs or did it mean buying in that era?

[@Puppybuns]

Where I'm from knit backpacks signify a purveyor of ye olde drugs, is sock height actually used there?

[@comesahorseman]

Nicely done! Taking any precautions to avoid breathing in yew dust?

[@roddiemacleod4004]

Subbed cracking content.

[@joeturner1597]

Before you spoke, I thought you were going to say "And now for something completely different."

[@acardboardbox3861]

Would make one but I need lvl 70 fletching :/

[@williammccaslin8527]

It looks like the first time out you already have a winner, good job lad.

[@danmorgan3685]

Could you cover the hand hold area that cracked with raw hide? It tightens as it dries and can be absurdly tough.

[@gordonlawrence4749]

I think he was more going for as good as he could reasonably get for historical authenticity. I'm not sure the Scottish used rawhide, it seems to be a US invention.

[@aal-e-ahmadhussain3123]

@@gordonlawrence4749 rawhide has been in use in the east for a very very long time.

[@SeadartVSG]

Very nice job, and congratulations for keeping it authentic. The stag horn tips are great. I try to make them a little more compact to keep the arrow speed up. I doubt your ancestors used fancy water buffalo like all the English Longbows must have now. Still a bit confused on what you did on the back, just scraped off the bark? The standard swindle is that you have to chase a ring with yew or back it, but I doubt real primative yew bows were single growth rings on the back.

[@FandabiDozi]

Thanks very much :D yeah just scrapped the bark off basically :) thanks for the info!

[@Ozarkwonderer]

Really good video and cool bow. I make more of a native American bow here in the states. Very amateur mind you but functional. I hunt with mine or try to. But mine run 40 to 60 pounds. Its a good weight keep it up

[@MrDracolucassos]

I need to say you killed me with "cerfully take of material" and next what I seen was and hit with an axe :D

[@OldManPaxusYT]

7:10 startled me!... 😮 ...maybe coz i watch most vids at 1.75-2x speed.. Go you lil Braveheart! 😆 ← ↑ Comment for algorithm + 👍 'd #OldManPaxus Rating: ☆☆☆ ½

[@TheWinalot]

Thank you for this video. I made a few crap bows out of whatever I could find as a kid (pst, don't tell my parents, lol). I'd really like to improve on them, so I've looked up bow making on YT and found the proper professionals showing off and it scared me off trying to make a bow. BUT...you, a novice, come along and with your patented honesty and show us your 2nd attempt at a bow. Let's be honest, it's no show piece, but what you video has done is re-ignited my interest in having a go again...btw, I'm still not sure I can do as well as you but my B&W workmate is a little sturdier...so maybe. ;-) Thank You

[@FandabiDozi]

I was the exact same mate. i made hundreds of quick bows growing up but never had the patience to season wood and make a proper one :) Glad you got some inspiration! Good luck!

[@Rowanbows]

Hey Im from germany. interesting bow profil, is it flat or D? Maybe cause it was a quiet a small yew. You must reduce the sapwood upon one continuing grothring to get more power. (1/3 is sapwood 2/3 redwood) Cause the power comes from the redwood and the sapwood only carries the stretching on the back of the bow. In every case, nice bow Im making bows too!

[@ModernExplorer]

Thats awesome! Great channel - makes me want to try and make a bow myself...however, pine and aspen don't work very well! Haha.

[@whistlingbadger]

Are you in the states? I'm in the Rocky Mountains, so I can identify with the problem. It is said that juniper makes a great bow (usually backed with sinew; I suspect it would make a great longbow by itself it you could find a piece long enough). Chokecherry is said to make a good self bow. I have a self bow of black locust (made for me, as I am not a bowyer...yet) and it shoots almost as fast as my old fiberglass recurve. Good luck.

[@duncanmcharg]

Very nicely done for your second bow! I've made a few (have the first 3 Bowyers Bible books) and would be very pleased if one of mine turned out like your Yew. Congrats. Oh and your shooting's good too. Cheers from the Antipodes.

[@cabotbluegill]

You did a superb job I am very impressed antler being solid was much harder to work with the horn as horn is hollow

[@snorkherder]

Excellent work on the Bow, Impressive for a first build. Thanks for sharing :) ATB.

[@j4nnytor]

idk crafting yew longbows is good but when u reach 70 fletching u should definitely fletch magic shortbows imo.

[@OzLeedsCrew]

Another fantastic video mate, well done! Your content combined with that of Mark Nicol's gives me the weekly dose of all things Scottish that I'm looking for! Clan Ferguson checking in

[@normferguson5209]

Very good vids.i love learning bout the highlands.family history.im a ferguson.alway wondered where my ancestors lived and how they made tools.long live and god bless.

[@OzLeedsCrew]

@@normferguson5209 #teamFerguson. ..Can't help but think- maybe life (as hard as it was at times) was better back in previous centuries. Simplified, skills based, a mans word was his word, trust, community support, outdoor living etc. My full name is Campbell Ferguson, which is always controversial when I chat with a Scot. There is a machinery brand called Massey Ferguson, so I've often had the nickname 'Massey'. Either way, a proud Aussie/Scot 'Dulcius Ex Asperis'

[@normferguson5209]

@@OzLeedsCrew Yes, life is sweeter after difficulty.to have more ppl with honor and integrity would be exellent.

[@suzannetodaro5494]

Hi I just read your comment about the contention for the name Campbell. I recently came back from a Highland tour and the guide explained of the massacre perpetrated by the Campbells on another Clan that took them in the the deep of winter. I have since found out that it was politically a misunderstanding about allegiance the the English King of that time. I hope this explains the feeling you get when mentioning the Campbell surname to some people.

[@OzLeedsCrew]

@@suzannetodaro5494 Hi Suzanne, Greetings! My first name is Campbell, ( I usually spell it 'Caimbeul', the Gaelic way ) and my surname is Ferguson. I've also attempted to learn Scots Gaelic for the last 5 years- not easy, but very interesting. Yes, I've spent decades looking into the Ferguson clan, and of course the Campbells - in the end my opinion is.. the Clans all fought each other / had alliances with people north and south of Hadrians Wall, but ultimately all stood side by side when they had to fight against the common enemy from the south. The mixture of Pictish, Breton, Dal Riadan, Irish, Celt, NorthUmbrian and Scandinavian blood certainly provided the people of modern Scotland with a rich heritage. Regardless, I'm proud of my first name- Caimbeul/Campbell and wear it proudly. A safe New Years to you

[@foxglove8836]

Got some power :-) Good for your second time making one, I used to have a long bow just loved it.

[@howey935]

Love your videos keep up the good work hope you had a merry Xmas and hope you have a great hogmany

[@MrTatts64]

Excellent video, thanks!! I might add that the grouping with the arrows was pretty sh*t hot too mate. What's next? Waiting for the next cull and getting out there to claim your own stag??? Combine that with a week long bushcraft excursion and you got yourself a seriously cool hunting and bushcraft video?!?!?! Best of luck for 2019 and I'm already looking forward to seeing what you get up to. All the best!!

[@woodsmanwhitesmith6928]

HOWDY from TEXAS !! my wife and sister in law say that your accent is hot , if you moved to the U.S. at least here in Texas the girls would flock to you ! good video , i make self bows here out of hickory and you did a good job .

[@mewendy1]

(in my best 60 year old woman, Austin accent)... Isn't he just darlin'?

[@kennymonty8206]

That was a fun video to watch. I enjoyed the balance of historical information about Scotland with the practical application utilizing what you have. Your ancestors ultimately did just what you did. Found a red deer horn? That works. Or, maybe, ate a red deer and had the horn left over? A bit off topic, I'm interested in drums in Scotland's history. What kinds of drums did they use? What's a battle drum? What kinds of drums were used for music?

[@FandabiDozi]

Thanks :D I don't know much about drums, but Bodhrans were (and still are) widely used for traditional music. Not sure about war drums I'm afraid

[@LongBowMan89]

Bloody Hell Mate, you did a stellar job for first bow. Even more Soo using Yew stave and making and cutting you're own horn nocks... Have you made anymore bows since this one ? Cheer's 🏹🎯

[@inthewoodswithbigfoot3941]

Sweet bow! Great job and I like the jacket. I must have missed that video. I'll back up to see what I've missed.

[@SuperChoronzon]

Aye, ye wear the Plaid weel son. Great video and awesome shootin' too. As wee Jimmy would say... "Fan-dabby-dozzy" earned ye a sub !!!

[@stevejenkins9984]

It's awesome to see another aspiring Bowyer. To give you a quick tip when you cure your wood slap some paint or wax polyurethane anything to seal the ends of your Stave. It forces the moisture to evaporate more slowly and evenly. Instead of all escaping from the ends. That will keep your wood from cracking God bless and happy bow making! By the way for your second bow you've done a nice job!

[@FandabiDozi]

Thanks so much! I read somewhere to cover the stave ends, but I have never tried it. Thanks for the great info. What is the minimal time you season a stave for?

[@stevejenkins9984]

@@FandabiDozi depends on the environment in my basement 6month but above my wood stove or by dehumidifier abt 4 months. U can start shaping the belly and see how it's dried. U can always give it another month. Once it's mostly dry u can shape it out in it's rough stages.

[@yarinya13]

This is great and really informative. Thanks for sharing it!

[@AbbieBarnesWILD]

This is brilliant. Educational. Inspiring. Skilful. Love your passion!

[@hydroxide5507]

Very cool! I really like the antler knock

[@paulbernard2647]

Wow! You could really put someone’s eye out with that! Good stuff! 😉👍

[@MasterMichelleFL]

LMAO American joke?

[@MasterMichelleFL]

@None of Yourbusiness oooh...LMAO I missed that reference, thanks! BB guns are dangerous!!!🤣🤣🤣💚

[@JCTheSniper15]

I'd say it's actually quite accurate. I'm sure people used whatever they found and the skills they had.

[@hankczinaski915]

Nice work! Btw, antlers were used historically.

[@waveydaveyspoonerbooner205]

great vid, shoot or lose arrows, fire bullets, cannon, mortar etc. keep up the great content.

[@codegang9202]

The Scots had Longbows like the English and Welsh, but they did not use it as well for warfare.

[@ashleysmith3106]

You didn't explain the leather wrapping round the middle of the bow. From what I've read (and used on my own longbows) a piece of wet rawhide was sewn onto the bow for strengthening. It would shrink while drying, and become quite hard, giving extra strength. If you haven't any rawhide, those knotted dog "bones" from pet stores etc are just bleached rawhide , and do the job very nicely after being soaked and undone. Cowhorn was used for nocks because it's already got a tapering hollow inside,saving you that grinding out process on the deer horn; cow/bullock leg bones also work. Unfortunately I live in a remote part of Australia, and the 40+ degree.C temperatures wreak havoc on self bows, so I've given up on the longbows for the present, but they have always fascinated me, perhaps it's my Celtic heritage (Scots, Irish and Cornish) Good job on the video and the bow too! PS What wood would the Scots have used for arrows in those days, and how would they have got them straight enough to be accurate?

[@Daylon91]

Your informative research throughout made me watch the whole video. Great job 👏 the Saxon era longbow was 70 ibs. So 50-60 ibs is good enough for lightly armoured or not armoured opponents. Seems everyone thinks a warbow is 150 ibs!! When yes at the very end of the longbow in battle it was.

[@carlosh2539]

The intro reminded me of Monty Python

[@julesfuckingbonnot]

"IT'S!"

[@merricevans1341]

I’m in North America of Chickasaw-Choctaw and Henry clan Scottish… I have spent a lot of my life learning the “old ways” but have no exposure to the indigenous knowledge of my European ancestors This is really changing my life

[@ronankilcline1992]

@Fandabi Dozi I love the video, the bow looks good and shoots well. I’m currently in the process of making my first self bow from an ash stave and I would like to make it in a similar style to this, it is traditional and somewhat resembles an English longbow. As ash isn’t really a great wood to build a ‘D’ shaped bow I wouldn’t mind shaping it how you have here with your handle section and slightly flattened profile, would you be able to provide me with the dimensions you worked off from length, to handle size and limb tapers? Any help would be appreciated, thank you

[@garethh6962]

Good vid love the stories with them just subbed I thought I was already subbed but wasn't..

[@SonsOfLorgar]

Yeah, that draw weight sounds like a good hunting and allround bow. Not so much for pitched battles between standing armies of professional soldiers. Also, your shafts should be at least a foot or one and a half longer to get the most out of the bow and your arm length.

[@callumbiasnow4825]

8:50 A quick correction. You ARE allowed to grow hemp in the UK. We are actually one of the largest exporters in the world of legal cannabis, the government just chooses to control and profit from this resource and vilify the common people. Great vid though 👍

[@knightowl3577]

For those who say the English nicked the longbow from the Welsh, a longbow was found in a bog in Somerset dating around 2700-2600 BC. Bows have been around a long time all over the world. Let's not get too nationalistic.

[@gurglejug627]

My skill is in Viking ship replica construction - the 'recipe' for keeping wood supple and flexible, as these boats were, is the application of a mixture of turpentine, linseed oil and tar. The Turpentine is really that - not an artificial substitute such as White Spirit - but proper plant based light spirit (and you can obtain that yourself by condensing the lighter fractions when burning tar) or buy commercially. The linseed must be raw linseed (not 'boiled' or 'cooked' linseed oil which is actually derived by a chemical process) - ergo it's simply an oil pressed from the seed, nothing else. And the tar (which is at least partly a rot preventive) and is a heavier 'oil' - is carried into the wood by the lighter oils which then evaporate or soak in or dry off. This mix might be a bit 'slimy' for a bow for handling it - not sure - but I would think there's a good analogy in its usage, all the better if you give it repeat coats to allow penetration, and then give it a long time to dry so the 'slime factor' is reduced or with luck annulled. The ratio of he mixture is subject to debate and all manner of experiment, but a third of each does the job generally speaking. Nice video, thanks and wishing you well.

[@williamjhunter5714]

Real nice bow and video. I made the Yew bows for Hunterston Castle in West Kilbride, Scotland. A #120 war bow, #65 long bow and #35 target bow.

[@electrominded8372]

A common misconception (or modern myth) is that forest-dwelling guerilla type archers in Europe preferred the longbow. In reality a 6 foot bow is astoundingly impractical in the rough outdoors: it gets stuck in tree branches, intertwined in tall grass and weeds and knocks against logs, stubs and rocks during transport. It can easily break if tied to a horse or mule if said animal drops its packing for whatever reason or collides into something. A recurve or nipple-tall self bow would be much more easy to use and to maintain.

[@EmdrGreg]

Tom, what the function of the coats of animal fat? I can guess it is to water-proof the bow, but is there anything else?

[@lamykaswiccanpodcast]

Have you ever tried working in conjunction with a University to make sure of the minutiae? Too many of the illustrations done about our People (Hawaii) were fanciful fiction, like what Hollywood does now-a-days, so I wonder if it might help you when you do your reproductions.

[@christdiedforoursins5756]

Wow that's very impressive good job you have quite a skill for bow making very cool video you're like a real Highlander thank you very for the history and tutorial I have a bushman bow it's much much smaller in comparison Highlanders had great swords and greatbows what a great people

[@ericruss4189]

Thanks for the video. Keep the Highlander videos coming.

[@evelyngorfram9306]

Wow, excellent video and totally cool bow! ...But I do kinda wanna know if you caught hell from whichever household member bought that jar of goose fat.... ;)