Making an English long Bow part one

[@bienyamientoefy1923]

greetings sir and everyone.i was very excited to come across your video lesson.made a cup of coffee and enjoyed your lesson.

[@bretwhitmore8855]

For all of us with strong English ancestry but historically, generations removed from the UK, this was a thoroughly wonderful episode! I've dreamt of crafting my own longbow for decades. I may still get to it one day, but it will be quite a task trying to find pure English Yew here in the prairie east of the Black Hills of South Dakota! Thank you so much for covering this subject matter in so clear and inviting a manner and in so lovely a countryside as your own community!

[@shedadventures7225]

Hi what about Hickory, Ash or even Red Cedar. All will give you a bow and the fun making it.

[@Skenderbeuismyhero]

There's also pacific yew, osage orange, and black locust, which are all types of wood that natives in the black hills would have traded for to make their bows.

[@MrNeada]

I recommend using Pacific Yew, search for Ravensbeak bows as a good source, don't use English yew if you want to make one with any decent draw weight, even as far back as the 15th century the English military bowyers preferred not to use English Yew, it's not dense enough to get the typical draw weight of over 100lbs, Tip: you're looking for a bough about 9 inch diameter minimum and use the North side , the growth rings are denser and fewer knots on the north side of the Yew.

[@MrNeada]

@@shedadventures7225 hi shed Yes, all worth a try, on fact I would recommend a more available wood for starters saving the more difficult to come by woods for your more experienced works I've used Sitka spruce, (boat building quality wood that has a fantastic strength to weight ratio), Red oak, (with its very open spring growth rings, lots of ash bows laminated and self bows. All good for up to approximately 90 lb draw weight, plenty for most people. I have seen an ash bow break at that weight. If it's difficult to get any of those woods with grain orientation for a self bow, that is, where you can chase one summer growth ring for the whole length of the back of the bow, then make a laminated stave where the backing laminate is quarter sawn, You can ever back with raw hide, using those dogs chews, soaked in water , worth searching for. I've uploaded a video on that. Hope that helps people to explore using other woods . Good luck, Nick.

[@tonynapoli5549]

Very interesting subject 👌

[@johnroberts3723]

Finding a straight piece of English yew in excess of about four feet can be a nightmare!.

[@stevedriscoll2539]

That was so neat to see that Ancient Stone Church and those genuine Yew trees. I was, little by little, buying a "Pacific Yew" longbow from an Archery Shop, but a big guy way overdrew the bow and it broke. It was built by John Strunk and I had to have it because I had read about John in Traditional Bowyer's Bible and the bow shot smooth and fast at my 26" draw length. Now, I am going to look and see if you did a follow up video to this one.

[@shedadventures7225]

It’s such an interesting subject and I am no expert. I an learning like many of us

[@stevedriscoll2539]

@@shedadventures7225 I may try to make another American Walnut Hickory backed bow because yew is so hard to find here in the States and very expensive. I made a walnut, hickory backed bow back in the 1990's and it shot nice for 25 or 30 arrows, then it broke. But I remember it being very smooth and zippy like the Pacific Yew bow I was trying to buy. You are very fortunate to be able to live in such an enchanted place and rich in history.

[@howardhall2300]

Good man! Well done for perseverance. Looking forward to the finished product. Must try not to shoot the Vicar!

[@shedadventures7225]

Thank you we will get there.

[@IONACOMPUTERS]

I'm in south Wales we have a 5000 year old yew here ,look it up

[@FireCrack83]

I started Bow building like 2 month ago. So far i only worked with easy wood like Hasel or Maple. I cant find fitting tree for a english longbow where i live

[@shedadventures7225]

You will still end up with a lovely and very usable bow to be proud of.

[@bkljaqb8459]

What kind of wood is this?

[@shedadventures7225]

Hi this is Yew which is a very traditional wood for an English longbow

[@bkljaqb8459]

@@shedadventures7225 thank you

[@douglasspencer745]

I’m pretty sure that any ships bringing in goods to London/ England around Henry Eighths time had to supply staves for longbows as tax

[@MrNeada]

Yes, I believe so too, Juliet Barker explained that nicely on her excellent book Agincourt

[@shedadventures7225]

Yes I agree I think I mention that in one of my other video’s. We did not have enough and I have been told by a subscriber that the quality was better.

[@carloscirilo5392]

Estaria bueno que lo tradujeran al español auque sea con subtitulos gracias..

[@mikeportell2870]

Is it possible to artificially dry the wood if you aren't able to wait years for the stave to dry?

[@shedadventures7225]

Hi yes it is I but mine up in the rafters above the stove.

[@KernowekTim]

You've hit the mark with this video. Why? Because you actually select yew. The processes' involved in making the bow are absolute reality; no "cutting corners" ( using oak/hickory et al).

[@shedadventures7225]

Thank you for your support yes no short cuts but the results make it worth it

[@shedadventures7225]

I don’t know why the video quality is so bad

[@benjamink1403]

The video quality is good if I change the quality to 1080p. I think it just defaults to low

[@shedadventures7225]

@@benjamink1403 glad you found a workable solution

[@benjamink1403]

@@shedadventures7225 the videos I upload do this too, but unfortunately I'm too lazy to look into it, heh

[@gordonyork6638]

Do you have 2 sheds?

[@shedadventures7225]

Hi, the main shed has a workshop one end and then a study / office at the other. There is also a bike shed and a small garden tool shed.

[@shedadventures7225]

Please look at Tillering your long bow 😊

[@GrizzlyGroundswell]

Nice, hey draw knives are very affordable now if you can't find one at the second hand shops. Just found your channel through the youtube suggestion lottery! Handles are my weakness so I will see if you have vids on that topic in your libary or in future vids!

[@shedadventures7225]

Hi thank you for your support. Willow is such a marvellous resource. Handles what type? I will show a vid on some I have made. Ash in the UK is the go to wood for handles. Most of mine have come from failed long bows. I will look out for a good draw knife.

[@GrizzlyGroundswell]

​@@shedadventures7225 Handles needed here are ax, hammer, adze, etc. It is funny I did an old vid on putting a handle on my adze and it was all wrong. But, that adze still has that handle on it for better or worse. I have mulberry, black walnut, silver and red maple, black locust, hackberry and willow here mostly. Oh, wild cherry and Osage Orange that would make lovely bows. I would appreciate some vids on handles as any tips and tricks are appreciated.

[@longbows]

Nice to see people giving it a go, well done. If you need help with making English longbows then maybe my channel will help.

[@shedadventures7225]

Thanks Richard. As you can see from my channel I cover a wide range of subject so very much master of non. Great to see a specialist. So therapeutic and fun if you love wood.

[@longbows]

@@shedadventures7225 No worries, I hope everyone gets the chance to give it a go, thats whay I have made a Longbow making channel sharing my skills and knowledge

[@boglurker2043]

no part 2?

[@shedadventures7225]

Please look at tillering your long bow

[@dnandez79]

Anyone used a palm sander to remove the bark?

[@shedadventures7225]

Hi, I don’t think that is the best tool from my limited experience. A draw knife is perfect but I just use a knife and that works very well.

[@dnandez79]

@@shedadventures7225 thanks for the reply!