its been one year

[Squirrelslayer]

Well everyone its been a year since I started trying to make bows. I started out where most of you probably did with a sapling and a bit of rope and a make shift arrow. I then found some oak fence panels and probably wasted 7 before I actually learnt about tillering and then another 2 months until I acctualy made a tillering stick. Sometime in October I started a bow with pine backed with mahogany (a terrible combination) that bow didn't break it jut got really whip ended. Then came my Christmas tree bow which broke after getting to brace hight. At the start of April this year I acctualy managed to make a hickory bow that I was fairly happy with until it broke after being over stressed. I only recently made my first longbow from a laminate of hickory, osage and lemon wood im now starting a hickory shortbow for my friends sister. It's been a great year and I know I have taken a long time to get here but I now feel that I can call myself a bowyer. I've still got a lot to learn about the word of bow making but since ive been on the PA forum I've learned so much from all of you. Thanks to all. SS

[Roy]

How sweet.

Now about that compound bow you started a thread about last week? Sell it and donate the money to a needy family. Otherwise get lost!

[adb]

I wasn't arrogant enough to call myself a 'bowyer' until I was making bows well enough that people wanted to buy them.

[Japbow]

Lol! 

[Lemos]

Kinda harsh words to a sixteen year old kid. Keep your compound kid ,I own laminated bows and guns and shoot them all it ok to have a diverse interest. As far as the bowyer comment ,call yourself whatever you want everyone has they're own standards as to what a bowyer is, to me it's one who makes bows, plain and simple. Just don't call yourself a professional bowyer cause that means you stop learning cause you think you've got it all figured out. In the mean time try to take whats said with a grain of salt and a bit of humor, and stay on a honorable course.  Art

[Joec123able]

I started making bows almost 4 years ago when I found an arrow laying in the middle of the road if it wasn't for that I might not give a damn about archery right now lol

[Squirrelslayer]

To me a decent bow without it breaking. I wouldn't call myself a professional bowyer and I will probably still be making some amateurish bows for years to come. SS

[Thesquirrelslinger]

To me a decent bow without it breaking.

+1

[Slackbunny]

Kinda harsh words to a sixteen year old kid. Keep your compound kid ,I own laminated bows and guns and shoot them all it ok to have a diverse interest. As far as the bowyer comment ,call yourself whatever you want everyone has they're own standards as to what a bowyer is, to me it's one who makes bows, plain and simple. Just don't call yourself a professional bowyer cause that means you stop learning cause you think you've got it all figured out. In the mean time try to take whats said with a grain of salt and a bit of humor, and stay on a honorable course.  Art

I wouldn't say that is what professional means. Professional just means that you are getting paid on a regular basis for it. It doesn't mean you stop learning or improving. It also doesn't mean you are any good. There are plenty of professionals out there who are pretty terrible what they do.

So if squirrelslayer started making a bow a month and selling it, then he would be professional, regardless of how good those bows actually are.

[ionicmuffin]

I would consider a bowyer to be one who makes bows. Note the noun -bowyer. Now, if you want to describe the level of success you would say something along the lines of good/bad/terrible/successful/masterful/inexperienced/naive/perfectionistic/ect. Use adjectives to describe the noun. A cop is a cop even if one can't save your life no matter how hard he tries and the other is so good he can save your life without trying. Both are the same noun, doesn't mean that they are of similar skill levels. Just something to consider. I think that may be a bit harsh roy, although i don't like compounds I certainly wont tell someone to sell something that they bought.(ok, maybe if its something that i want to buy from them  ) Basically he posted this in the right section and hes thanking us all for our help albeit a bit harsh.

[Gus]

Like a Moth to a Flame... Damn It!   

I've been learning for a little over over two years, or is it almost three?
Have 22 shooters under my belt, some look pretty nice.
I do Not call myself a Bowyer and will not for some time.

I still have a Lot to learn.

-gus

[bubby]

it's like in martial atrs, people think that a "black belt" makes you a master when in fact that is where the learning really starts

[Ifrit617]

it's like in martial atrs, people think that a "black belt" makes you a master when in fact that is where the learning really starts

+1

The old saying is that a black belt is really just a experienced beginner. Can't even say how much progress one makes after they achieve it and really start to train.

Same goes for bowyery... I am a practiced beginner, and I have many shooters under my belt. I've even sold two or three, but I'm a long way from a "bowyer" in the sense that I see it as.

Jon

[bubby]

Jon just the jump from first dan to second is a big learning curve if you have an old time sensi

[Ifrit617]

Jon just the jump from first dan to second is a big learning curve if you have an old time sensi

Sure is.. Working on my third dan now. After I achieved shodan its amazing the progress I started making.. Maybe since I felt more free to express my own style more and started exploring different aspects of martial arts.

Jon