Feeling so alone.

[MartinHeZ]

Hi everyone,

I'd like to start by apologizing as I'm not entirely sure if this is the most appropriate place for this, if not if someone can throw it where it should be, that would be great thank you.

Well first I'll introduce myself, as I'm new around these parts, name's Martin, and 22 and from the UK (which is actually what the topic is really about). I recently got myself involved with bush craft, started with the idea that I wanted to make my own bow and set of arrows. Started with a Bamboo bundle bow, and a few bamboo arrows, soon as my wife saw the fun that comes with them, she twisted my arm into making her one as well, didn't take all that much twisting, I've since decided to start on making a board bow, although finding suitable wood cheaply is a bit difficult for me. I'm currently trying my hand at making my own nettle cordage and will be heading out in the next few days to gather some material for making pine pitch and hopefully will find a few shoots I can use for arrows and a nice pile of flint, intending to try and get at least of an adequate ability in every aspect of bush craft I can.

But the point of the topic is really to ask if there is anyone around here who's living in the UK, willing to give me a bit of advice on where/when I can get my hands on any materials I need, or anyone who isn't in the UK but has that sort of information to hand even.

I also wanted to ask if it's worth me trying my skills to make a board bow from softwood, a decent backing on of course but mainly just do this to make a bow that could be used, but would give me a good chance to hone skills and techniques, and get used to the tools a bit more.

Anyways, this turned out to be a lot longer then I wanted it to be so I'll leave it there.

P.S. Will be posting pics of the bundle bows and bamboo arrows that I made in due course, although they are far from the standard that you're all used to seeing around here 

[hatcha]

Hi Martin, welcome to PA.

I'm from Ireland and share your pain at the lack of decent, readily available wood with which to make bows.  If the UK is anything like Ireland, the "timber trade" is all about pressure-treated pine...  "sure, we'll sell you some fence posts, but remember to come back in 15 or 20 years when they've rotted and need replacing... "

Unfortunately I'm unable to help with regard to you request for information on raw materials - I've not jumped that far into the rabbit-hole with regard to "making my own products", so hats off to you for going in both feet first!! 

I'm sure though, there'll be plenty of guys that'll be along to help you with your questions

Steve.

[Parnell]

I'm American, but pay attention to the situation in England...got family in London and head over your side every so often.
Check out Del the Cat's bows.  Seems he's got it figured.
He's working mostly with Yew, but I want to say he's found Hawthorne...not sure.
I'd ask the local church if they need any of their yew trees pruned.  I healthy branch will do the job.  Then, just be patient enough to let the wood season. 
Hope you saw the link - Primitive Archery is Alive and Growing in England - or something along those lines.
Hope you "stick" with it.
Good luck in your search and welcome to PA, Martin.

[keef]

 Hi
 Whereabouts in the UK are you?.... There are some fantastic archers and bowmakers on this little island and I'm sure that they will all be pleased to help you.

i'd suggest harvesting your own bow staves from woodland areas, we have some excellent bow wods such as Elm, Hazel,Ash and yew ( to name but only a few!)


All the best and I'm sure that you will find the info you need

[MartinHeZ]

Thanks keef, I'm up in the north east, just outside Newcastle, I have a couple little woodlands nearby, but nothing of any real use to me from what I've noticed, and I doubt I have the skills needed to take what materials I need and not leave the tree in such a state it's not going to survive, which to me, means it's not really worth it. This is looking like my best option for getting anything useable though.

Thanks Parnell I've had a look around for the link you mentioned and I've found a couple things that I'm still looking at, my connection is being terrible at the moment though and it takes a good 3-4mins to load a basic webpage, so loosing the will to live, might just get out some more bamboo shafts and start working again. I know a couple churches near me with rather large grounds, I'll have a look and see what they have growing, and ask if they would like some voluntary work done. 

Hatcha I can honestly say I share the pain, only wood purchasable in our lumber industry isn't worth the time from what I can see, unless I start looking at specialist traders, I had the idea of looking for real wood flooring earlier, just finding anything that I could actually put to use might be an issue, but it's my best chance of getting some decent hardwood to be honest.

[Parnell]

The link I was referring to is thumbnailed to the top of the "Primitive Skills" main category in forums.  Believe MarkinEngland authored it.

I was thinking of Hazel, referring to Del - not Hawthorne. 

If you read about sinew backing a bow you'll see it doesn't take much yew to make an efficient shooter.  Check out Simson's little West Coast style he's recently posted.  Sinew and hide glue could be shipped fairly reasonably priced, I'd think.  Maybe not the easiest first bow...but perhaps something to aspire to?

There'll be plenty of options for you!

[keef]

 You really need to get yourself ..'The Bowyers Bible volume I and read it from cover to cover...You can get it on Amazon etc...

I would forget board bows for now and get yourself

1/ A good saw ...Bahco Laplander..Recommended

2/ A drawknife... check out green woodworking sites

3/ A Farriers Rasp... Check out farriers sites!!

4/ A Cabinet Scraper... Axminster tools etc etc

5/ Some sandpaper in 60, 120 and 220 grits

You might also need.......

A set of cheap digital scales, a chainsaw file ( cheap) and some superglue ( can come in usefull)

For strings get a spool of B50 bowstring material.... You might opt for fastflight as your next purchase


Get your debit card out!!!

Keith

[MartinHeZ]

Parnell,
That's the link I was looking at I've also looked into backing bows a bit as well, was wondering what else I could use for backing that's very, very cheap, as unfortunately I lost my job not too long ago (so have a lot of people up here really) so money is in very short supply, although I have a huge amount of spare time now, so cost is the main issue I have really, having anything shipped from anywhere tends to be at too high a cost, I tend to aspire to things bigger then what I can actually do, but I always look at failure as a lesson, and the chance to practice techniques and skills, don't mind not getting the result I wanted as long as I know why I didn't.

keef,
I already have a couple of those things, the saw (although it isn't a good one), rasp and selection of sandpaper. The rest of them I already have on a nice little wishlist tucked away from my pennies I'm saving, as well as The Bowyers Bible. In the case of bowstring I was thinking of trying out the nettle cordage I'm making as a string, not sure how it will hold up but I can only image the string would go before the bow, so I wouldn't really be loosing anything (maybe my dignity and an eye?)


The money issues should go by time I have harvested and seasoned my own stave, so such issues shouldn't even matter, but that's not really my sort of luck.


Thanks for the flowing advise here guys, appreciate it.

[keef]

 Nettle cordage is a nice little experiment to try , but I would get some proper bow string material to use, as you are going to want to try out your bows and you can easily make quality bowstrings with either B50 or linen thread
Sorry for the quick reply.
 All the very best

Keef

[Thesquirrelslinger]

If you are OK with having a rope for a string, your nettle cord should work.


Linen fabric or burlap... both good backings.
For a bow that is near perfect on the back, you could use denim from old jeans...
Put on at least 2 layers.

Cheap jute twine is OK for a super thick bowstring... On a relatively light bow- under 50 pounds...

Yea, B50 far beats many other materials....
But it does cost $10 for a small spool. Cheap if you have $$$ but if you don't have a job, $10 here and $10 there really adds up.

[Lemos]

Welcome to the site. Can't offer any advice for the Uk, but you can't do much better then the info on this site.

[WillS]

The one thing we do have in the UK, and have a lot of, is ash.  With the current problems involving the Ash Dieback Disease people are chopping down ash trees everywhere.   I recently got hold of four 7ft long 5inch diameter ash logs/trunks for free, which are perfect for all sorts of bows.  It's a real pig to work - shaping granite with a toothpick would be quicker - but once you're down to a rough bow shape you're ok.

Have a word with local tree surgeons, farmers, land owners and so on to see if they have anything you could take or pay a small amount for, and you might be surprised.

If you can't find trees to work with, timber yards all over the UK are full of ash boards and planks and most of them will chop bits up to sensible sizes for you as well, usually for free with the wood itself costing pennies.

Only other thing is - a string breaking on a bow can quite easily break the bow at the same time.  It's essentially dry-firing if it goes under tension.  Make sure you've got a reliable, strong string before using it on a bow you've worked hard on!

[MrHare]

Hi Martin,

I'm not a million miles away - Leeds. I'm only on my 2nd bow though, so definitely a beginner bowyer.

Wood:
I got a couple of OK bits of ash from a local tree surgeon - out of the pile they chop up for logs for sale. You could try asking on BCUK as well - there may be someone involved in woodland management or with a permission around you who could help. There's several good bowyers who are regulars on BCUK, so that's probably a good place to ask for help generally.

I generally buy unspined arrow shafts and untrimmed feathers for arrow making, but if you have a poultry farm anywhere nearby you might be able to get some feathers from them.

You could try contacting Butsfield Bowmen (nearest NFAS club to you) - that's probably your best bet to get connected with the local archery community.

Hope that helps,



MrHare.

[crooketarrow]

  You talked about fence posts. I made my first 2 bows from fence (BL) posts from the man I hunted on. Since then I made 6 others from one hundard year old plus osage post. Pulled out of the ground. I've made 5 other from old barn kept posts.
  I know you don't have OSAGE but sure the farmers around you  use a hard wood for posts. And hard wood posts make good staves. Look around.

[Parnell]

Sounds like you've been given some good leads.  I'd strongly consider reading Traditional Bowyer's Bible #1, as recommended.
You'd be amazed how much you can accomplish with a hatchet and a knife!
Just think, our paleolithic ancestors accomplished "the whole 9 yards" using flint from your hills, over there.

Speaking of English flint...there is something you could also be on the hunt for!  Learn about knapping!  I found knappable material in a pile of rubble in the back garden in London!  You never know...