Those of us who teach the trade

[bradsmith2010]

I love to teach,,, as  stated helps keep your brain fresh and your knowledge at you your finger tips to share,,

[missilemaster]

I enjoy teaching beginners and offering to help out where I can. It does get frustrating at times when someone just refuses to listen, but I can be like that with things too. I have gained a ton of experience with how and why wood does what it does by watching and helping others. When I got started, lots of people helped me and I want to pay it forward. Its especially exciting when you get that one person who really gets into it and is bitten by the bug.

[Del the cat]

Great thread... I generally find that those who make the effort to come and visit will be keen to learn and be a pleasure to have around.
Generally I've found I've got a great buzz from helping and also had loads of good feed back and met people who have got in touch having followed my Bowyers Diary.
Most frustrating is giving staves to wannabe bowyers who then never touch them... if I'd made 'em pay maybe they'd have valued the wood more ... but that's just a few.
I love the have a go days and shows where I take my shave horse, it always get plenty of interest ... and there is no truth in the rumour that I spend most time with the prettiest young Moms.
Biggest buzz was getting invited to the classic of course and seein' all you guys making bows and seein' how you did it, a pleasure and a privilege.
Kudos to all who pass it on.
Del
 

[Badger]

       One thing I usually do is start them on a board bow, then a wood backed bow then a stave bow. Without fail they want to do one of those multi lam bows that look like glass bows. I hate doing those but usually give in and help them.

[mullet]

I enjoy teaching or demonstrating and answering people's questions. I'm comfortable doing it and guess it comes from having karate schools for at least 30 years. Several people have come over and spent a day or the weekend at my house and most of the time they went home with a shooting bow or the knowledge to finish the one they had started. It is really rewarding to watch someone start in the morning and shooting arrows before dark.

But, I sure hate people that will ask a question about a certain problem and before I can show them how to fix it they are telling me how to do it the way they saw it on YouTube or the book they read. Kind of makes me think I'm wasting my time.

[Del the cat]

...
But, I sure hate people that will ask a question about a certain problem and before I can show them how to fix it they are telling me how to do it the way they saw it on YouTube or the book they read. Kind of makes me think I'm wasting my time.

Yup, they drive me nuts...  I tend to switch off when they do that.
Del

[Eric Krewson]

I won't make a bow for a wheelie guy or offer to teach them to make their own bow, it would wasted effort because they will always transition back to wheels.

I state up front that I only teach people that are strictly traditional archers and don't have any wheels in the house. I found out early on that wheelie guys view traditional bows as a novelty and as not a serious equipment.

[Badger]

  Until recently I held on to hopes that I would be able to get a wood bow builders club going in my area. We do have a group that used to meet informaly at a range once or twice a month. My plan was that if I could get a few guys going it would hopefully grow as they got a few guys going taking the pressure of me as being the sole trainer.
I still think it would work if I could find a decent place but with land going for about 2 million dollars and acre I am starting to realize it just aint gonna happen.

[wizardgoat]

When I first started making bows I had 5 or 6 friends show interest. Now, a couple years later there's 4 or 5 half finished bows in the corner. Some of my nicest and cleanest staves too...I'd like to take them back, but on the off chance they ever want to finish it it'll be there.
Now I have 2 friends working on bows, both guys have come with me up the mountain and hauled down some logs. 
I do enjoy teaching willing ears, but I'm so obsessive about tiller and they way I like things to be, I think it can make the process look way more complicated than it is.
I'm currently talking with a local archery school about doing some small classes.
We'll see!

[Peacebow_Coos]

I've been teaching at the UofO craft center for about 3 years, and a class of 7 always fills up.  Any more and I think it would be too hectic.  There is definitely a lot of interest, but you get a pretty wide range of folks, some of whom just want a bow and don't want to put in the work.  My students are students with busy lives, but I'm amazed at how many of them don't come back to finish their bows.  The ones who do put in the extra time and finish help me keep wanting to do it.  I also teach for my Tribe, but I've had trouble finding interest/keeping a consistent schedule of work times.  Most people just want to have a 'real' bow to hang on their wall unfortunately, and I have a hard time wanting to give good staves to people who I know don't want to shoot.  Should do a wall hanger class with 2x4's or something.  I've also got a corner of my garage that has quite a few 'friend staves' that were started and most likely won't become bows this decade, but I've got at least one good buddy that keeps coming over and chipping away for an hour here and there.  This art is such a big part of my life, I enjoy teaching, and it's worth a few lost hairs to pass on the knowledge.  Knowledge I wouldn't have if not for all of the people who are a part of this Primitive Archer community, and a lot of firewood  . 

[GB]

Besides the people you guys have been able to teach in person, I'd add the hundreds or thousands of novices you've helped via this forum.  I have all the Bowyer's Bibles, The Bent Stick, Hunting the Osage Bow, etc. plus a few bow building videos.  When I'm planning a bow or working through some problem with it, this is the first and best place for me to get advice.  I've made 30 or so bows over the last 3 years, love bow making and have you guys to thank for sharing your experience on here (and over on TG as well). 
I'm getting close to retirement and am hoping to get involved in some type of traditional archery program for kids in my community after I retire.  Maybe not on the bow making process, because I don't know if I have the patience to do it.  But, who knows?  Thanks again to you guys who do.

[Dances with squirrels]

Wizardgoat, same thing here. I have a "friends corner" where I keep partially completely staves that were started by friends of mine. I wrote their names on them so I could tell who they belong to. They've been there for years.

[Pat B]

A few years ago I had a high school senior contact me about making a wood bow. This was going to be for his senior project. He didn't have transportation so I drove the 40 miles to his home. I brought tools for him to use and gave him a seasoned stave. For a few hours each trip I'd tell him what to do and assist him as he worked. He had no experience with tools of any kind. All of the tools were left with him with the expectation that he would work on the bow even while I wasn't there and he had my phone number if he needed help between my visits. After my final visit he was supposed to complete the bow and turn his senior project in. I don't know if he ever did, I never heard a word from him and haven't since. No thank you or even a kiss my...!  This kid was probably my worst student but I was more surprised by his parents. They knew the effort I put in and the tools and materials I gave him and I never heard from them either.
  Most other students I've had at least appreciated the effort even if they decided bow making wasn't for them.

[bradsmith2010]

yes the good the bad and the ugly, have to concentrate on the positive so you don't go crazy,,I am lucky, the last person I taught was a EMT and traditional archer, that was about 5 years ago,, he is retired and mentors youth programs and teaches bow making as well as being a certified archery instructor,,,and hunter safety instructor,, he teaches at some Pueblo's and the kids like the wood bows,, I think it is great when the kids see where bows come from,, or how they started

[Eric Krewson]

I know the feeling Pat; I gave a bow, arrows and shooting instructions to a high school nephew of a friend who said he wanted to put up his wheels. He agreed if he decided traditional archery wasn't for him he was to bring my equipment back so I could pass it on to someone else.

Years passed, I heard he went back to wheels but didn't hold up to his end of the bargain. He is long gone along with my equipment.