How to Make a Longbow From Trees in Your Backyard
Longbows have long been used in warfare and for hunting. In the Middle Ages, they were highly effective against armies of knights. The English longbow was made of yew and was about the size of a man. Warriors in Japan used longbows made of red oak. The longbow held its own until it was superseded by firearms in the 16th century. You can make a basic longbow out of materials found in your backyard.
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Instructions
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Look for saplings. A good bow should be both strong and supple. Select a branch about 6 feet long. Test it out: Bend it and see whether it springs back. Make sure it can take a considerable amount of pressure.
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Cut a nock near each end of the sapling. The nock is the small slit that holds the bowstring in place. Tie some string to the nock at the top end of your bow. Bend the bow, then tie the free end of the string to the other nock. The string should be taut, and your sapling should be in the shape of a bow. Cut off any excess string.
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Find some straight sticks that you can use as arrows. Longbow arrows should be about 3 feet long. The sticks should be as straight as possible. Trim off any knobs or other protrusions. Use a knife to shape the head of each arrow. You will be creating something like a pencil point.
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Add strength to your arrows by charring them in a fire. Hold the point of each arrow in the flame until it blackens. Do not let it actually catch fire. The charring hardens the point. Cut a nock at the the other end of the arrow. This nock will be the slit that rests against the bowstring when you shoot.
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Tips & Warnings
Experiment with stone or metal arrowheads. If you use these, do not carve or char the tip of your arrows. Bind the arrowheads to the end of the arrow shaft.
Do not aim arrows at other human beings. Even a simple bow can be dangerous.
Resources
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Comments
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lol, laughed my arse off.
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How to make a chair: Find a place to sit. Sit down. Call it a chair. (Who writes this stuff?)
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That is a fairly simple set of directions, to say the least.
