How to Make a Plains Longbow
Plains longbows were the shorter bows carried by Native Americans. Plains tribes hunted animals such as the great Bison, which traveled in herds and were quite fast if startled. Hunting these animals was much safer from horseback than on the ground amongst the stampeding hooves. However, longbows put the Native Americans at a disadvantage as it was hard to swing the bows around the horses' backs. Thus, the Plains longbow was formed, utilizing a much shorter design and backing materials not found in bows up to this point in history. Plains longbows can still be built today, using modern materials and ingenuity.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Rawhide
- Red Oak 1" x 2" lumber
- Band saw
- Draw Knife
- Wood Rasp
- Sand paper
- Scrap leather
- Polyurethane Sealer
- Chalk Snapline
- Wood glue
- ACE Bandage
Instructions
-
-
1
Use the bandsaw and cut the Red Oak lumber to 36 inches in length. Find the center of the the board lengthwise and widthwise and mark this position with an "X". Measure three inches above this point and three inches below, and mark this as your handle area.
-
2
Measure half an inch on each side of center at the tips of the bow. Using the snapline, create a straight line between the marks at the tips and the top edges of your handle. Use the band saw to cut out this pattern, which are the limbs of your bow.
-
-
3
Let the rawhide soak for about an hour in warm water to make it nice and supple. After it has soaked, remove it from the water and dab it dry. Paint a layer of wood glue on the back of the bow limbs and on one side of the rawhide. Allow to dry until slightly tacky and then spread the rawhide along the back of the bow, glued sides touching. Use the ACE bandage to tightly wrap the rawhide on the bow. Allow to dry for 48 hours.
-
4
Begin shaving and shaping the limbs with the drawknife and rasp once the rawhide has dried and you have removed the ACE bandage. Tie a string to the tips of your bow and slowly draw the bow to examine the bend or "tiller" in the limbs. Remove wood where hard spots or hinges are present.
-
5
Carve string notches in the tips of the bow and shape the handle to fit your hand. Seal the bow with at least three coats of polyurethane and allow to dry for 48 hours. Fashion a handle out of the scrap leather and glue it on the bow. Buy a bowstring that is four inches shorter than the total length of the bow and string the longbow up. Test the bow at full draw and then get shooting!
-
1
Tips & Warnings
A convenient source for rawhide strips are rawhide dog treats from supermarkets. Find the largest rawhide bone you can and let it soak in a bucket overnight. The next day you can untie and separate the rawhide pieces from one another.
Wear safety glasses during the tillering process and take the process slowly. This is the place of most common failure in bows, which could result in an explosion of splinters.
Resources
- Photo Credit www.hornesarchery.com
