How to Make a Bow String for an Archery Merit Badge
The first bow strings made by early humans were crafted from plant and animal fibers and people used whatever materials they could get. Today we have the benefit of modern materials, but you can still make your own bow strings. Because archery is a popular form of hunting as well as a sport, there is a Boy Scout merit badge available to Boy Scouts who make their own archery bow strings. Here are the steps to make a handmade bow string.
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Things You'll Need
- Wooden board Headless nails Dacron B-50 string Serving thread Serving jig
Instructions
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1
Make a jig. Take a board that is several feet long and drive two nails into it. To determine the distance between the two nails, subtract 3 inches from the length of the bow. If the size of your bow is 66 inches, place the nails 63 inches apart. Bow sizes are standard and the length will be denoted as the size when you purchase one.
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2
Tie one end of the Dacron B-50 string to one of the nails, leaving a tail. You will need the extra later to tie it to the other end of the string.
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3
Wind the string back and forth between the two nails until you have reached the proper number of strands. 14 strands are appropriate for a 45-pound bow, 12 strands for a 35-pound bow, and 10 strands for a 25-pound bow.
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4
Tie the two ends of the string together with a square knot.
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5
Shift the string to move the knot to a position 1 1/2 inches from one of the nails.
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6
Mark the other side of the strands at the same distance from the other nail.
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7
Generously coat the strands with string wax.
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8
Shift the strands so that the knot and the mark you made are opposite each other in the center of the jig.
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9
Serve 5 inches on each side, centered over the knot and the mark respectively. Serving consists of wrapping thread around the strands of string to strengthen it. The best way to do this is to purchase a serving jig from an archery supply store and follow its instructions.
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10
Rotate the string so that the servings are centered on the jig's nails.
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11
Serve the two sides of bow string together near one of the nails for about 4 inches to form a loop at the end and then repeat for the other side.
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12
Serve about 6 inches in the middle of the string.
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13
Give the whole string another coat of wax.
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