The ESSP students spent the second half of this week making wide-limbed flat bows out of white ash staves I harvested last year. They’re coming along amazingly well. If you’re interested in making your first bow, you should read Tim Baker’s article titled Your First Wooden Bow. You should probably also read everything else Tim Baker has written, such as his amazing chapter on Bow Design and Performance in the Traditional Bowyers Bible, Volume 1, but for starters just check out the link above. The formula for bowmaking that we use is similar to our other projects; use simple hand tools, go slow, learn the process and take your time. Like the other projects this semester, they’re turning out amazingly well.
