Sovereignty Module: Bend the Stave
Complete Primitive Bow Making: From Tree to Weapon
The bow is the most effective primitive ranged weapon. This campaign covers wood selection, stave preparation, tillering, string making, and arrow construction.
Chapter 1: Wood Selection
| Wood | Draw Weight Potential | Durability | Availability | Difficulty | Character |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Osage orange | Excellent (60+ lbs) | Excellent | Central N. America | Moderate | Best bow wood in N. America |
| Yew | Excellent (60+ lbs) | Very good | Pacific NW, Europe | Moderate | Traditional English longbow |
| Black locust | Very good (50+ lbs) | Very good | Eastern N. America | Moderate | Excellent, underrated |
| Hickory | Very good (50+ lbs) | Excellent | Eastern N. America | Low-moderate | Forgiving, good for beginners |
| Ash | Good (45+ lbs) | Good | Widespread | Low | Good beginner wood |
| Elm | Good (45+ lbs) | Good | Widespread | Low | Good flat bow wood |
| Maple | Good (40+ lbs) | Good | Widespread | Low-moderate | Adequate |
| Oak (white) | Moderate (40+ lbs) | Good | Widespread | Moderate | Heavy, slow |
| Bamboo | Good (45+ lbs) | Good | Tropical, cultivated | Low | Excellent lamination backing |
| Mulberry | Very good (50+ lbs) | Good | Widespread | Moderate | Similar to osage |
Chapter 2: Stave Preparation
Stave selection and splitting: 1) Select straight tree trunk or branch (4-6 inch diameter minimum). 2) Cut in winter (lowest moisture content, least sap). 3) Split log in half (or quarters for larger logs). 4) The back of the bow (facing target) MUST follow one growth ring. 5) This is the most critical rule: violating a growth ring on the back causes the bow to break. 6) Seal ends with glue, wax, or paint (prevents end-checking/cracking). 7) Dry slowly: 1-3 months in shade (faster drying causes cracks). 8) Rough shape while green (reduces drying time, easier to work). 9) Leave extra width and thickness (final shaping after drying). 10) Finished stave: 64-68 inches long for longbow, 54-60 for flat bow.
Chapter 3: Shaping and Tillering
| Bow Part | Function | Shape | Thickness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Handle (grip) | Holds bow, stiff section | Thickest part, may be built up | 1.5-2 inches |
| Limbs | Store and release energy | Taper from handle to tips | Tapers from 3/4 to 3/8 inch |
| Tips (nocks) | Hold bowstring | Narrow, with string grooves | 1/2 inch wide |
| Back | Faces target (tension) | Follows one growth ring | Flat or slightly crowned |
| Belly | Faces archer (compression) | Rounded or flat | Shaped during tillering |
Tillering process: 1) Rough shape bow to approximate dimensions. 2) Cut string nocks in tips. 3) String bow with long string (bow barely bends). 4) Place bow on tillering stick (stick with notches at different distances). 5) Pull string to 6 inches, observe limb bend. 6) Both limbs should bend evenly (mirror image). 7) Mark stiff spots (areas that don't bend enough). 8) Remove wood from belly of stiff spots (scrape, rasp, or knife). 9) Never remove wood from the back. 10) Gradually increase draw distance (6, 8, 10, 12... to full draw). 11) At each distance, check for even bend. 12) Remove wood only from stiff spots. 13) Full draw: 28 inches for most adults. 14) Final tiller: smooth, even arc from handle to tips on both limbs.
Chapter 4: Bowstring
| Material | Strength | Stretch | Availability | Durability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linen (flax) | Very good | Low | Cultivated | Very good |
| Sinew (animal tendon) | Excellent | Moderate | Hunting | Good (not wet) |
| Rawhide | Good | Moderate | Hunting | Moderate |
| Plant fiber (dogbane, nettle) | Good | Moderate | Wild | Moderate |
| Dacron (modern) | Excellent | Very low | Store | Excellent |
| Silk | Very good | Low | Specialty | Good |
Sinew bowstring: 1) Dry leg tendons from deer or similar animal. 2) Pound dried sinew to separate fibers. 3) Reverse-twist into 2-ply or 3-ply cord (same as rope making). 4) String must be strong enough to not break at full draw. 5) Test: string should support 3x the bow's draw weight without breaking. 6) Tie loops at each end (timber hitch or bowline). 7) String length: bow length minus 3-4 inches (creates 6-7 inch brace height). 8) Brace height: distance from handle to string when strung.
Chapter 5: Arrow Making
| Component | Material | Function | Critical Factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shaft | Straight shoots (dogwood, willow, birch) | Projectile body | Straightness, spine (stiffness) |
| Point | Stone, bone, metal, or fire-hardened | Penetration | Sharp, securely hafted |
| Fletching | Feathers (turkey, goose) | Stabilize flight | All from same wing, evenly spaced |
| Nock | Self-nock (notch in shaft) or added | Engages bowstring | Centered, proper depth |
Arrow construction: 1) Select straight shoots (3/8 inch diameter, 28-30 inches long). 2) Dry and straighten (heat over fire, bend, hold until cool). 3) Scrape bark, sand smooth. 4) Cut nock in one end (1/4 inch deep, perpendicular to grain). 5) Attach point to other end (split shaft, insert, bind with sinew). 6) Apply pine pitch to point binding. 7) Split feathers in half lengthwise. 8) Trim to 4-5 inches long. 9) Glue three feather halves evenly spaced around shaft (120 degrees apart). 10) Bind feather ends with fine thread or sinew. 11) All feathers must be from the same wing (left or right, not mixed). 12) Test: arrow should fly straight and rotate slightly in flight.
Reference Card
- Never violate a growth ring on the back (the back of the bow is under tension; a broken growth ring is a stress riser that will cause the bow to snap). 2. Tillering is the art (removing wood from the belly of stiff spots until both limbs bend evenly is the most important skill in bow making). 3. Remove wood slowly (you can always take more off, but you can never put it back; tiller in small increments). 4. The bow tells you its draw weight (you do not choose the draw weight; the wood and dimensions determine it; tiller to even bend, then measure the weight). 5. Dry the stave slowly (rapid drying causes cracks; seal the ends and dry in shade for months). 6. Arrow spine must match bow weight (too stiff or too flexible arrows fly erratically; spine is the arrow's stiffness and must match the bow). 7. Fletching from the same wing (mixing left-wing and right-wing feathers on the same arrow causes erratic flight; all three feathers must curve the same direction). 8. A mediocre bow with good arrows outperforms a great bow with bad arrows (invest your time in straight, well-spined, well-fletched arrows).