Practical Tips On How To Craft The Perfect Survival Bow
Today I have a guest post on Practical Tips On How To Craft The Perfect Survival Bow. Making a survival bow is something I have been meaning to do for a while. This post has several grerat tips to get me building. Enjoy -James.
Adding the Bow Cord
One thing that nobody prepares you for is an emergency situation. You only realize that you were not ready when it is too late to save the day. In everyday life, there are some skills that you would deem irrelevant. For instance, on an average day, where would you require to start a fire without the use of a lighter? Another such skill would be how to make a survival bow. In the event you find yourself in a position which requires you to utilize some of your caveman skills, this article clearly elucidates how to go about making a perfect survival bow.
One thing you need to get clear is that a survival bow is nothing like the modern day compound bow and crossbow. It is a quickie bow that is designed with a single thought in mind; convenient assembly for immediate use.
When you are in the wild, one thing is for sure; you have limited time and resources. When it comes to fashioning a bow, you are lucky because nature is on your side. The primary resource which is wood is most likely in abundance.
Below are some quick and easy tips for creating a Survival bow which you can use for hunting game and self-defense if the need arises.
Choosing the right wood
(Via: survivalmastery.com)
The first step is picking out the right kind of wood. This is like the backbone of your bow. So that you know not any wood can be used to make a bow. You want to go for hardwood. This includes the likes of ash, yew, black locust, oak, hickory, beech, and maple. It is possible that you may not know the identity of your trees and if that is the case, here is how you can test if the wood is good enough for a bow.
Take a twig the size of your pinky finger and bend it slightly. Allow it to snap back. Observe whether it responds quickly or sluggishly. Next, bend it into a c-shape, does it stay intact? Lastly, break the twig. If it breaks easily into two, it is a wrong candidate. If it refuses to break, but it kinks and forms a fibrous fracture, you’ve got yourself a match.
Shaping the Bow
(Via: bushcraftdays.com)
Now that you’ve got the right wood, you will need an excellent piece of it to make the best bow. A good bow stave should meet the following criteria;
· A length of 5-6 feet
· A thickness of 1.5-2 inches
· Minimal to no twists or knots
· Have a steady taper from one end to the other
· No cracks
The next thing to having the perfect stave is to find its back, belly, and handle. Here is how you do it;
· Set the bow upright on the ground with one hand holding the top
· Push on the center lightly and allow the stave to rotate revealing the part that is slightly curved
· The inside part of the curve is the belly
· The outside part of the curve is the back
Now to find the handhold, determine the center of the branch and mark out three inches from either side of the center. The gap in between is your handle. Next, you need to ensure that your stave achieves a perfect bend. To do this, first, you need to curve the stave to see how the limbs bend. Some areas of the limb bend more easily than others.
Now, whittle away wood from the belly until both limbs are bending equally. The result should assume the shape of a parabolic curve. However, it is prudent to take your time when doing so because too much of it will spoil the branch and you may have to start from scratch. Also, do not remove anything from the back because it can easily break as it endures a lot of tension.
The next bit is modifying the limbs so that the strings sit easily without sliding off the tips. Cut two knocks on either side of each limb to form a 45-degree angle facing the handle just deep enough for the string to rest and make sure not to touch the back.
Adding the Bow Cord
Some materials you can use for bowstring include;
· Rawhide
· Twine
· Sinew
· Nylon rope
· Milkweed
· Nettle
· Dogbane
· Yucca
Point to note is that you can use any synthetic cord of a small diameter, the stiffer, the better. Elasticity messes up with the bows snap power. Now you can string your bow but just make sure that the cord is -6 inches from the bow’s handhold. One final process and you can begin using your bow.
Tillering your bow
(Via: popularmechanics.com)
This is one of the most crucial processes of shaping your bow. You need to find a piece of scrap wood or use a branch to hang your bow up horizontally by the handle. Pull the string down a few inches to see how the limbs bend. Both limbs should bend evenly throughout, and each bend should be a complete replica of the other. You have nothing to worry about if you did a good job shaping the bow.
At this stage, if you are equipped with some bow hunting tips, you are ready to hunt. Take caution to never fire the bow without an arrow as it can break the bow. If you are not in life and death situation and would probably like to do some finishing, you can sand the belly to make it smooth and also apply some light oil to prevent it from drying out fast.
Get yourself some arrows, shoot your bow frequently, oil it and tiller it when necessary. Now that is what a pro hunter does.
If you are just at home and would like to take on this fun and creative learning process, you can do it out of materials that are probably available in your backyard within a very short time. Why not give it a try? You will carry on the skill forever, and it may come in handy one day when you need it.
Author Bio:
Kevin Steffey is an avid hunter and freelance writer. He loves spending time in the field with his rifle more than almost anything else, and occupies his off-time discussing deer and their habits online. He is a founder at www.deerhuntingfield.com
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