One of the traditional bows used in archery is the longbow.
The Native American longbow is a part of North American history. Native Americans utilized the longbow for hunting purposes and as a weapon. While bows have evolved over the years, there are some who choose to make their own Native American longbow. A fully functional longbow can be constructed out of a small tree or a sapling with just a few hand tools by someone who is moderately skilled.
Instructions
1. Cut down a small tree or a sapling with hatchet. If a small tree is chosen, tree should be 2 1/4 to 3 1/4 inches in diameter, sapling should have a 1-inch diameter. Whether tree or sapling, the length of wood for bow should be 5 1/2-feet long.
2. Season the wood by storing the wood in an outdoor building until spring if cut down in winter. After spring move the wood inside and let season until it has seasoned for a full year.
3. Remove all the bark off wood after the seasoning process. The bark should be removed by using a scraping motion holding the drawing knife at a 90-degree angle while trying to avoid cutting into the wood.
4. Split the wood in half down the full length of the wood by placing the edge of the hatchet on the side of the sapling or tree and hitting the butt end of hatchet with the hammer. After split is started, hammer metal wedges into split to further split up the length of wood. If using a small tree, after splitting tree in half, split tree in half again.
5. Find the center of the split piece of wood to be used for longbow. Measure three inches on each side of center for the handle. Shape the handle using the bastard file according to personal preference. The wood of the bow should be filed down to 5/8-inch thick near the handle.
6. Shape the limbs of the bow with the bastard file, tapering the bow evenly to 3/8-inch thickness at the ends of bow.
7. Taper the width of the bow from 2 1/2 inches to one-half inch at the ends of the bow using the bastard file.
8. File the bow with a mill file to give the bow its final finish and smooth out any rough places.
9. Cut side nocks on each end of longbow for the bowstring.
10. Test the bow to determine if it pulls evenly by stringing the bow, placing it on the ground, and with foot on the handle pull the bow up about an inch. If one limb of bow pulls easier, file the belly of the opposite limb with a mill file until both limbs pull the same.
11. Oil the bow with animal fat to semi-waterproof the bow and keep it flexible.
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