Innovative Ways to Build and Master Wooden Archery

Never thought about how to build an arch? In ancient times its invention and introduction revolutionizes the way man hunts, as a bow is very accurate and has a long range. Today it is an object mainly associated with sport. Trying to build a bow becomes an almost educational challenge, like a true boy scout, which combines basic physics notions with knowledge of the best woods. An arch, in fact, must be flexible enough to withstand tension and compression, always keeping in mind the changes in the materials used as climatic conditions vary.

How to build a wooden arch

There is no need to fear: regarding how to build an archexploiting predominantly type techniques primitive it is possible to be on the safe side. For this to understand how to build a wooden arch it is the best solution: it can be a sort of reproduction of a historical object, for example from a re-enactment medievalor you can learn how build a hunting bow or toy. In short, a bit as if they were the ingredients of a delicious recipe, What does it take to build an arch?

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What is the best wood to make a bow?

The first necessary element is the wood: therefore it is legitimate to ask What is the best wood to make a bow? From this point of view, the woods most suitable for the purpose are that of ash treeOf oak, yew, elm, maple, beech and hazel: the reason? Their density, since it allows you to obtain a thinner and more bending bow. To complete the mission, therefore, we must understand how to build a bow with hazel wood. Experts in the field season the wood for a period ranging between six and twelve months, to ensure that the fibers are dry. However, imagining that we are truly primitive men and wanting to make an emergency bow, green wood can also be used. In this case the performance may be lower but, if it is a game, it will be fine. To build the arch you can use small trunks or branches with a diameter of about five centimeters and no less than one and a half or eighty meters long. The harvested wood must be cleaned of twigs leading from the main section and knots: however, there is no need to aim for perfection. Once the log or branch is ready, it must ideally be divided into the three main sections of any bow, i.e. belly, back and handle. As a first step, to do this, take the piece of wood and push it into the ground, in a vertical position, while holding the other end still with one hand: by rotating and bending according to the direction of the fibres, the wood automatically describes a concave part, i.e. the belly, and a convex part, i.e. the back. Since the back is the most stressed part of the bow, it must be left as intact as possible, working to remove excess wood on the belly of the bow. Once this is done, the grip is defined, approximately seven centimeters away from the center of the bow, above and below that point. Usually, How many pounds does a bow weigh? A level model is around fifteen pounds, a weight equal to about six kilos.

Bow processing

Entering into the practice of bow processing, the aim is to ensure that it is curved smoothly and evenly. The concept is simple: remove wood extremely gradually where the branch is thickest, to make it more flexible. As a rule, the belly and sides are worked little by little, the limbs should be wide at the height of the handle and narrower at the ends, with the last fifteen centimeters almost uncurved, keeping the handles also rigid. The work can be continued when the limbs take on a curvature of about ten centimeters: at this point their final parts are created, i.e. where the bowstring is tied, called tips. To do this, cut the wood not too deeply, just to ensure that the rope remains in position. The rope to be used is called tillering rope: after stringing it is necessary to place the wood on a horizontal plane, tensioning the rope, to evaluate the curvature of the back and belly. The tillering phase can be said to be finished when the two limbs curve uniformly. If you want to refine the bow, you can smooth it with stones, shape the handle to make it more practical and sprinkle the structure with oil or grease to make the wood waterproof.

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Arrow construction

Since it is very difficult to devote yourself to arrow construction of precision, a straight wooden branch with a tip, free of knots and well sanded can be suitable for this purpose. To adapt a slightly crooked piece of wood, for example a hazelnut branch without bark, you can use heat: just hold it close to a flame for a few moments, taking care not to burn it, and shape it with your hands. Generally the tip of the arrow should be heavier than the shaft, while the presence of feathers or fibers in the terminal part gives greater weight aerodynamics in the will

2023-02-16 08:00:00
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