How did you learn?

[Don Drake]

I started doing family history research about 30 years ago and am still heavily involved with that pursuit.  Years ago, I discovered that my second great grandma, Sarah Brown Drake was Cherokee.  I never wanted to try to join one of the tribes, because I grew up in the white-man's world and really didn't feel like I deserved to be considered Cherokee.  Lately, however, the more I researched about Cherokee history (trying to find Sarah's parents), especially around north east Alabama, the more I realized that being Cherokee is part of my heritage.  

Even though I never knew her, (she lived from 1825 to about 1910) my search for her roots created a real bond with her.  I admire what she and her family must have gone through and want to honor their memory.  

I wanted to think of a way to pass some part of her culture and heritage on to my children and grand-children.  After searching the net, I decided to try my hand a bow making and I love it.

I bought Al Herrin's book "Making Cherokee Bows and Arrows" and the first three volumes of The Bowyer's Bible.  After reading Herrin's book, I thought I would try using Osage.  I searched the net for Osage Orange and found James Easter's site and ordered his DVD.  I called him a couple of times while I was working on the first bow.  Very nice and helpful young man.  I made two bows before I found this forum and have learned a whole lot from the guys here.

Didn't mean to ramble.

[Apex Predator]

In 1997 I was deployed overseas and decided I wanted to build my own bow.  I bought every book I could find shortly there after and read them while out to sea.  Some of the titles were "The Bent Stick", "The Bowyer's Craft", TBB I, and II, and several others.  

After arriving home, after studying these books for 6 months, I discovered the Leather Wall and some great mentors in Jim Hamm, the Ferret, Murray Gaskins and others.  I made a draw knife from an old file that belonged to my late grandfather.  I then built a hickory selfbow that I still have today.  

After that I started building laminated all wood bows.  After quite a few of those I started shooting fiberglass laminated bows.  Then I started buying and selling bunches of those, while looking for that perfect one!

In 2007 I decided to build a fiberglass bow.  I bought Dan Bertalans book "Bowyers of America", and Binghams video.  With tons of research on this site, and several books, I took the glass plunge.  I still have and shoot that first one.  After building that first straight hill style bow, I've built mild D/R, Pronounced D/R, two piece longbows, and even three piece ones.  

Building custom order bows has a few downsides though.  I enjoyed myself much more when I was building for myself, and sharing all my work with you folks.  One day when I retire from my day job, I'll start building customs hard again.  For now I plan to resume building for me after finishing my last few custom orders.  I want to build a youth longbow, and a 50s style recurve.