Sukuma Bow Build Along

[coaster500]

Very cool  

[Osagetree]

More please!!!  

[rmorris]

You need to take a little time off work and finish this!!!! It is amazing and the suspense is killing me!

[Dan Landis]

Can't wait to see it finished, always interesting to see how other use what is availabe to them to come to the same end. (A weapon that can be used to feed your family,or just enjoy shooting).....Dan

[Roy from Pa]

Bill were those shafts green off the tree? Look like it.

[Minnesota Bill]

Sorry not enough time to post more tonight.  Ralph if I had not just been gone from work for a month I would be able to take the time to finish this.

Roy, everything we cut was green, bow wood, arrow wood, sisal.

[Greg Szalewski]

Very interesting. I can't wait to see the arrows and how this set up is shot and how it performs. I am also interested to learn how these bows are used and the type of game the hunt with them.

[BMN]

Great stuff! Thanks for sharing with us.

[KellyG]

Well this is very cool indeed. I wonder if I could do that with some hedges shoots.

[D]

Very interesting.  Can't wait to see how they come out.

[inksoup]

question:
are those bow woods or saplings at same thickness at both end?
if it is, how? since they are fresh cut? if not, how it is gonna be tillered.

[JEFF B]

oh boy this is way cool can't wait     to see how they come out

[SportHunter]

More more more....  

[red hill]

This is terrific, Bill! Thank you!
Oh! Did he use the bark in any way?

[raghorns]

This is indeed, way cool! Thanks for sharing your blessing.

[Minnesota Bill]

Hey Guys, it's great to see the interest in these bows.  To answer some questions since the last posting:

Beyaz, (Inksoup)- "are those bow woods or saplings at same thickness at both end? if it is, how? since they are fresh cut? if not, how it is gonna be tillered."

These shoots are not the same thickness on each end. In fact one was almost twice as thick on one one as the other.  Some of the tillering came in as the ends were shortened and/or thinned from side to side.  Even then you will see some asymmetrical profile and the bow is not always held in the middle.  These guys do not put handles or arrow passes on the bows.  When asked about a constant placement of the hand I was told it was by feel.  Today there will be pics showing these bows being shot.
  Stan (Red Hill)
  I did not see the bark used for anything and did not think to ask.  But remembering the feel I could see where, as I have read before, it being twisted while green and being used like a squirrel rawhide string.  I am sorry I did not ask about this.  So many things going through my mind and so little time.

[Minnesota Bill]

OK we left off with the cutting of the string nocks.  Now on to placing the string on the bow:

 

Knot look familiar?

 

 

Tying off the top limb:

 


tiller pull:

 

retying to get the tiller more in line

 

Trimming those frayed ends

 

Continuing to check tiller

 

[red hill]

Thanks, Bill. I was only wondering about the bark because your bowyer seems to be able to use just about anything in the process of making a bow!
This is an excellent example of how to use materials from nature more efficiently. Not only will this be a great multi-cultural lesson, it'll also fit into the environmental science class I teach.
So many of us do not have the opportunity to travel so I use these types of resources to make up for it.

[Minnesota Bill]

Jon pulls as others look at the bend

 

OK guys, a little about the arrows: we did not have enough time to make the arrows.  We had stopped by the local market in Sengerema on the way back from the farm field to buy some arrow heads, Hamisi does not make these metal heads.  We could not find just the heads so I bought 8 finished arrows.  I did not get ant close ups of the arrows there but took some now.

 

Three fletch tied on with reinforced nocks and at the point.


 

The fletch starts about 2 inches down from the nock

 

Can also see the burnt marks on the shafts, straightened with heat.

 

Metal points with heavy barbs

 

First shot out of bow- you can see the arrow to the left of the left doorway.  He was shooting for a box inside the doorway.  Optical illusion - it did not miss as far as it looks.

 

[Minnesota Bill]

Wrapping and tying off the extra sting around top limb

 

 
 

Finished bow
 

First draw, Hamisi always drew a little over half draw, took a breath, let down, then full draw and release.  When asked why the half draw Hamisi responded that is to great your mind right before the shot.