self bow advice

[Conner Parry]

Every year after hunting season ends I get the itch to learn how to make a self bow. I purchased a kit from binghams and made a takedown recurve bow so I have some limited experience as a bowyer. What is the best book or video that could help me Learn the basics from step one om how to build a self bow? i understand that hands on experience is the best, but I like to read and learn as well. Thanks in advance for the help.

[red hill]

Conner, I bought the Traditional Bowyer's Bible, Vol 1, and Dean Torges' book Hunting the Osage Bow.  I've read, but didn't purchase, portions of the remainder of the TBB series. These are very informative and helpful.
This site has enough information, instruction, and threads to help you be successful. There are many links to this site that will help, as well.

[Shaun]

I heard someone ask Woody Blackwell about how to start learning to knap flint. He said, "Don't start! Your better off starting to smoke crack. At least then you can get treatment and other help to quit."

Same advice for selfbow building...

[Keenan]

Originally posted by Shaun:
I heard someone ask Woody Blackwell about how to start learning to knap flint. He said, "Don't start! Your better off starting to smoke crack. At least then you can get treatment and other help to quit."

Same advice for selfbow building...

Now that's funny and true. Building selfbows can be somewhat addicting. You've been warned! I agree with Red, The Bowyers bibles will get you dialed in and save allot of first time mistakes

[Conner Parry]

At least building self bows is legal, and won't cause any major health risks! Thanks for the responses.

[fujimo]

do a bad stave man- and it'll crack yer head right open-wheeeeooo!!!!

[Bowjunkie]

Dean Torges' book Hunting the Osage Bow takes you from standing tree through to applying the finish and everything in between. It was the only book I owned when I made my first few osage selfbows and they're still shooters to this day. I learned VOLUMES in that book. Actually I've read it at least 3 times and learned more each time. I should read it again now, I'd probably find some things I missed.

[John Scifres]

Agree on both Dean's book and the Trad Bowyer's Bible Vol. 1.

[George Tsoukalas]

Conner, do you want to learn self bows or glass bows?  My site deals with self bows.  Jawge
 http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/index.html

[PEARL DRUMS]

Better than any book or DVD is to find a person within an hour or so that already builds good, usable hunting bows. Buddy up and have them teach you. Then you can branch off from there and be your own bowyer as you learn. Hang around Primitive Archer and here and you will find people close who are ITCHING to pass it on. The right teacher can sometimes get the pertinent parts of the TBB's taught to somebody in an afternoon.

[karrow]

Gary Davis has a good dvd in 3rivers Rattlestick: a selfbow tutorial

[Whitehawk23]

Connor I'm a newbie to building self bows (built 2, one messed up before I finished and the other I finished, strung it up shot it about 10 times then it snapped) but even through all that the thrill of spending countless hours crafting a bow then watching that arrow sling into that target gas got to be the most addicting thing in the world. there's a great build along on this sight that dumbs every aspect down and is very helpful.

[Whitehawk23]

http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=000122

heres the link