self bow books

[MikeEvans]

Would like to get yalls opinion on the best how to book on the market on how to build a self bow from a stave. Thanks in advance for the advice.

[Echatham]

the traditional bowyers bible.... wish i had all the volumes.... pricy.  been meaning to get " the bent stick " by paul comstock..... sposed to be good.

[Bowjunkie]

I've got to give the nod to Dean Torges' book Hunting the Osage Bow because it covers building my favorite style of hunting bow, a short, balanced, durable osage selfbow, from tree selection through the entire process, to applying the finish.

Prior to making my first selfbow, I had never even seen one in person, and with Dean's book as my only reference, my first bow was a success, as was my second and third and....

My heart goes out to the many new bowyers makin and breakin bow after bow after bow, because it's really not the necessary 'initiation' into bowmaking many make it out to be.

[Bowjunkie]

Yep, The Traditional Bowyer's Bibles are great references as well.

[Brock]

Trad Bowyers Bibles....get them all.

Bent Stick by Paul Comstock

Then also this site from Murray Gaskins....great info on building bows from alternative bow woods....hickory, mulberry, etc.

 http://www.murraygaskins.com/abw.html

[John Scifres]

Hunting the Osage Bow - Dean Torges (bowyersedge.com)

[takefive]

The Bent Stick and the Bowyer's Bibles are terrific.  I look something up in volumes 1 and 4 almost on a daily basis.  Well worth the money.

[J.F. Miller]

if I had to pick one, it's Hunting the Osage Bow by Dean Torges. I use it like a text book when I have newbies in my shop.

[stringstretcher]

Look into the book "The Art of Making Selfbows.  Best book out there explaining a lot that others don't.  It is by Stim Wilcox.

[George Tsoukalas]

These are the bow making books that have impacted my early efforts.. Waldorf's "The Art of Making Primitive Bows and Arrows", Jay Massey's "Primitive  Archery", Comstock's the Bent Stick, and the Bowyer's Bibles 1. Torges' book, Wilcox's book and others are wonderful books but by the time they came out I was already making and hunting with  selfies and so I will leave it at that. I think Massey's book is now out of print which is a pity. For a starter book it is hard to find a better book than Comstock's.  Jawge

[k-hat]

Yup i'd say if funds are an issue, start with Bent Stick, all the info you need to get started.  When you're ready to begin work on your selfbow degree    invest in the Bowyer's Bibles as mentioned.  do lots of research on this site as well!

[TimBoA]

I like The Bent Stick, Bowyer's Bibles, and Hunting the Osage Bow, and would probably like the others mentioned already if I had them.  One thing about the Torges book - if you enjoy being very thorough you will like it, but I think it can be intimidating to some (myself definitely included), especially the chapters describing the steam tube and hot box.  My best bow so far mostly followed the Torges method, but without the steam and heat.  It's a great book.