You can do a very effective and simple taper job with nothing more than a 1" block plane. Mark off the shaft at 9", 6", and 3" points. Start to plane at the 9" mark all the way to the nock end, go all the way around the shaft, then start at the 6" mark and go all the way to the end, finally at the 3" mark and do likewise. Take very thin shavings as you go around the shaft, and if you stain the shaft where you will be tapering it, it will help you see where you have been. After the final shaving from the 3" mark, sand lightly to round off any areas that may need it.
I was taught this method by the late Dave Paxton, bowyer of Talon longbows, and it works very effectively. I really like this method since I am not gifted in the use of tools at all--can you say "klutz"?--and do not even have a work bench. :rolleyes: But even I can get nicely tapered shafts this way.