Welcome, Guest. Please Login
SLINGING.ORG
 
Home Help Search Login


Pages: 1 2 
Send Topic Print
Survival/jungle bow (Read 1837 times)
AncientCraftwork
Interfector Viris Spurii
*****
Offline



Posts: 2403
Survival/jungle bow
Jan 8th, 2021 at 7:25am
 
This bow is an experiment in seeing how quick I could make a bow with the least energy required.
All it took to make is a mora classic, but I figure you could make it with a small swiss army knife even.

It took me about an hour to tiller. The trick is to find a thin sapling from a good bow wood with no big knots, so you only have to carve the belly. Leave the bark on the back on.  Nothing complex here. The wood I used is ligustrum vulgare, a wood I absolutely love for how dense it is and because it's also pitless. It is a a hedge/bush tree that when let grow, grows very straight

I let the wood sit for a few days and it did not crack, then I knew this was a good piece of wood. Then I fire hardened it. It's not completely seasoned yet but its good enough to use. I am quite confident it will not crack, it should have done it already.

The bow is 150 cm / 59 inches long. She draws to 25 pounds to 23-24 inches, then it starts to stack. 
I am satisfied with the result considering how little work it took

(tiller stick here is not competely straight aligned with the wall)

Keep in mind this is not a professional or exceptional bow, that's not the point.



Back to top
 

tillered_stick.jpg (238 KB | 19 )
tillered_stick.jpg

All Glory to God forever and ever, amen
 
IP Logged
 
AncientCraftwork
Interfector Viris Spurii
*****
Offline



Posts: 2403
Re: Survival/jungle bow
Reply #1 - Jan 8th, 2021 at 7:41am
 
This bow is one I showed earlier, made from Hawthorn. it is only 118 cm long / 46 inches long unstrung. The construction principle is basically the same.
I have shot this one alot already. I finally have a scale and I can now give more accurate numbers, it draws 30# @17'' , I call it my Indian bow. It took a little longer to build than the above one because it's from a sapling twice as thick and I also used a hatchet in its construction. This one is fully seasoned.
Back to top
 


All Glory to God forever and ever, amen
 
IP Logged
 
AncientCraftwork
Interfector Viris Spurii
*****
Offline



Posts: 2403
Re: Survival/jungle bow
Reply #2 - Jan 8th, 2021 at 8:34am
 
These drawweights are low, but I don't think that's such a big deal. While these are really simple stick bows, I do want them to last and not have too much string follow. Choosing the right sapling and letting them cure for a little while and doing some firehardening is halve the work. The low drawweights have a few advantages in my mind. First, the bow will not take long to make, second, if you are in a survival scenario, it's unlikely you have a lot of energy left to draw heavy bows anyway, and third, if you have got to make a primitive string from plant fibers like yucca, then a low drawweight will ensure the string will last. The scenario I have in mind where such a bow would be useful would be for fishing in shallow waters. You could use a spear or an atlatl, but a bow is much easier to aim. The inuit have developed a great detachable arrow head fishing system, but I reckon a simple barbed fire hardened sharpened wooden head would go through a trout
Back to top
 

All Glory to God forever and ever, amen
 
IP Logged
 
Slyngorm
Funditor
****
Offline


Slingit...

Posts: 508
Re: Survival/jungle bow
Reply #3 - Jan 8th, 2021 at 9:03am
 
Oh this is very interesting.
I am trying to make a pellet bow and I have no history of bow making or specialized tools so a simple and easy manufacturing process will definitely be useful.
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
Kick
past-moderator
****
Offline



Posts: 4451
Finland
Re: Survival/jungle bow
Reply #4 - Jan 8th, 2021 at 2:34pm
 
I have a piece set aside right now that I'm hoping to make into a short bow. One problem is that I brought it inside recently to dry and and... well... it's sprouting. Like it has full on leaves. I knew it was pretty green when I picked it up but I wasn't expecting it to start growing. Life... uh... finds a way I guess. Going to be a while before I can use it.
Back to top
 

You are a great guy Kick but also slightly scary at times. - Morphy
"Nothing matters, but it’s perhaps more comfortable to keep calm and not interfere with other people." - H.P. Lovecraft, in a letter to Frank Belknap Long, 7 October, 1923
 
IP Logged
 
vetryan15
Slinging.org Moderator
*****
Offline


Slinging Rocks!

Posts: 1913
Northern Maine
Gender: male
Re: Survival/jungle bow
Reply #5 - Jan 8th, 2021 at 3:11pm
 
I am learning bow making with just a few tools. Hatchet, rasp, drawknife. I am keeping certain tools in my BOB (bug out bags) for survival and my bushcraft purposes
Back to top
 
WWW  
IP Logged
 
Morphy
Slinging.org Moderator
*****
Offline


Checkmate

Posts: 8102
Re: Survival/jungle bow
Reply #6 - Jan 8th, 2021 at 6:33pm
 
Besides the obvious knife, hatchet etc a superb weapons related BOB tool is a thumb plane. It's mostly one dimensional in the sense that it excels mostly in arrow making but what it does it does really well, takes up no room and weighs nothing.

Nice bow J! I love me a short bow. They sure are fun.
Back to top
« Last Edit: Jan 9th, 2021 at 11:57am by Morphy »  
 
IP Logged
 
walter
Interfector Viris Spurii
*****
Offline


Slinging Rocks!

Posts: 2453
Re: Survival/jungle bow
Reply #7 - Jan 8th, 2021 at 6:54pm
 
Kick wrote on Jan 8th, 2021 at 2:34pm:
I have a piece set aside right now that I'm hoping to make into a short bow. One problem is that I brought it inside recently to dry and and... well... it's sprouting. Like it has full on leaves. I knew it was pretty green when I picked it up but I wasn't expecting it to start growing. Life... uh... finds a way I guess. Going to be a while before I can use it.


LOL. You have to show us a pic!
Back to top
 

Perseverence furthers
 
IP Logged
 
walter
Interfector Viris Spurii
*****
Offline


Slinging Rocks!

Posts: 2453
Re: Survival/jungle bow
Reply #8 - Jan 8th, 2021 at 7:02pm
 
@
J

I like your 30 lb hawtorn bow. Thirty lbs also works for scurids, bunnies, snakes etc.
Back to top
 

Perseverence furthers
 
IP Logged
 
vetryan15
Slinging.org Moderator
*****
Offline


Slinging Rocks!

Posts: 1913
Northern Maine
Gender: male
Re: Survival/jungle bow
Reply #9 - Jan 8th, 2021 at 7:23pm
 
Morphy wrote on Jan 8th, 2021 at 6:33pm:
Besides the obvious knife, hatchet etc a superb weapons related BOB tool is a thumb plane. It's mostly one dimensional in the sense that it excels mostly in arrow making but what it does it does really well, takes up no room and weighs nothing.

Nice bow J! I love me a short bow. They are sure are fun.

Dont tell me theres another tool i need to get.
Back to top
 
WWW  
IP Logged
 
Morphy
Slinging.org Moderator
*****
Offline


Checkmate

Posts: 8102
Re: Survival/jungle bow
Reply #10 - Jan 8th, 2021 at 7:36pm
 
vetryan15 wrote on Jan 8th, 2021 at 7:23pm:
Morphy wrote on Jan 8th, 2021 at 6:33pm:
Besides the obvious knife, hatchet etc a superb weapons related BOB tool is a thumb plane. It's mostly one dimensional in the sense that it excels mostly in arrow making but what it does it does really well, takes up no room and weighs nothing.

Nice bow J! I love me a short bow. They are sure are fun.

Dont tell me theres another tool i need to get.


Oh ok no problem.

Anyways, since I'm tapping these keys on my phone anyways I would like to record that if there was another tool to get that would definitely be one of my top choices.

Since I'm prone to talking to myself I would continue by saying it's super cheap with no moving parts. It's easy to sharpen and makes the best primitive survival ammunition faster than any other survival tool I can think of.

They say you shouldn't bring a tool that only does one thing. I disagree. I would bring this even if it was only ever good for arrows. Or at least that is what I'm telling myself in this oddly expository memo.
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
vetryan15
Slinging.org Moderator
*****
Offline


Slinging Rocks!

Posts: 1913
Northern Maine
Gender: male
Re: Survival/jungle bow
Reply #11 - Jan 8th, 2021 at 7:43pm
 
Well i will be waiting. I havent even attempted arrow making yet. I think i got everything to try, but right now i am waiting for some maple saplings to dry right now, i will be looking into it. I do have a spokeshave, but havent used it yet.
Back to top
 
WWW  
IP Logged
 
Kick
past-moderator
****
Offline



Posts: 4451
Finland
Re: Survival/jungle bow
Reply #12 - Jan 9th, 2021 at 10:09am
 
I took a picture a couple of days ago then went to take a new one just now. It's growing pretty fast...
Back to top
 

You are a great guy Kick but also slightly scary at times. - Morphy
"Nothing matters, but it’s perhaps more comfortable to keep calm and not interfere with other people." - H.P. Lovecraft, in a letter to Frank Belknap Long, 7 October, 1923
 
IP Logged
 
walter
Interfector Viris Spurii
*****
Offline


Slinging Rocks!

Posts: 2453
Re: Survival/jungle bow
Reply #13 - Jan 9th, 2021 at 11:09am
 
That is crazy  Huh
Back to top
 

Perseverence furthers
 
IP Logged
 
Kick
past-moderator
****
Offline



Posts: 4451
Finland
Re: Survival/jungle bow
Reply #14 - Jan 9th, 2021 at 11:44am
 
And this is after it was sat for at least 2 weeks on the balcony, no water no nothing. Plants be crazy.
Back to top
 

You are a great guy Kick but also slightly scary at times. - Morphy
"Nothing matters, but it’s perhaps more comfortable to keep calm and not interfere with other people." - H.P. Lovecraft, in a letter to Frank Belknap Long, 7 October, 1923
 
IP Logged
 
Pages: 1 2 
Send Topic Print
(Moderators: David Morningstar, Curious Aardvark, Bill Skinner, Chris, Masiakasaurus, Mauro Fiorentini, Rat Man)