How to Make a Bow and Arrow: 13 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow

How to Make a Bow and Arrow

Two Parts:

Constructing the Bow

Constructing the Arrows

Once the weapon of choice for everyone from Native American hunters to
Turkish armies, the bow is one of the oldest hunting (and fighting) tools on
Earth. While it is not a match for modern weaponry -- or indeed for modern
archery equipment -- a primitive bow can still save your life if you have to hunt
to survive in the wilderness. Or this could be very useful if you're a Hunger
Games enthusiast and would love to be Katniss Everdeen because who
doesn't? That and they're just plain cool and awesome to show your friends!
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Part 1 of 2: Constructing the Bow

Choose a long piece of wood for the bow. There are a few things to consider
when selecting raw wood for your bow:
Find a piece of dry and dead (but not gray or cracking) hardwood (such as oak,
lemon tree, hickory, yew, black locust, or teak) about 1.8 meters (about 6 feet)
in length. The wood should be free of knots, twists or limbs, and it would be
helpful if the branch is thick at its center.
This piece of wood should be somewhat flexible, such as juniper or mulberry.
You can even use a shaft of bamboo or cane but take care that it is not too
thick. For that you can use young bamboo which is strong as well as flexible.
Green wood (living wood that you cut from a tree or sapling) can be used if
absolutely necessary, but should be avoided because it does not provide the
same power as dry wood.

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Determine the natural curve of the stick. Every piece of wood will have a natural
curve, no matter how slight. As you construct the bow, this curve will determine

where you place its main features. To find the curve, place your wood on the ground,
with one hand holding it in place at the top. With your other hand, press lightly against
its middle. It will swivel so that its natural belly faces you, and its back faces out.

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How to Make a Bow and Arrow: 13 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow

Determine the handhold and limbs. These parts are essential to the shaping
process. To find the handhold, make marks three inches above and below the

center point of the bow. Anything within these marks is the handhold, above them is the
upper limb, and below is the lower limb.

Shape the bow. Place the bottom end of the bow on your foot, and one hand atop
the bow. With your other hand, press outward, the belly facing you. Use this

exercise to catalog where the bow is flexible and where it is not. Using a knife or similar
tool, shave wood off the unyielding spots on the belly only, until both the upper and
lower limbs curve similarly to each other. Check your progress frequently. When both
limbs are more flexible and are mirror images of each other in curve and diameter, you
are ready for the next step.
You want the bow to be strongest (thickest) at the handhold.
Be careful to only carve from the belly. An inordinate amount of pressure is
exerted on the back of the bow, and even the slightest damage to its structure
can promote breakage.

Cut notches to hold the bow string. Use your knife to cut notches that begin at
the sides and curve around toward the belly of the bow and in toward the

handhold as they go. There should be one on each side about 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5
cm) from each end of the bow. Remember not to cut into its back, and do not make the
notches deep enough to compromise the strength of the tips. Make them just deep
enough to hold the string in place.

Select a bow string. The string should not be stretchy, as the power comes from
the wood, not the string. If you are stranded in the wilderness, it may be difficult to

find a suitable string, and you may need to try a variety of materials before you find one
that has the necessary strength. Some bowstring material possibilities are:
rawhide
thin nylon rope
hemp cord
fishing line
strands of cotton or silk from caterpillars
ordinary twine

String the bow. You will need to tie a loose loop with a very secure knot at both
ends of your bowstring before slipping it over the lower, and then upper, limb of

your bow. Make your string slightly shorter than the length of your unflexed bow, so that
both bow and string are taut.

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How to Make a Bow and Arrow: 13 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow

Tiller the bow. Hang it upside down by the handhold from a tree branch or
something similar so that you can pull downward on the string. Pull downward

slowly, checking to make sure that the limbs bend evenly and carving away wood as
required, until you can pull it as far down as the distance between your hand and your
jaw (arm fully extended out from shoulder).[1]
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Part 2 of 2: Constructing the Arrows

Select sticks for arrows.[2] Arrows should be formed from the straightest sticks
you can find. The wood should be dry and dead. Each arrow should be about half

as long as the bow, or as long as the bow can draw back. It does not work to have
arrows that can't be pulled back to the bow's potential. Consider these items as well:
Green wood does work if you can give it some extra time to dry out naturally, as
the sap may ignite if placed over a fire to dry.
Some strong, straight plants for arrows are goldenrod and Mullen . They can be
found in fields.

Shape the arrows. You will need to whittle the wood smooth around the
circumference of the arrow. You can straighten an arrow by gently heating the

shaft over hot coals--do not scorch or burn the wood--and then holding the arrow
straight while the wood cools. Carve a small notch in the back tip of each arrow to
accommodate the bow string. This is called a nock.

Sharpen the point of the arrow. The simplest arrowhead is simply a carved point
on the front of the arrow shaft. You can whittle such a point with a knife and then

fire harden it by gently heating it in coals (again, be careful not to burn or scorch the
wood).

Construct an arrowhead if possible. (This is optional). You can do this with

metal, stone, glass, or bone. Carefully use a small rock or hammer to chip your

material into a point and attach it to the arrow's tip. You can do this by notching the
wood, inserting the arrowhead into the notch, and then lashing the arrowhead to the
wood with some sort of string or cord.

Make fletchings (optional). While fletchings improve the arrow's flight, they are

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How to Make a Bow and Arrow: 13 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow

not necessary for a field-expedient weapon. Find some feathers to make the

fletchings and glue them (if possible) onto the back ends of the arrows. You could also
split back of the arrow, slide the feather in, and tightly wrap a thin thread (possibly
obtained from your own clothes) around the fletching. If you use this method, you can
use just about anything as your fletching.[3]
Fletchings act similarly to rudders on a ship or small plane, guiding the arrow
through the air for pinpoint accuracy.
They also have a similar effect to a glider, as they vastly improve an arrow's
range of flight.
They are, however, somewhat difficult to perfect. If your weapon is meant for
survival, this is not a priority.
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Tips
Using twine works well for making a bow and buying arrows.
You can increase the bow's power by making two identical bows and
lashing them together front-to-front (so that they form an "X" when
viewed from the side) with string or rope. They should be tied together
at the tips. Attach the bow string to only one of the bows. This is a sort
of primitive crossbow.
Hold it away from your face at all times.
The feathers should be glued at 120 degree intervals. The feather at 90
degrees to the bow should be pointing towards you when fired.
Know when and how to shoot it.
Don't shoot at people, and learn proper archery form.
If fishing is an option, tie a string to the arrow so that once you've shot a
fish you can reel it back in.

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How to Make a Bow and Arrow: 13 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow

Do not dry fire (let go of the bowstring without an arrow on it). This will
damage the bow over time.
You can carve a notch about a centimeter into the wood and an inch up
to put your arrows on once your bow is pulled back(to rest the arrow
on, and keep it from wobbling).
Try making a twig bow first. It's not deadly and is good for beginners.
Show 7 more tips

Warnings
You may want to carry a bowstring with you when camping as they are
hard to make from scratch.
The bow and arrow constitute a lethal weapon. Exercise caution when
using, and never aim at anything you do not intend to kill.
The bow and arrow is not easy to use effectively. If you find yourself in a
situation where you need to hunt to survive, you may be better off
constructing traps or a more easily-used weapon.
If shooting with others, always wait for everyone to finish shooting to
collect arrows.
The bow and arrow detailed here are meant to be temporary and will
not have a long life.The more you use your bow, the more likely it is
that it will snap. Change bows about every 3-5 months to avoid this.
Keep bow and arrows out of the reach of small children.
Use extreme caution when working with sharp tools.

Things You'll Need

A hardwood stick: About 1.80 meters (6 feet) in length. Common
woods include osage, yew, and oak. Must be as straight as possible
and about 2 inches in diameter (5 cm)

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How to Make a Bow and Arrow: 13 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow

Non-stretchy string: Weed eater line, nylon bowstring, catgut, sinew,

twine, etc.
Woodcutting tools: An axe, a draw knife, planes (small and big) set of
files and sandpaper
Straight branches for arrows: About 0.80 meter (3 feet) in length.
Feathers (optional)
Arrowhead materials: Flint, metal, plastic, etc. (optional)
Steel Wool (optional)

Sources and Citations

1. http://www.wildernesscollege.com/bow-making-instructions.html
2. http://www.primitivearcher.com/articles/MakingArrowsNaturally.html
3. http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/showthread.php?3586Makeshift-Arrow-Fletching
U.S. Army Survival Manual

Article Info

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