Fancy making your first bow? Here's a little guide to get you going. Just a lightweight bow - but a great way to learn the craft of the bowyer. Good luck!
Hi Mick, I am a great fan of your video's and your voice is so nice and calm to listen to. But could you perhaps make a video as well how to make a longbow as you did in this video without the shavehorse and only using an axe? I am trying to figure out how to do it with just an axe :) . Appreciate it, sincerely a big fan!
@@MikevanHattum Hi Mike, great idea for a video! Thanks - I'll try to do that some time soon. The technique is quite simple but you do need a good and sharp axe plus a sturdy chopping block. You need some good axe skills too because the final shaping requires delicate work. Basically though you cut the outline by working the stave a limb at a time using the block to support the stave as you shape the bow with downward strokes. After that you can use the axe more like a knife, paring down to the guidelines before tillering. I doubt I could make a fully finished decent quality bow with an axe but that's simply because my axe skills are not as good as they should be! The key I think is a good woodworking/carving axe which is very sharp allowing you to control the cuts whilst you pare the shape. I'll do a video when I can - but I do have quite a few projects in the pipeline so it may take a little time. Good luck, Mick
@@MickGrewcock Awesome Mick, I often do bushcrafting dure re-enactment events. And all I have for tools are an axe and hunting knife :) Looking forward to seeing that video. Cheers, Mike
Brilliant video Mick, just wondering about how to get a sapling? I have a few wooded areas near me but I have no idea if I'm allowed to harvest them or not?
@@JDBuss1 Thank you. This is a common question and the answer is altered depending upon country of residence, local rules etc. In the UK we cannot randomly harvest a sapling but the act of actually felling a sapling in most cases is not of itself illegal - whilst in some countries harvesting any tree is forbidden. So the answer for you is initially dependent upon where you live. The procedure in the UK is to obtain permission from the landowner. If the sapling - or any other tree - is not in any other way protected (a rare species, ornamental, preserved via a TPO [Tree Preservation Order] or in a conservation area) then the landowner may allow felling of the tree. However if the tree is on 'public land' then it is most unlikely that the authorities overseeing the land will grant permission. So in the UK as in other countries it can seem an almost impossible task to obtain bow wood. So we have to work (quite rightly) with a system that protects trees. I own woodland so very small scale removal of a sapling or larger tree is permitted provided the volume of felling is below that which requires a felling license. If you know of saplings that are surplus to requirements or unmanaged then the landowner may grant permission. Far easier I think to get to know local tree surgeons, forestry workers, local authority workers, timber yards etc who are always felling and processing thousands upon thousands of trees throughout the year. These folk are a great way to obtain wood - just takes time to cultivate friendships and trust. In the UK the easiest saplings to find are usually ash (they often grow in their hundreds next to mature ash trees and only very few of them can grow on to maturity) or - not exactly saplings - offshoots from hazel. These woods both make great practise woods for bow making. Hope that helps whether or not you are in the UK. Mick
Ι used to make green wood bows as a kid, around 20lbs at most and recently got back into hobby bowmaking. Shooting a bow you made has to be one of the best feelings for me
Haven’t even attempted yet, and this dude already made me happy. You sir, are the Bob Ross of Bow Making. Now I have to check out more of these videos.
I used to make bows as a kid out of filbert nut tree stalks. I would rough carve them, let them dry for a while, carve them to shape and string them loosely to let them dry to shape. After that I'd refine and smooth the shape. Then while strung loosely I'd roast them over a fire without scorching the wood. String them to desired shape and let them set for a while. Once done they were around 40+ pounds. Never in my memory had one break. It was lots of fun making and shooting my homemade bows. I did however buy my arrows.
I made my first bow from a thicker willow branch, took wood out of the belly with an old kitchen knife and a thick wooden stick as a baton, my bowstring was simple sisal cord from the supermarket. I made arrows from bamboo sticks used to support plants, i put ducttape on the backend to revent splitting, and i ducttaped points to the frontend made from random household and trash items. My best arrow is made from an old cheap plastic paintbrush i sharpened on a brick. It took me less than half an hour to make the bow, more time went into the arrows really to get them as well balanced and straight as possible. I don't expect it to last long but it took me less than an hour for a whole day of fun. According to my phone i walked 6 kilometers in total going back and forth between the target(or behind it quite often hahaha) to fetch my arrows(i made 3 in total). I have never really seriously shot a bow, so being able to hit a roughly man sized target at a distance farther away than i can throw a rock with confidence was really exiting, the arrows hit with quite a punch, going clean through the plastic container i used as target. The succes i had with such limited knowledge, skill, materials and tools made me exited about taking it a step further. So here i am, thanks for all the useful information! Warm greetings from the Netherlands.
By letting your green wood bow dry after tillering and cutting off a few inches off the tips, you would increase the bow's draw weight quite a bit, and make your experiment bow into a hunting weapon if you wanted to. Good advice/information Video.
I made one without following a tutorial, all I did was get an already bent piece ( mistake ) and removed the bark by scraping with a chisel It is my beloved despite probably being under 30 lb Can reach full draw without snapping but may need to but replaced after full draw made me hear cracks Very informative video
Found you looking to make a shave horse and liked how clearly you explain everything. My son has been wanting a traditional English longbow and I read how to do it and was overwhelmed. The way you encourage learning with practice on green wood is brilliant. First I'll make my shave horse and then I'll do my first greenwood bow. Thank you for the inspiration!
Sir, I've been overthinking for waaaay too long, and that's what held me back. And here it is, your video showing me that it is so easy to make beginner bow. Looks like next week I will have my first long bow 😊
You are about the most personable guy to teach me some stuff since Fred Dibnah Mr Grewock, thank you for what you do on youtube, it is absolutely wonderful :)
Great way to encourage newbies to have a try :-) If, having given it a quick test, they leave it somewhere warm and airy for 30 days having made it, it will certainly stiffen up a bit, it can be given a quick check on the tiller and it may shoot surprisingly well.
@@rolandfrerichs5625 Essentially cracks that form from the outside working inward. The surface dries faster than the inside causing a difference in wood size resulting in one of the two having to give. Some woods are more prone to this, ideally you would want to dry it slowly with the end grain sealed and the bark still intact to allow for a gradual, controlled drying.
After years of faffing around scared to wreck the staves I've dried, I'm half way through my first green hazel longbow! Im feeling so much more confident as theres not much invested in the stave! Thanks Mick!
Well done and good luck - fear of damaging a good stave is a powerful deterrent when learning to make bows. With so little invested in a sapling, confidence rises!
You've done a great job.. The music.. The explanation... And you're right... Practice is more important... People think it's easy to make all this... On first try your hands ache as hell... But consider it as a process of you earning a bow... You may even loose the wood... but make sure you learn things from failure... Be a warrior... And get it done❣️
your videos are like watching a BBC documentary on Bowyering. so relaxing and informative and fun! haha i love your videos! thanks for posting. i'm looking to get started on this! i have a house to finish remodeling first and possibly moving but after that. i'm going to start looking at my local tree stock and work some greenwoods! appreciate your work! keep up the awesome videos
Very encouraging for those new to bow making Mick. I would add just one thing for those who are going to try this...give yourself a bit more of a chance by cutting your greenwood stave in late autumn to mid winter as the sap will have stopped rising.
keith baker Hi Keith - very good point. Failed to address that in the video. The sapling was felled and bow made yesterday but I should have explained that time of year is important. Thank you. Mick
I've watched quite a few bow making videos and also flemish twist making strings. By far your instruction on the process of tillering and correcting for beginners is superior in my opinion.Precice slow and methodical so you can follow easily. Your Flemish twist video was slow enough to follow to make this easy to understand👍. You are a good teacher 😊to learn from. Thank you.
Ive been trying on and off, here and there for years to make a good bow. And so far they are all low draw weight with significant set. I hope one day to make a lovely bow like one of yours, you are too modest ! I'm a tree surgeon and have access to infinate staves, I have many second string woods to play with. But ive got some yew staves that I just wont touch yet ! One day, when I've a few good bows under my belt, I'll dare to touch one ! I've watched all your videos a long time back now, and I am enjoying watching them again. Thank you for your time and effort to put these up, great work all round 👏
Use that yew! Don’t fight shy of it. It is a brilliant bow wood for reasons beyond its ability to bend whilst sustaining massive draw weights. It is also easy to work and forgiving. By all means learn on second grade woods but if you have access as you do to many wood types including yew then don’t delay in trying the best wood we have - yew! Glad you can still get some pleasure from my videos. I loved making them and hope in some way they contribute a little toward your bow making. Good luck!
I tried this with a small poplar tree while camping over the past two days, and it turned out about as good as possible, especially considering the fact that the only tools I used were a hatchet and a coping saw. The bow curved perfectly when strung (I used parachute cord for the string), and honestly felt almost dangerous to draw back when finished. Unfortunately, I over-drew it, and it failed rather unceremoniously after about 6 shots, but it was incredibly rewarding, and definitely provided the motivation to buy/build a few tools and try again. I know it's been years since you made this, so you'll probably never see the comment, but I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to make this video. Your video took me from pondering doing something that I've never tried, to finding a genuine interest in a new hobby.
Yes the video is quite old now, and I’m older too, but I try to answer as many comments as I can. And for yours I can say two things - thanks for watching and great news that I have in a small way got you started. It is a strangely fascinating skill to learn and in so doing many connected skills are learned and perfected. I worked with many woods that are not known as ideal for bows - but I learned much. I wish you luck with your next bow/s. Add tools as you go, don’t try to learn bow making and tool handling simultaneously! Practise on whatever wood you can find but get your hands on a good piece too for the future. I wish you well - and I do appreciate your kind feedback
I've been looking for something to do while camping other than staring at the fire or identifying the local flora (which is surprisingly frustrating), and you were so encouraging and positive that I'm at least going to give this a shot. Thank you for making such a great video!
I've been attempting a bow since I was 6 and have never mastered it, this is an amazing tip ty!!! I'm 30 now and I'm running off down the woods like an exited kid looking for a stave 😅
Your videos would have saved me much trial&error learning&prevented a few broken bows over the years! Haha. Thankfully I learned to make them with drawweights of 35-65lbs & have broken none for 8yrs. Good videos sir!
heya mick, thank you for this video! when you explained the bend and how to correct it with a ruler it really helped me to understand the faults ive made in the past.
I just finished my first bow. It was made from a walking stick of a unknown wood but it looks decent and works great! just about 30-40lb drawweight, nothing fancy but great for practice.
@@Gorzaq start with an american flatbow. They are easier to start with, and a lot of different styles can be made. There are also a lot of tutorials on internet and I can answer questions for you
Hello from Texas! I just stumbled across your channel researching bow making. Just hearing your enthusiastic encouragement already alleviates so much anxiety of mine I have getting started.
When I was a kid I would cut thin saplings and just tie a string to each and. It made a pretty reliable 10-20lb bow and I legitimately thought that's how bows used to be made lol, good times
I decided to make my own bow with out watching or reading anything, I cur a stage if a random tree that was straight and used a hatchet to remove material from the belly. Dried it by the fire rover night and the next day instinctively tillered it using mainly the axe. Strung it and made a 30-49 lbs bow shoots great and really inspired me to ake a seasoned bow. Great vid
After playing Medieval 2: Total War, I suddenly got a fancy on bows and the medieval loving passion I had before when I was younger has been reignited! Thanks for the tutorial Mick :D
Wow! Thankyou Mick, your enthusiasm is well conveyed and your straightforward way of explaining has left me very excited to give this a go!! Great video. Love the UK wild.
Great Mick, I enjoyed all your videos, they are very instructive and full of tips not only for bowyers but also for Who loves nature and wood working.I hope there will be more of them. I would like tio know of the limbs of and english longbow have a D section through all their length and how wide and high must be near the handle. Thanks a lot!
Yes, if yew then D all the way. But other woods are much less tolerant of D shape. In the UK hazel is nice to use but requires a much flatter profile, more like a squashed D. Elm and ash need to be a bit flatter than yew (which tolerates D shape very well). Dimensions are a little misleading and using them can result in errors. And of course the draw weight/wood type all have a relevance to finished dimensions. For a reasonably heavy bow using yew (I am away from records just now) you might start work with your wood around 1.5/2.0 inch wide and similar deep. After that I just felt my way forward. Sticking to dimensions assume each piece of wood reacts the same as the next, which I found rarely happened. Good luck with whatever you try!
I just made my first functional bow with this method! I had one failure but the second attempt was able to launch an arrow! It’s not very accurate and I haven’t really tillered it, but the feeling of seeing that arrow fly out from a bow I made myself was otherworldly! Thanks for making this video, I can’t wait to learn more about all this!
My hero! You have given a few steps with a really visual way to understand how to make a longbow for noobs, I really appreciate it, thank you for sharing your knowledges.
Mr Grewcock, your teaching method, with your strong emphasis on the importance and value of practice is brilliant! You remind me a very dear friend (sadly now passed) who i was apprenticed to over 50 years ago, he was a former blacksmith and could bend and shape metal on a anvil. He used to say 'wish it into shape' something i still say to myself in my head when am working with anything. Just like you, he always encouraged the importance of practice Your instructions are very clear and very encouraging, thank you
Im just getting into it because bows look really cool and are really interesting and while i was in history the english longbow is what specifically intrigued me from the statement that they could be used to pierce a knights armor and knowing how much they could withstand it was extremely impressive and thanks to you i am learning how to make these and its been really fun to learn how they work
Mick this is a wonderful video and your enthusiasm about the psychology of learning is remarkable. I came here after watching a Meads Longbow video on the same subject and I’m very glad I did. I have acres and acres of wood yet have never considered this project although in my early days I loved archery. This looks like a very worthwhile project, especially since I’ve made walking sticks that look like trophy wood, I can imagine making a bow of stronger wood and finishing it so it’s a trophy, too. Thank you Mick. New subscriber!
@@MickGrewcock my pleasure mate, I'll be trying this out this month :P taken some screen shots of the diagrams in your video. Really useful thanks again!
Very informative Mick, as others have said "it's a great way to start bow making" if nothing else, if they don't go on to make bows you've shown people how they could make a survival bow, which you never know could save someone's life. I like the use of the steel rule to explain limb stiffness, using the rule puts it into a pictorial view and a picture speaks a thousand words, well done. Merry Christmas to you and your family, hope to see more videos in the new year.
Hi Mick, I used to look forward to every new film you would bring out . Fantastic to watch and so instructive . Hope you are in great health and your garden is still a stunning show of colour . Still a very keen archer unfortunately one leg less now but still fighting one . Thank you .
David, that’s kind! I am well thank you, but age creeping on. I have a different garden now, though still blooming. I am in awe of you not letting anything get in your way of using a bow. Keep going and good luck
@@MickGrewcock thank you , I just wanted to let you know that you were going one of the people who made sure I kept fighting when things were down and really bad you saved my life .
@@DavidHarrison-js3jiI’m sure you saved yourself David but I am humbled to have perhaps been a little part of your rising up against fearful odds. Bless you.
On December 15th you published this video, Thank you very much because this date is my birthday and now that I have reviewed it, I consider it as a gift !!! Once again, THANK YOU !!!
What a great video! I got interested in trying bowmaking recently but felt overwhelmed by how complicated and time consuming the processes can be. You did a great job of showing how success can be had early on in the process. I can’t wait to try this method out. Thank you sir!
I've just made a chestnut bow (beacause I live near a chestnut woods), my first bow, and it shot! Thank you very much for the tips, expecially the info about shape i found in your another video
Maybe you have realised David that this is a prototype for another long but reduced power bow ;-) Some big challenges I must say. A long bow of this power is awfully slow. We'll need to exchange emails about it after Xmas. Have a good holiday all. Mick
Mick Grewcock fully agree . i am shooting my spanish one piece at 50 pound sitting in my chair without issue , I want to show you it and let you shoot it , its pure magic so I think we can rise a bit . I want to be able to shoot 72 arrows to complete a full round so cannot go to high or it will burn me out , but our outdoor range is at 100 yards for men so it cannot be that under powered either . your right a good chat and head rub is whats required . I am sure if anyone can do it you can . once i get my perching stool and can get myself upright i am sure we will be talking a whole different bow as i can use other muscles then . ...... complicated lol . sorry .
Made a really simple bow out of juniper a few years back. Didn't really look up any measurements or guides or anything, nor did I really understand the physics involved in a strung up bow. My first few tries failed, but eventually I did succeed in making a bow that could shoot. Not very well, but at least I saw arrows fly. Spurred on by my success, I made a new bow, which was better than the last, but since I really didn't understand how the back and belly of the bow operate under tension, I got overly ambitious, and took off the string and replaced it with a guitar string. It worked for one shot, after which is broke. I kind of gave up, not demoralized, but fed up. Now, years later, I'm starting to get into woodscrafts again and have decided to try again, and get into the nitty-gritty, this time. I've been looking around for informative videos and I gotta say, this video is one of the best ones out there, for understanding the broader ideas. Had I had the foresight to look up even a basic guide last time, I would have had much more success. I had fun last time, and that's what I'm aiming for this time too, but let's see if I can inject some quality into the build, while I'm at it. Thanks, Mick.
Hi Mick, just to say that I'm making my first bow right now. It's a terrible piece of wood, it will likely never work, but im persevering and determined to at least have the limbs bend. Thanks for your excellent videos.
Fancy making your first bow? Here's a little guide to get you going. Just a lightweight bow - but a great way to learn the craft of the bowyer. Good luck!
Hi Mick, I am a great fan of your video's and your voice is so nice and calm to listen to. But could you perhaps make a video as well how to make a longbow as you did in this video without the shavehorse and only using an axe? I am trying to figure out how to do it with just an axe :) . Appreciate it, sincerely a big fan!
@@MikevanHattum Hi Mike, great idea for a video! Thanks - I'll try to do that some time soon. The technique is quite simple but you do need a good and sharp axe plus a sturdy chopping block. You need some good axe skills too because the final shaping requires delicate work. Basically though you cut the outline by working the stave a limb at a time using the block to support the stave as you shape the bow with downward strokes. After that you can use the axe more like a knife, paring down to the guidelines before tillering. I doubt I could make a fully finished decent quality bow with an axe but that's simply because my axe skills are not as good as they should be! The key I think is a good woodworking/carving axe which is very sharp allowing you to control the cuts whilst you pare the shape. I'll do a video when I can - but I do have quite a few projects in the pipeline so it may take a little time. Good luck, Mick
@@MickGrewcock Awesome Mick, I often do bushcrafting dure re-enactment events. And all I have for tools are an axe and hunting knife :) Looking forward to seeing that video. Cheers, Mike
Brilliant video Mick, just wondering about how to get a sapling? I have a few wooded areas near me but I have no idea if I'm allowed to harvest them or not?
@@JDBuss1 Thank you. This is a common question and the answer is altered depending upon country of residence, local rules etc. In the UK we cannot randomly harvest a sapling but the act of actually felling a sapling in most cases is not of itself illegal - whilst in some countries harvesting any tree is forbidden. So the answer for you is initially dependent upon where you live. The procedure in the UK is to obtain permission from the landowner. If the sapling - or any other tree - is not in any other way protected (a rare species, ornamental, preserved via a TPO [Tree Preservation Order] or in a conservation area) then the landowner may allow felling of the tree. However if the tree is on 'public land' then it is most unlikely that the authorities overseeing the land will grant permission. So in the UK as in other countries it can seem an almost impossible task to obtain bow wood. So we have to work (quite rightly) with a system that protects trees. I own woodland so very small scale removal of a sapling or larger tree is permitted provided the volume of felling is below that which requires a felling license. If you know of saplings that are surplus to requirements or unmanaged then the landowner may grant permission. Far easier I think to get to know local tree surgeons, forestry workers, local authority workers, timber yards etc who are always felling and processing thousands upon thousands of trees throughout the year. These folk are a great way to obtain wood - just takes time to cultivate friendships and trust. In the UK the easiest saplings to find are usually ash (they often grow in their hundreds next to mature ash trees and only very few of them can grow on to maturity) or - not exactly saplings - offshoots from hazel. These woods both make great practise woods for bow making. Hope that helps whether or not you are in the UK. Mick
Ι used to make green wood bows as a kid, around 20lbs at most and recently got back into hobby bowmaking. Shooting a bow you made has to be one of the best feelings for me
Enjoy!
@@MickGrewcock thank you sir
Hey its David Attenborough's brother 😁
David Attenborough actually has a brother. He was the guy who played Santa in Miracle on 34 Street.
50/ 50 Attenborough and Fred Dibnah. 👍
Yaa
Cooler brother
@@cowboy4378 I would have never known that, thank you for that piece of info!
Haven’t even attempted yet, and this dude already made me happy. You sir, are the Bob Ross of Bow Making. Now I have to check out more of these videos.
I used to make bows as a kid out of filbert nut tree stalks. I would rough carve them, let them dry for a while, carve them to shape and string them loosely to let them dry to shape. After that I'd refine and smooth the shape. Then while strung loosely I'd roast them over a fire without scorching the wood. String them to desired shape and let them set for a while. Once done they were around 40+ pounds. Never in my memory had one break. It was lots of fun making and shooting my homemade bows. I did however buy my arrows.
I feel like if Mick were my history teacher, high school would have been more fun and lively.
Amazing video. Thank you for the instructions!
Looks like I'm not buying bow now, I'm making one..
Can't wait to start!
Good luck!
I made my first bow from a thicker willow branch, took wood out of the belly with an old kitchen knife and a thick wooden stick as a baton, my bowstring was simple sisal cord from the supermarket. I made arrows from bamboo sticks used to support plants, i put ducttape on the backend to revent splitting, and i ducttaped points to the frontend made from random household and trash items. My best arrow is made from an old cheap plastic paintbrush i sharpened on a brick.
It took me less than half an hour to make the bow, more time went into the arrows really to get them as well balanced and straight as possible. I don't expect it to last long but it took me less than an hour for a whole day of fun. According to my phone i walked 6 kilometers in total going back and forth between the target(or behind it quite often hahaha) to fetch my arrows(i made 3 in total). I have never really seriously shot a bow, so being able to hit a roughly man sized target at a distance farther away than i can throw a rock with confidence was really exiting, the arrows hit with quite a punch, going clean through the plastic container i used as target.
The succes i had with such limited knowledge, skill, materials and tools made me exited about taking it a step further.
So here i am, thanks for all the useful information!
Warm greetings from the Netherlands.
I’m watching this two years later and this is the best explained video on the internet it didn’t get boring it was a brilliant video thanks
By letting your green wood bow dry after tillering and cutting off a few inches off the tips, you would increase the bow's draw weight quite a bit, and make your experiment bow into a hunting weapon if you wanted to. Good advice/information Video.
I love it when you do these beginner tutorials! Really inspires me to start making bows!
Am making my first bow, stumbeld on your videos they are amazing tnx a lot
Good luck
@@MickGrewcock tnx even thou i have a feeling that its gona snap/break
Thank you, I think this is the most useful, straight forward, and simple guide to beginner bowmaking I have ever seen.
Thank you 🙏
I made one without following a tutorial, all I did was get an already bent piece ( mistake ) and removed the bark by scraping with a chisel
It is my beloved despite probably being under 30 lb
Can reach full draw without snapping but may need to but replaced after full draw made me hear cracks
Very informative video
Found you looking to make a shave horse and liked how clearly you explain everything. My son has been wanting a traditional English longbow and I read how to do it and was overwhelmed. The way you encourage learning with practice on green wood is brilliant. First I'll make my shave horse and then I'll do my first greenwood bow. Thank you for the inspiration!
Good luck!
Sir, I've been overthinking for waaaay too long, and that's what held me back. And here it is, your video showing me that it is so easy to make beginner bow. Looks like next week I will have my first long bow 😊
Good luck!
You are about the most personable guy to teach me some stuff since Fred Dibnah Mr Grewock, thank you for what you do on youtube, it is absolutely wonderful :)
Thank you Seph!
Great way to encourage newbies to have a try :-)
If, having given it a quick test, they leave it somewhere warm and airy for 30 days having made it, it will certainly stiffen up a bit, it can be given a quick check on the tiller and it may shoot surprisingly well.
Thank you Del. Great advice as a follow up - thank you.
I've done this myself and was surprised with how well it worked out, so long as the wood does not check.
@@brightargyle8950 what does 'check' mean?
@@rolandfrerichs5625 Essentially cracks that form from the outside working inward. The surface dries faster than the inside causing a difference in wood size resulting in one of the two having to give. Some woods are more prone to this, ideally you would want to dry it slowly with the end grain sealed and the bark still intact to allow for a gradual, controlled drying.
@@brightargyle8950
Paint the cut ends of wood and it won't check while drying
After years of faffing around scared to wreck the staves I've dried, I'm half way through my first green hazel longbow! Im feeling so much more confident as theres not much invested in the stave! Thanks Mick!
Well done and good luck - fear of damaging a good stave is a powerful deterrent when learning to make bows. With so little invested in a sapling, confidence rises!
excellent lesson on how to practice and not have fear of screwing up. Thanks for this video.
You've done a great job.. The music.. The explanation... And you're right... Practice is more important... People think it's easy to make all this... On first try your hands ache as hell... But consider it as a process of you earning a bow... You may even loose the wood... but make sure you learn things from failure... Be a warrior... And get it done❣️
your videos are like watching a BBC documentary on Bowyering. so relaxing and informative and fun! haha i love your videos! thanks for posting. i'm looking to get started on this! i have a house to finish remodeling first and possibly moving but after that. i'm going to start looking at my local tree stock and work some greenwoods!
appreciate your work! keep up the awesome videos
The lost art of bow making, your a master at it, thank you for sharing, excellent video-nice job *****
Your voice gives me the same calming reaction as some ASMR videos
Very encouraging for those new to bow making Mick. I would add just one thing for those who are going to try this...give yourself a bit more of a chance by cutting your greenwood stave in late autumn to mid winter as the sap will have stopped rising.
keith baker Hi Keith - very good point. Failed to address that in the video. The sapling was felled and bow made yesterday but I should have explained that time of year is important. Thank you. Mick
Coming back after a few years to watch again. Brings back good memories of my bow making experience. Your videos are always enjoyable to watch!
Thank you 🙏
I've watched quite a few bow making videos and also flemish twist making strings. By far your instruction on the process of tillering and correcting for beginners is superior in my opinion.Precice slow and methodical so you can follow easily. Your Flemish twist video was slow enough to follow to make this easy to understand👍. You are a good teacher 😊to learn from. Thank you.
Thank you John 🙏
What about the most exciting part? Shooting a few arrows!
Ive been trying on and off, here and there for years to make a good bow. And so far they are all low draw weight with significant set. I hope one day to make a lovely bow like one of yours, you are too modest !
I'm a tree surgeon and have access to infinate staves, I have many second string woods to play with. But ive got some yew staves that I just wont touch yet !
One day, when I've a few good bows under my belt, I'll dare to touch one !
I've watched all your videos a long time back now, and I am enjoying watching them again.
Thank you for your time and effort to put these up, great work all round 👏
Use that yew! Don’t fight shy of it. It is a brilliant bow wood for reasons beyond its ability to bend whilst sustaining massive draw weights. It is also easy to work and forgiving. By all means learn on second grade woods but if you have access as you do to many wood types including yew then don’t delay in trying the best wood we have - yew! Glad you can still get some pleasure from my videos. I loved making them and hope in some way they contribute a little toward your bow making. Good luck!
Dude you have to open a podcast that voice is literally just documentary grade, and spot on with the tutorial. Keep up the good work👍!
Thank you 🙏 🙏🙏
I love this guys voice its so calming I feel more confident listening to him.
I’m so grateful to have found your channel, because Mick, you’re one heck of a good teacher…. As a bowyer you’re my encouragement!!!! Cheers mate!!
Thank you Kris 🙏
I tried this with a small poplar tree while camping over the past two days, and it turned out about as good as possible, especially considering the fact that the only tools I used were a hatchet and a coping saw. The bow curved perfectly when strung (I used parachute cord for the string), and honestly felt almost dangerous to draw back when finished. Unfortunately, I over-drew it, and it failed rather unceremoniously after about 6 shots, but it was incredibly rewarding, and definitely provided the motivation to buy/build a few tools and try again. I know it's been years since you made this, so you'll probably never see the comment, but I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to make this video. Your video took me from pondering doing something that I've never tried, to finding a genuine interest in a new hobby.
Yes the video is quite old now, and I’m older too, but I try to answer as many comments as I can. And for yours I can say two things - thanks for watching and great news that I have in a small way got you started. It is a strangely fascinating skill to learn and in so doing many connected skills are learned and perfected. I worked with many woods that are not known as ideal for bows - but I learned much. I wish you luck with your next bow/s. Add tools as you go, don’t try to learn bow making and tool handling simultaneously! Practise on whatever wood you can find but get your hands on a good piece too for the future. I wish you well - and I do appreciate your kind feedback
Artistry ,so Happy watching the show
You are a wonderful teacher. I am inspired to make a bow now. Thank you for a great video.
Thank you - and good luck!
You are an amazing teacher, thank you for all of your help.
Best last name ever!!!!
This is a great video, true heart of a teacher right here.
Thank you 🙏
I've been looking for something to do while camping other than staring at the fire or identifying the local flora (which is surprisingly frustrating), and you were so encouraging and positive that I'm at least going to give this a shot. Thank you for making such a great video!
Good luck!
I've been attempting a bow since I was 6 and have never mastered it, this is an amazing tip ty!!! I'm 30 now and I'm running off down the woods like an exited kid looking for a stave 😅
Best of luck. You can do it!
@@MickGrewcock thanks to you! Peace love and ranger boots
I think your whole approach to making my first bow is exactly what I need. Cheers from Canada
Good luck!
he's the David Attenborough of bow making such a relaxing and confidence inspiring voice
🙏🙏🙏
Your videos would have saved me much trial&error learning&prevented a few broken bows over the years! Haha. Thankfully I learned to make them with drawweights of 35-65lbs & have broken none for 8yrs. Good videos sir!
Thank you!
Mick Grewcock I thank you sir
heya mick, thank you for this video! when you explained the bend and how to correct it with a ruler it really helped me to understand the faults ive made in the past.
Amazing work for a quick bow :) i love every bow even there flaws its like a beautiful art
I just finished my first bow. It was made from a walking stick of a unknown wood but it looks decent and works great! just about 30-40lb drawweight, nothing fancy but great for practice.
Well done!
When I want to string my bow it alway break
@@Gorzaq start with an american flatbow. They are easier to start with, and a lot of different styles can be made. There are also a lot of tutorials on internet and I can answer questions for you
@@DreadfulMeep thank you, wich kind of wood do you recommend ? Is birch good
@@Gorzaq you may want to find hazel or ash, birch is not that good
Hello from Texas! I just stumbled across your channel researching bow making. Just hearing your enthusiastic encouragement already alleviates so much anxiety of mine I have getting started.
Hello from UK! Best of luck bow making.
I know I'm late to the party here.. but this is freaking awesome!! Thank you sir!!
This is such a positive video! You are so inspiring and encouraging! I can’t wait to try this
Thank you 🙏
Excellent video. Thank you I've learned so much
Thanx Mick,
You dod it again.
Encouraging me in making a bow.
Now finding time to do it.
Appreciate this ever inspiring video in clear language
I wish you success!
When I was a kid I would cut thin saplings and just tie a string to each and. It made a pretty reliable 10-20lb bow and I legitimately thought that's how bows used to be made lol, good times
Samesies 😆
I decided to make my own bow with out watching or reading anything, I cur a stage if a random tree that was straight and used a hatchet to remove material from the belly. Dried it by the fire rover night and the next day instinctively tillered it using mainly the axe. Strung it and made a 30-49 lbs bow shoots great and really inspired me to ake a seasoned bow. Great vid
Well done, enjoy!
What a fantastic video! What a great teacher!! 😊😊
After playing Medieval 2: Total War, I suddenly got a fancy on bows and the medieval loving passion I had before when I was younger has been reignited! Thanks for the tutorial Mick :D
Good luck!
Wow! Thankyou Mick, your enthusiasm is well conveyed and your straightforward way of explaining has left me very excited to give this a go!!
Great video. Love the UK wild.
Good luck!
From Molina de Aragón , in Spain: fantastic well explained!!!!
Great Mick, I enjoyed all your videos, they are very instructive and full of tips not only for bowyers but also for Who loves nature and wood working.I hope there will be more of them. I would like tio know of the limbs of and english longbow have a D section through all their length and how wide and high must be near the handle. Thanks a lot!
Yes, if yew then D all the way. But other woods are much less tolerant of D shape. In the UK hazel is nice to use but requires a much flatter profile, more like a squashed D. Elm and ash need to be a bit flatter than yew (which tolerates D shape very well). Dimensions are a little misleading and using them can result in errors. And of course the draw weight/wood type all have a relevance to finished dimensions. For a reasonably heavy bow using yew (I am away from records just now) you might start work with your wood around 1.5/2.0 inch wide and similar deep. After that I just felt my way forward. Sticking to dimensions assume each piece of wood reacts the same as the next, which I found rarely happened. Good luck with whatever you try!
What a brilliant video. I may have to give it a whirl.you should be on TV with a personality like yours.
Thank you 🙏
I just made my first functional bow with this method! I had one failure but the second attempt was able to launch an arrow! It’s not very accurate and I haven’t really tillered it, but the feeling of seeing that arrow fly out from a bow I made myself was otherworldly! Thanks for making this video, I can’t wait to learn more about all this!
Good luck!
Thanks for taking the worry out of failing. The time and effort sometimes seems daunting...you've helped reduce that.
Good. Failure is part of success. It is difficult but, if you embrace the pain, you will get better quicker. Good luck
Awesome lesson, Mick-- thanks for all you do.
🙏🙏
My hero!
You have given a few steps with a really visual way to understand how to make a longbow for noobs, I really appreciate it, thank you for sharing your knowledges.
Thank you 🙏
Ow he's at it again from start to finish his name does say it all
I can listen to you talk all day!
I've watched 9 minutes of this video and I already want to be this guys apprentice.
I'm glad I found this channel. Your voice is soothing and takes away my worries of getting started with carving my first bow.
Good luck. Relax, go steady and sometimes put it down. The next day you will see your progress much more clearly.,
Mr Grewcock, your teaching method, with your strong emphasis on the importance and value of practice is brilliant!
You remind me a very dear friend (sadly now passed) who i was apprenticed to over 50 years ago, he was a former blacksmith and could bend and shape metal on a anvil.
He used to say 'wish it into shape' something i still say to myself in my head when am working with anything.
Just like you, he always encouraged the importance of practice
Your instructions are very clear and very encouraging, thank you
Thank you John 🙏
you are the bob ross of bow making 😉 very calm voice ⚜️
So good to be back to your channel, Mick. Love your work.
Thank you.
Thank you, just the encouraging I've needed :)
I'm fortunate to have a freshly cut Hickory tree to Make a green bow. I'll make my own draw horse, and give this a try.
From America you have such a self spoken voice and great work Brother!
Thank you Paul 🙏🙏
Im just getting into it because bows look really cool and are really interesting and while i was in history the english longbow is what specifically intrigued me from the statement that they could be used to pierce a knights armor and knowing how much they could withstand it was extremely impressive and thanks to you i am learning how to make these and its been really fun to learn how they work
Great idea Mick, nothing breeds success like success.
Mick this is a wonderful video and your enthusiasm about the psychology of learning is remarkable. I came here after watching a Meads Longbow video on the same subject and I’m very glad I did. I have acres and acres of wood yet have never considered this project although in my early days I loved archery. This looks like a very worthwhile project, especially since I’ve made walking sticks that look like trophy wood, I can imagine making a bow of stronger wood and finishing it so it’s a trophy, too.
Thank you Mick. New subscriber!
Good luck with your new direction! Enjoy bow making.
Great video mate! Really makes it easy for beginners! You cover most of the problems for an amateur! Really appreciate it!!
Thank you Jorge 🙏🙏
@@MickGrewcock my pleasure mate, I'll be trying this out this month :P taken some screen shots of the diagrams in your video. Really useful thanks again!
Great work Mick. Always look forward to your vids!
Very informative Mick, as others have said "it's a great way to start bow making" if nothing else, if they don't go on to make bows you've shown people how they could make a survival bow, which you never know could save someone's life. I like the use of the steel rule to explain limb stiffness, using the rule puts it into a pictorial view and a picture speaks a thousand words, well done.
Merry Christmas to you and your family, hope to see more videos in the new year.
Hi Ray Thanks for your good wishes. I hope that you and your family have a peaceful and safe Xmas. Best. Mick
Hi Mick, I used to look forward to every new film you would bring out . Fantastic to watch and so instructive . Hope you are in great health and your garden is still a stunning show of colour . Still a very keen archer unfortunately one leg less now but still fighting one . Thank you .
David, that’s kind! I am well thank you, but age creeping on. I have a different garden now, though still blooming. I am in awe of you not letting anything get in your way of using a bow. Keep going and good luck
@@MickGrewcock thank you , I just wanted to let you know that you were going one of the people who made sure I kept fighting when things were down and really bad you saved my life .
@@DavidHarrison-js3jiI’m sure you saved yourself David but I am humbled to have perhaps been a little part of your rising up against fearful odds. Bless you.
On December 15th you published this video, Thank you very much because this date is my birthday and now that I have reviewed it, I consider it as a gift !!! Once again, THANK YOU !!!
You are welcome Mihai!
Exactly the information I’ve been needing. Just somewhere to start!
Good luck!
What a great video! I got interested in trying bowmaking recently but felt overwhelmed by how complicated and time consuming the processes can be. You did a great job of showing how success can be had early on in the process. I can’t wait to try this method out. Thank you sir!
Good luck!
I've just made a chestnut bow (beacause I live near a chestnut woods), my first bow, and it shot!
Thank you very much for the tips, expecially the info about shape i found in your another video
Well done!
This video is so good! I feel inspired. Now I just gotta go out and make one!
Mick this is golden advice. Thank you.
New favourite channel, went out today and got me a nice bit of ash. Thanks Mick.
Good luck with it!
@@MickGrewcock she’s not perfect or pretty but I loosed my first arrow today - thanks again Mick.
@@ronlancs1874 Well done Ron!
yet again a first class film , simple instruction and a quality finished product. well done Mick.
Maybe you have realised David that this is a prototype for another long but reduced power bow ;-) Some big challenges I must say. A long bow of this power is awfully slow. We'll need to exchange emails about it after Xmas. Have a good holiday all. Mick
Mick Grewcock fully agree . i am shooting my spanish one piece
at 50 pound sitting in my chair without issue , I want to show you it and let you shoot it , its pure magic so I think we can rise a bit . I want to be able to shoot 72 arrows to complete a full round so cannot go to high or it will burn me out , but our outdoor range is at 100 yards for men so it cannot be that under powered either . your right a good chat and head rub is whats required . I am sure if anyone can do it you can . once i get my perching stool and can get myself upright i am sure we will be talking a whole different bow as i can use other muscles then . ...... complicated lol . sorry .
Mick Grewcock have a great christmas Mick .
Made a really simple bow out of juniper a few years back. Didn't really look up any measurements or guides or anything, nor did I really understand the physics involved in a strung up bow. My first few tries failed, but eventually I did succeed in making a bow that could shoot. Not very well, but at least I saw arrows fly. Spurred on by my success, I made a new bow, which was better than the last, but since I really didn't understand how the back and belly of the bow operate under tension, I got overly ambitious, and took off the string and replaced it with a guitar string. It worked for one shot, after which is broke. I kind of gave up, not demoralized, but fed up. Now, years later, I'm starting to get into woodscrafts again and have decided to try again, and get into the nitty-gritty, this time. I've been looking around for informative videos and I gotta say, this video is one of the best ones out there, for understanding the broader ideas. Had I had the foresight to look up even a basic guide last time, I would have had much more success. I had fun last time, and that's what I'm aiming for this time too, but let's see if I can inject some quality into the build, while I'm at it.
Thanks, Mick.
Hi Mick, just to say that I'm making my first bow right now. It's a terrible piece of wood, it will likely never work, but im persevering and determined to at least have the limbs bend. Thanks for your excellent videos.
Good luck Robert. I hope you succeed but, if not, you will learn much. And the next one will be better!!
You are the fred dibnah of bowyers, great video man!
🙏
He's a good teacher
Nicely done Mr Mick! You truly have a gift for teaching:) stay safe and hope you are doing well in these trying times
What a great introductory video! Well done!
Thank you 🙏
What a fantastic video
Well explained and just a pleasant tone
Thank you 🙏
At last I can learn
Thanks for this video, cant wait to learn how to make it and teach my friends as well
Took me about 3 hours, but I had a ton of fun making it. I used ash for mine and had a stave available since I had trees I needed to remove.
Well done!
Hi Mick !
As allways , is a pleasure to watch your videos !!!
All the best from ROUMANIA !!! 😀😀😀
Sorin the BOWMAN
Hi Sorin! Happy Xmas!
Thank you kindly sir. I value your teachings and will put them to use.
🙏