After much searching for straight grain and no visible knots, this shagbark hickory was felled by chainsaw.  The trunk was then staved in two, seven-foot sections and placed in the barn to dry.  Hickory is an excellent wood, easily worked when green, and will produce many fine bows per tree. 

The heartwood is clearly visible here.  These staves are thick enough to yield at least two bows each with some careful sawing. 

This stave has been roughed out with a drawknife and hand axe.  A chalk line has been snapped onto it with a mason’s line to help keep the layout straight.

The next step is mostly accomplished with an axe to reduce the mass from the limbs and establish the location of the grip.

At this stage, I switch to the drawknife for more control.  For flat bows, I begin to taper the ends about half way down each limb.  The limbs are usually two or more inches at the widest, tapering to about one half inch at the tips.  The riser (middle section) doesn’t flex on this type of bow and is left thick.

The roughing out of this bow is nearly finished.  I chose an older layer “new” wood for this specimen in order to show some of the darker heartwood in the riser section.

The way a limb curves is called the “tiller.”  It should be a smooth and continuous curve with no straight areas or tight bends.  After a bow is complete, its a good idea to re-check the tiller after the first few shots, and then again after about a hundred arrows.

The eye is the best gauge to look for any twists or inconsistencies.

Not only does the limb have to bend perfectly, it has to match in strength and speed to its twin.

These photos show some final adjustments on a bow begun by another maker.  This work is usually accomplished with a rasp and cabinet scraper

A finished bow waiting to be waxed or oiled.  Notice the placement of the handle is below the center of the overall length to place the arrow in the middle of the bow.  This is a common flatbow design and one I use often.