Wildwood Survival website

SURVIVAL
Shelter
Water
Fire
Food
Clothing
Fishing
Hunting
Traps
Snares
Tools
Stone
Flintknapping
Tracker Knife
Cordage
Containers
Furniture
Lights
Hides
Pitch & Glue
Winter
Health
Lyme Disease
Vision
Native People
Emergency Prep
Navigation
Teaching
Young People
Practicing
Music
Humour
More
Wilderness Mind
Site Disclaimer
Booklist
Forums
Contributors
Sitemap
Guestbook
About this site
Use of material
Privacy Policy
HomeSurvivalHuntingBow and Arrow

Construction of a Bow from Osage Orange

Bow and Photographs by Anthonio Akkermans

 
Here's a series of photos showing various aspects of the construction of a bow from Osage Orange. The bow is being made by Anthonio Akkermans, who took and sent these pictures.
  
Imperfections in the wood often result in imperfections in the finished product. Sometimes these have little or no effect on the final product. This dip near the end of the bow will probably have little effect, provided it is not a weak spot.
  

  
Tillering setup. Tillering is the process of thinning out the bow in such a manner as to achieve the maximum force when the bow is bent. The two sides of the bow must bend evenly. The scale on the ground is to measure the amount of "pull" that the bow has.
  

  

Note the dent or scratch on the bow surface here.

The presence of this may mean that another layer will have to be removed from this side of the bow.

Note the beautiful orange colour of the Osage Orange wood!

  

Anthonio decided to "recurve" the ends of the bow. This picture shows the very end of the bow.

The picture below shows the "recurvature" as part of the overall bow.

 

  

  

Almost finished...

  

FINISHED!!
  

Here is Anthonio trying out his beautiful new Osage Orange bow.
  

Here is the bow with a quiver that Anthonio made for his arrows.

Nice job, Anthonio!