- 1). Pick a piece of wood to use that is 3 feet long. It is best to use a piece of dried wood that is not gray or cracking. The best types of wood are flexible woods such as mulberry or juniper. A good second choice would be strong hardwood such as hickory, teak or yew. Green wood is best to be avoided, but can be used in a pinch. If green wood must be used, steam dry it over a fire if possible.
- 2). Determine the natural curve of the wood. Every piece of wood found in nature will have a natural curve to it, even if it is a very slight curve. You will want to work with this natural curve when making your bow.
- 3). Shave the two ends of the bow with a knife so that they are a slightly smaller diameter than the center of the bow. Leave the center of the bow at least big enough to fit your whole hand around because it will be your handle. The two ends should be the same length and diameter as one another.
- 4). Cut notches into the two ends of the bow. The notches should be a crescent shape, going across the front of the bow, which is the direction the natural curve of the wood leans toward. These notches should be 2 inches from each end of the bow.
- 5). String the bow. Tie a loop of string around one notch of the bow. Continue to move the string down the bow until you reach the opposite end of the bow. Tie the string around the second notch of the bow. The string can be made of a variety of materials including fishing line, hemp, nylon rope, rawhide or even vines, if necessary. The string should not be flexible because the bow gets its power from the wood, not the string.
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