Ancient bow and arrow making method illustrated

Ancient Bow and Arrow Making Methods are as follows:

1, First choose a long piece of wood to use to build a bow.

2, Judge the natural curvature of the stick.

3. Using a knife or other tool, cut the wood on the inside of the curve, the "belly" of the stick, on the thicker part of the stick until the width and tension are the same as on the thinner part.

4. With a knife, cut two one- to two-inch notches (2 to 2.5 centimeters) in each end of the bow, with the notches in the shape of half moons, on the outside of the arc.

5. Choose a bowstring. Rawhide whips, fine nylon cord, twine, fishing line, cotton or silk thread, ordinary twine or even grapevine or sinew can be used as strings.

6. The straighter the stick used as an arrow, the better. The length of each arrow is about half the length of your bow, or as long as it is long enough to draw the bow. If the bow is drawn full and the arrows are not long enough, this will not work.

7. Sharpen all around the arrow. Put the shaft on a hot coal to slightly heat the arrows and they will straighten out, hold the arrows straight while the stick cools. Carve a small notch in the back end of each arrow to release the string.

8. Building arrows. The simplest arrowheads are made by sharpening the front end of the arrow shaft, which can be done with a knife, and then hardening it by slightly heating it with coals.

9. The tail feather allows for a more accurate flight path, though it is not a necessary part of the arrow.