Information on how to make Native American and Asiatic Composite bows in Archery

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Information on how to make Native American and Asiatic Composite bows

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ninpo532	Information on how to make Native American and Asiatic Composite bows	Lead	[-]
Posts: 1006 Jan 12 10 11:00 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Tags : None Hey Guys, I am looking for information on how to make Native American composite bows and Asiatic composite bow. So far, I have not found much information on the actual process. What Jim Hamm put down in "Native American Bows and Arrows" seemed pretty vague to me. I am looking more for step by step instructions and details on the entire process. I have found a wealth of information on laminated bows as well as simple bamboo and wood backed bows, even sinew backing but, not horn bows. I know that they are a PITA to make and some people think its not worth the trouble. But, I have enough time on my hands to take this on. So far I have only found a video by John McPherson and Jeff Schmitt on the subject of Asiatic Composite Bows but, nothing else on video or especially on paper. Can anyone direct me to any information on this or another forum or on the web or book and videos on the subject. I very rarely will hear or read about it on Paleo Planet. But, I know people are still into Horse Archery and still make these. I would greatly appreciate any direction or information. Thank you for reading.
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crabbow		#1	[-]
Posts: 102 Jan 12 10 11:40 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Try Atarn.net also recomend getting a copy of Adam karpowicz book ottoman and turkish bows,this deals on the subject of asiatic composites,excellent book.Good luck finding waterbuff horn.
randallrock		#2	[-]
Posts: 168 Jan 12 10 4:21 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I bought " American Indian Archery" by laubin, used and was glad I did, Click here has a lot about horn bows , sinew, etc.
Dane Mitchell		#3	[-]
Posts: 117 Jan 12 10 6:38 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	There is a 4 hour video about making Korean horn bows. It is a challenge to get through the show, and almost no dialogue, aside from some clumsy voice overs kind of explaining what is going on, but it is worth having. You esentially get to observe the bowyer through every step of making the bows, and it is easy to follow along. I can't recall the name of the tapes, I got it through 3 Rivers, I believe. The way of the bow, something like that. Dane
ninpo532		#4	[-]
Posts: 1006 Jan 13 10 10:34 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Thanks for the reply guys. So, not many people do this I see. I am glad that horse archery is still big in the U.S. ( and around the world). Hey randallrock - was that book pretty good in description on selfbows and arrows as well? I have seen it before but, hesitated in buying it.
kiltedcelt		#5	[-]
Posts: 291 Jan 13 10 6:10 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Not terribly informative, but this video shot Lukas Novotny (Saluki Bows). It shows a little bit of the construction of how Novotny makes composite bows. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGcYGwqb3So It sounds like the best bet is the Karpowicz book. I'm interested in Asiatic composite bows as well, but I'm not ready to tackle the horn and sinew. Right now I'm playing a bit with bamboo back/belly bows done in the style of the Asiatic composites.
Gaur		#6	[-]
Posts: 126 Jan 17 10 8:01 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Don't know if you have the time but one way to learn would be to go hang out with Ed Scott in Arizona. He takes people on as interns and he is one of the few guys I have heard about that makes the native american horn bows. The other person would be Jaap of Yumi bows down in Georgia. He makes asiatic horn bows too. I drove down and visited him this last summer and had a good time visiting and discussing bows. Wish I lived closer to visit more often. I see your from MN. I grew up in Wayata and now live over in Thailand. I'm wanting to start trying some asian horn bows. I can hook you up with some water buffalo horn if you need some. Take care, Randy
ninpo532		#7	[-]
Posts: 1006 Jan 17 10 10:18 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Hey Randy. I am actually from Southern California and soon, moving to the Rockies. Where is Wayata? I missed Thailand by a few days. They told me Pataya Beach was pretty sweet. I grew up spending a lot of time with my Lao friends that came here from Thai refugee camps. I don't think I would be able to be an intern, but that would have been something I would have done a few years ago. I have heard of who they were from one of my buddies. I could just imagine how much fun those interns are having. I watched part of John Mcpherson's Asiatic Bow DVD. They have a lot of good information on there. I guess I need to collect some horn and get crackin. But, I think I will read up more on the subject through the websites that were graciously provided for me, and in the bowyers bibles and study the heck out of the DVD I got and then make my first horn bow. Here is another question on the Native American horn bow. With all the reflex that they had (not like the extreme reflex or the Indian or Asiatic), how did they string them on horsebarck? I know how they did the regular gull wing and straight bows (on the foot and pulling the string) but, it seems like they would either have to carry the bow already strung or dismount. With that said, how the the Asiatic Horsemen carry theirs? Hey Randy, Kapp jai lai lai!
FVRago		#8	[-]
Posts: 99 Jan 17 10 11:33 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Laubins book and Dr. Bert Grayson in the TBB's are both very informative concerning short composite bows. My first bow building book was Laubin's American Indian Archery and can not praise it enough. Then I started picking up the TBB's and Dr. Grayson has an excellant section. I've seen pics of Asiatic horseman with quivers that carried their arrows along with the strung bow. From what I've read and seen and done, the North American Indian composite bow is not all that hard to string, but I have not tried it on a horse.LOL. Both are compositie bows but worlds apart even with them using some of the same materials and similar designs. Good Luck, Frank Check out www.hornbow.com for a wealth info. along with Atarn.net.
ryoon4690		#9	[-]
Posts: 736 Jan 17 10 12:26 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I was at the library at my school last semester (MSU) and while taking a break from studying I found several books about asiatic bows. One included step by step instructions on making Chinese horn bows. If you're lucky maybe a library around you could hold some books like that. It really surprised me.
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kiltedcelt		#10	[-]
Posts: 291 Jan 17 10 12:48 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	ryoon4690 wrote: I was at the library at my school last semester (MSU) and while taking a break from studying I found several books about asiatic bows. One included step by step instructions on making Chinese horn bows. If you're lucky maybe a library around you could hold some books like that. It really surprised me. Ryoon - any way you could tell us the titles/authors on those books?
kiltedcelt		#11	[-]
Posts: 291 Jan 17 10 12:53 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	ninpo532 wrote: With that said, how the the Asiatic Horsemen carry theirs? Ninpo, Here are a couple examples of modern reproductions of horsebow quivers, or bow cases as they're called sometimes. Just do a Google search for "horsebow quiver" or "horsebow case" and you'll see lots of examples including some photos of actual artifacts and period paintings depicting them. http://www.ravenswoodleat...orseBow/horsequiver1.jpg http://www.northwestmall....t.ihtml?id=32&step=2
ryoon4690		#12	[-]
Posts: 736 Jan 17 10 12:58 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Chinese archery by Stephen Selby was one of them but the bow making was just a part of that book. I think the other one was Turkish archery and the composite bow : a review of an old chapter in the chronicles of archery and a modern addendum by Paul E. Klopsteg. If I remember correctly, this one was a really old book and not too many pictures. I got the names of the books from the library website so I can't be 100% sure these are the right books.
allask		#13	[-]
Posts: 647 Jan 17 10 3:43 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	david one of the back issues of pa had an article on sheep horn bows of the sheep eaters of wyoming.done by one of the old timers it was pretty good and as you can see in tbb grayson shows how to string by pulling the sheep horn bow.unlike the steppe bows most native american horn bows didnt have wooden cores,just horn and sinew so flexibility was much greater.i have made composite-sinew horn wood-bows with pronghorn belly,ash core,sinew back;buffalo hoof belly,wood core,sinew back;buffalo horn belly,wood core,sinew back;steer horn belly,wood core,sinew back.there are more than a few all sheep horn bows floating around museums in mt so i have seen a few,some well over 100# draw.
Gaur		#14	[-]
Posts: 126 Jan 17 10 5:51 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Wayzata is in MN too. A western suburb of the twin cities. Good luck with your bow building quest. I'll have to try to find that book with the step by step as that sounds like a good one. I have Dr Grayson's book and it has lot of pictures of finished horn bows but I wish it had strung profile pics too and full draw pics of each bow. I understand you can't do that with antiques. Just looking at Saluki's website you can see some nice full draw pictures of Lukas different style asiatic horn bows. Yin dee ru jak gan. ("nice to meet you" in Thai)
ninpo532		#15	[-]
Posts: 1006 Jan 19 10 10:04 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Hey Gaur, I might know where you are talking about. I was thinking more in Western Minnesota. I go to the VA in Minneapolis pretty often. Man, there is a lot of Thornless Honey Locust and some real nice Black Locust down there but, none up here. James, thanks for helping me out and showing me the Sheep Eaters. That is freakin cool man. I can't wait to meet up in Montana and make some. Gaur, Its funny how Thai is so similar to Lao, I forgot when they separated. In Lao it is Yin dii ti jai pop jou ( I think). Its been a few years since I spoke it. Now its all Tagalog and Lakota. Hey Kilted Celt, thats for the links and helping me out. That seems like a different style of Horn bow. It might just be how the bowyer finishes them and and does the decoration.
Thimosabv		#16	[-]
Posts: 7985 Jan 21 10 3:19 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Adam Karpowicz' book on Ottoman Turkish bows is GREAT. I just got it in the mail a week or so ago. I've already found out several things I've done wrong for years and wish I would have had this book long before.
ninpo532		#17	[-]
Posts: 1006 Jan 21 10 10:00 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	What up Thimo? I will have to check that out then. I got a few months before I will be trying anything anyway so, the more knowledge the marrier. How you been?
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Information on how to make Native American and Asiatic Composite bows

Information on how to make Native American and Asiatic Composite bows