Get Bowyer´s Bible vol. 1…that is a must have when you start out! Volume 4 which explains the mass principle would be a close second…both will save you time and headaches;-) (get the whole series when you are at it;-)

You mention Yew and Osage…both considdered some of the best selfbow woods out there…but less will do, at a fraction of the cost. If bow making is new territory for you then save the precious Osage and Yew staves, and make a few bows from Hicory or Maple first (ALOT of other wood species can and will make excelent bows).

Cheers

Yew and Osage. What a dilemna.

Well I would buy some quality osage and go for it. Yew is fantastic but good Yew is not always easy to find. Osage seems more abundant. Depending on your location though. Some guys out on the coast run across Yew in the forest fairly regularly…

On the Bowyers Bible – Found it was way too complicated for a beginner. Just too much information. Settle on a bow – self bow or board bow laminated. Then find the easiest set of instructions and go for it. I’m not saying those books don’t have value…

Actually Rayborbon has a good point about TBB (The Bowyer Bible)! Im biased towards the series because my approach to bow making is somewhat academic.

TBB makes more sense when you have made your first handfull of bows…thats when TBB can bring your to the next level.

Get some wood (my point about starting out with a cheap board bow still stands imo) and start scraping;-)

This site might prove helpfull: http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/

Cheers

TBB1 is one of my most used books, for more than bows. Paul Comstock wrote a very short but very useful and informative booklet. It is inexpensive and talks about alternative (to Osage & Yew) bow woods.

I would not recommend Yew for a beginner unless you have access to it for not cost, not likely in AZ. Bow wood in AZ could be a challenge to find. Juniper can make a very good bow but finding a piece long and straight enough might require some effort. I’m just speculating here but the oaks in S.AZ might work. Can’t remember if AZ has Mountain Maple but that will make a bow. Ironwood maybe?

A beginners Osage stave from an experienced dealer is a good start. Have fun!

i just have a question about osage. i have read or heard somewhere that osage and hedge apple are the same thing,is this true? i live in indiana and this hedge apple is everywhere! would it make a good bow?

Boogie…the internet is your friend;-):

“The Osage-orange is commonly used as a tree row windbreak in prairie states, which gives it one of its colloquial names, “hedge apple”.”

From Wiki ofcause.

And im not the least bit envious that you are surrounded by the stuff:evil:

Cheers

Boogie,
Osage is often referred to as Hedge Apple or just Hedge in much of its range. It is still sold locally for fence posts in some areas.

You are very fortunate to have so much good bow wood in your area.

Have fun.

I’ve had the pleasure of shooting a couple 3D rounds with George Tsoukalas, author of the above-mentioned http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/. I’m quite sure he’d be happy to offer advice on this question and many others related to making bows. His email address is right at the top once you enter his site after the home page.

I’m with others, unless Osage grows around you look elswhere for bow woods. The Bowyer’s Bibles covers everything about bow building, and Vol 4 will allow you to build any bow as a high-performance-super-durable weapon.

The Bent Stick by Paul Comstock is much shorter and easier to read, but covers everything you should need to get started:D

Kegan, Thanks I could not remember the name of Pauls book. The Bent Stick is a great booklet and might be easier for a beginning bowyer to grasp.