How to Make a Bow

I always used to like playing with toy weapons, and I even made a cardboard set of armor when I was younger. I always wondered what it would be like to make my own bow. This instructable is designed to show you how to make a bow from resources you can find in your home and in your backyard. Enjoy!

Supplies

-Any sort of knife.

I used a wood carving knife, but this can be done with a pocket knife, or even a kitchen knife (though I would not recommend that.)

-A long stick of spongey (flexible) wood.

I used a very long weed that I found outside my house that seemed to have grown into a small tree.

-A string.

Any sort of string will work as long as it is not stretchy, and will not break easily.

-(Optional) Grip tape

Step 1: Find Wood

Find some thin wood that is flexible and will not break easily. The type of wood to look for usually has thin, smooth bark and when you bend it you should feel some resistance, but not enough that it feels like it will snap.

Step 2: Carve It

This step can be done with any type of knife. I used a carving knife, but it can be done with a pocket knife or something else. Carve the wood down so that each arm is the same thickness.

Step 3: Finetune Carving

Divide the bow into three sections, and add grip tape in the middle for a handhold if you choose to do so. Make the outer thirds slightly thinner to ensure that the bow bends correctly. Then, grip the ends of the bow about halfway down that section, and gently curve them the opposite way the bow is bending. This simply helps the tension of the string and increases the speed of the arrow slightly.

Step 4: Carve a Place for the String to Attach

At the very end of the bow, thin the wood at a 90-degree angle (see picture) in order to make a place for the string to sit.

Step 5: Attach the String

Cut a length of string slightly shorter than your bow, and tie a slip knot at both ends, leaving a fairly long tail. Slip the knots over each end of the bow, and pull them tight. Once they are tightened, tie a knot on the tail of the string close to the slip knot, and cut off the rest. Apply glue to the string to strengthen the knot, and ensure it does not fall off.