A bow and arrow is a romantic toy that almost all boys and many girls dreamed of in childhood. In our time of gadgets and electronic games, archery does not lose its popularity. The image of a brave hero using a bow and arrow as a weapon of justice is increasingly appearing on movie screens. Many adults now also want to possess such weapons, and stores respond to such a demand with a wide offer. And if you wish, you can make a bow and arrow with your own hands.
It is necessary
- piece of wood (hazel, pine, oak, ash, etc.);
- strong thread (cord);
- plane;
- knife;
- file;
- sandpaper;
- insulating tape;
- copper wire;
- strip of tin;
- bird feathers.
Instructions
Step 1
It is better to cut the onion blank in the winter. It is even advisable to choose a frosty day, and in order not to look for a suitable tree, shivering from the cold, you can look after it in advance, in the summer. The criteria for choosing a workpiece are as follows: it should not have build-ups and large knots, mechanical damage. The workpiece should be 30 cm longer than the future onion. It does not need to be processed right away, the bark should not be removed.
Step 2
The ends of the workpiece must be coated with oil paint. To avoid internal defects, make sure that the wood dries evenly. It is most effective to dry it vertically at room temperature. It takes quite a long time, but after 2 months the wood base should be completely dry.
Step 3
Now you can proceed directly to the process of creating a bow. With the help of an ax and a sharp knife, you need to give the desired section (lenticular or rectangular, depending on the thickness of the workpiece) along the entire length of the bow. Previously, you can soak the workpiece in special infusions and decoctions to make it easier to give the onion the desired shape. However, a tree treated with just water vapor will acquire the necessary flexibility and pliability. The shoulders of the onion will become pliable and easily take the desired shape if you steam them first (it is better to steam both shoulders at the same time).
Step 4
The bow must then be placed in a curved slipway. Thus, when dry, the onion will take on the desired shape. This drying process will last about a week, after which the bow is removed, and its ends are shaped in such a way that it is convenient to strengthen the bowstring on them.
Step 5
The bark should separate from the base of the onion when steaming. If necessary, cut it off with a wooden knife, taking care not to damage the wood fibers. To protect your product from environmental damage, saturate it with wax or melted fat.
Step 6
The bowstring should be put on the bow just before use and removed immediately after. For the best preservation of the onion, store it in a special case, keeping it upright, at room temperature.
Step 7
Now it remains to make arrows. It is better to use pine boards for their manufacture. The wood base must be seasoned, at least 2 cm thick. Make sure that there are no knots or damage on the workpiece. Prepare all the necessary tools: a file, a plane, a saw and sandpaper. The length of the arrow depends on the pulling force of the bow and the physical condition of the shooter. Usually it is 70-80 cm. Measure the required length on the board and saw off the workpiece. Using a planer, bring the thickness of the workpiece to 1.5 cm. Along the width, the board must be marked into pieces of a square section and sawed lengthwise. File the workpiece into a hexagonal shape with a file and round off the section with sandpaper.
Step 8
You will need three crow feathers to feather. They must be cut lengthwise, along the groove and cut off the rod to the beginning of the pile. With scissors, a pile of about 0.5 cm is cut from the tip of the feather. The feathers are installed on the shaft of the arrow at an angle of 120 degrees to each other. They need to be secured with a thread, placing its turn to the turn.
Step 9
The tip is made of a triangular metal plate. To do this, in the front of the shaft, you need to make a notch for the shank and insert the tip there with the tail part into the notch. Fasten the coil to the coil with a thick nylon thread.
Step 10
Another way to make onions is to use a large rod. When choosing a rod, look for a dry, crack-free stick. Deciduous trees are well suited, namely oak, yew, teak, white acacia. The length of the rod should be about 1, 8 m. A good base for the bow should not have knots, branches, damage. She must be flexible. It is not recommended to use young, green rods, they are less reliable and durable as dry ones.
Step 11
It is equally important to choose the right bowstring. Suitable materials would be rawhide, thin nylon cord, hemp rope, fishing line, and regular twine. Before pulling the bowstring, you need to make safe knots on both sides. The string should be shorter than the bow so that it is taut.
Step 12
To draw the bow, you need to hang it upside down. Check the bend by pulling down slowly and correcting any unevenness if necessary. The bowstring should be stretched a distance equal to the gap between the fully extended arm and the jaw.
Step 13
Now you can start making arrows. As a basis, you need to take straight, dry branches. The arrow should be at least half the length of the bow. Green branches are also suitable as arrows, but you will need to wait until they dry. Branches of goldenrod, which can be found in the fields, are a good option. To shape the arrows, peel the branch until it is perfectly smooth. At one end of the arrow, make cuts with which it will cling to the string. You can sharpen the tip of the arrow with a knife, and then you need to lightly burn it on warm coals (this will give the arrow rigidity).
Step 14
Make arrowheads out of metal, stone, or glass if desired and available. To strengthen the arrowhead, split the tip of the arrow; you can additionally secure it with a rope.
Step 15
Plumage for arrows is optional, but it will contribute to stable flight. The feathers are glued to the back of the arrow. Another way to secure the feathers is to split the back of the boom and insert the feathers into the groove, securing it with a tightly wrapped thread.
