Alternatives to traditional horn nocks for an English style longbow?

[Julian]

My maple elb build is coming along, and I'm wondering if there's some way I can make if not an historical, but an historical inspired nock, while I don't have access to horn.

[PatM]

You can use pigmented epoxy to fashion faux horn nocks.  Taper the ends and then form a tape tube and load it up with Epoxy. Let it cure and then shape it.

Steve mentioned using auto epoxy which comes in black to make them.

[Julian]

You can use pigmented epoxy to fashion faux horn nocks.  Taper the ends and then form a tape tube and load it up with Epoxy. Let it cure and then shape it.

Steve mentioned using auto epoxy which comes in black to make them.

That's a cool idea, I might end up giving that a try. Sounds achievable.

My main issue is I would have no way to drill the appropriate taper inside the horn. Are sort of premade horn nocks expensive to buy?

[PatM]

They aren't expensive but getting access to them could be.

 Why can't you drill a taper?

[Pat B]

You can do single side nocks in the bow tips without horn nocks or overlays. They are historically accurate.

[Badger]

      I use A+B black epoxy. I taper the end of the limb and fashion the horn right on the bow. I use my sander and file and sandpaper for final shaping right on the bow. When I comes time to remove it I use my plumbers torch to heat it up and then I hit it with a hammer or even just squeeze it with channel locks to crush it while hot and it comes right off.

[Del the cat]

"My main issue is I would have no way to drill the appropriate taper inside the horn..."
It's not that difficult if you but a flat wood drill bit some are soft enough to file or you can grind it on a belt sander or grind wheel to make a taper drill.
See this post here:-
http://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/horn-nock-instructional-part-1.html
It does take a bit pf practice, but you can always do a try out on the end of an off-cut of wood.
Del

[stuckinthemud]

"My main issue is I would have no way to drill the appropriate taper inside the horn..."
It's not that difficult if you but a flat wood drill bit some are soft enough to file or you can grind it on a belt sander or grind wheel to make a taper drill.
See this post here:-
http://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/horn-nock-instructional-part-1.html
It does take a bit pf practice, but you can always do a try out on the end of an off-cut of wood.
Del

+1 .
It took me a lot less time to file a spade bit to shape than to cut the nock by hand, wish I'd done it on the first four i tried hand carving, the 5th and 6th were much easier when done using Del's method

[Julian]

"My main issue is I would have no way to drill the appropriate taper inside the horn..."
It's not that difficult if you but a flat wood drill bit some are soft enough to file or you can grind it on a belt sander or grind wheel to make a taper drill.
See this post here:-
http://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/horn-nock-instructional-part-1.html
It does take a bit pf practice, but you can always do a try out on the end of an off-cut of wood.
Del

While this is a great idea, and something I'd like to try, I make my bows in the outside courtyard of my apartment building and I have no workbench, vise, or power tools.


I'm reassured to know that self side-nocks were used as well.

[Badger]

   I do it the same way Del does, just doing it by hand doesn't take that long.

[Limbit]

Goat leg bone. It is already hollow. I am not sure how it would hold up on a higher poundage bow since I've never made one, but the wood can be shaped to insert right into it, so it should be pretty solid. The cap looks goofy since it is hollow, but you can insert some hardwood and shape it to look like a horn knock. Just don't shape the bone too much or you won't have any left bone left since there isn't much of a wall of bone to work with. The knock groves might go through the bone if the bone isn't thick enough, so it is important to shape the wood to fit it tightly so there is no gap in the groves between the horn and wood. If this happens the bone will likely start to cut your string. These knocks will probably look a bit more bulky than horn. Some pet stores sell these bones if you go look. I've got so much bone laying around my house from my "pack" of dogs that it seemed like a good thing to start trying.

[gfugal]

You can use pigmented epoxy to fashion faux horn nocks.  Taper the ends and then form a tape tube and load it up with Epoxy. Let it cure and then shape it.

Steve mentioned using auto epoxy which comes in black to make them.

That's a cool idea, I might end up giving that a try. Sounds achievable.

My main issue is I would have no way to drill the appropriate taper inside the horn. Are sort of premade horn nocks expensive to buy?

You can buy small horns at pet stores (I actually got one at Target). Apparently they make good chew toys. They aren't nearly big enough for horn bows but work great for overlays.

[JW_Halverson]

If you wanna get fancy, you can go online to suppliers for people that turn pen blanks.  Just google pen blanks and you will see some of the most incredible acrylic, bone, wood, and horn choices.  Many of them sell black or brown horn material, as well as black acrylic or acetate fake horn. 

Follow Del's treatise on how to make a conical boring tool and you are ready to go! 

You got this!