Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: cawkazn on April 07, 2009, 03:44:49 am
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what do you classify as a selfbow(primitive) vs. a homemade bow? I see many fine bows on this forum, and the bows i made back when i used to do this stuff were decent at best. But my bows and im sure many bows most people make now are made using modern tools, plane, sand paper, draw knife, band saw, vice to hold bow, etc. etc. I would classify these bows more along the lines of homemade vs primitive. I would classify a primitive bow as a bow made strictly with all stone tools and all natural materials right down to the bowstring. I think a primitive bow will end up looking more like a "survival" bow instead of the great masterpeices we see today. Doesn anyone agree with me? if so does anyone have a truly primitive made bow they could post some pics up of?
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Now a days I would call making a bow without powertools primitive. Since man found metal we have used it to make bows. Joel
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the traditional bowyers bible 1 or 3 (the only 2 ive read) has a bow made from strictly primitive means. tiller came out great, good looking bow overall. my first bow was made by all hand tools, plan to make a stone bow one of these days (years) im sure ill get around to it... have to figure out knapping first :P.
Dustin D
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working with stone tools doesnt require any knapping ability. I use stone tools to build all the bows i have done in the last few years. Do a search for stoned bows youll find em. Most are flat bows. However any bow you see on this site can be done with abo methods. Just depends on your level of patience. Stone is quite efficient and the stone will only work with the grain rather than tear at it like steel. Peace
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I think you got it right Cawkazn,Jamie makes primitive bows I make homemade wood bows,lot of difference,I tried the rock thing and like Jamie said I just don't have the patience for it. :)
Pappy
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UTILIZE AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGY. Use what you have. Early man didn't quibble at all when he moved from sandstone and slate to flint.
just my 2-cents
Piper
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I think any more you may be a primitive purist. Often times home made and primitive overlap to a degree. I think the term abo may lead us to think of primitive in your way of thinking. The reality is it's all perspective from one to another and how far the individual wants to take there skill or look back in time. I do classify wood laminates as home made and there are boundaries to classify primitive, tho I don't disagree with you I also do not want to see great dividing lines with in the the stick and string community. Countless hours could be spent debating this subject, but a well rounded Boyer may be one that has experience from one end of the spectrum to the other. After all if "primitive" had tools and electricity at his disposal the term primitive today would have a whole new meaning!
Trey
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I agree with Trey. :) Everyone has there own definition of "Primitive".
I don't consider myself to be a "Primitive" Bowyer. Just a naturalist. I like to make bows out of natural materials.
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I would say a true "primitive" bow would be one made and used in their day-to-day life by a member of a "primitive" tribe. I get tired of people arguing this topic over and over-make whatever kind of bows make you happy, enjoy yourself, and don't worry about what everybody else does. I enjoy all kinds of bowmaking, from laminates built with powertools to normal selfbows, sinew-backed bows, sapling bows, or stone-tool bows-all depends on my mood at the time. Here's one that me, Barry McCall, and Pat built in three days (including chopping down the tree) completely with stone tools at a shoot a couple years ago-including scraping a deer hide with a stone scraper and cutting the bowstring out of it with a flint flake. It was fun and a good learning experience.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v325/hillbillync/My%20Bows/secondshot.jpg)
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Good post Hillbilly!
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I just call mine self bows :)
I agree with Steve this is an old arguement and doesn't merit another rehashing. My 2 cents worth.
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i dont see it as an argument. Just differences of opinion, and thatr how we learn. Steve next time i build a bow ill go feral before hand. :)
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A primitive bow, in my opinion, is one that could be made under primitive conditions. For example, self bows and sinew-backed bows (whether horn or wood) are considered "primitive" in my opinion. Whether or not you use power tools (such as a bandsaw) to cut out the blank, or a metal rasp to shape the bow, or a stone flake and sandstone, the same weapon could be made, regardless of the tools used. The metal tools are simply more efficient and faster. If you make a bow with all stone tools, then I consider it a "stone-age" bow. A "primitive bow" would include both the stone age bow, and a typical self bow that is made with metal tools.
Now, when we start talking about bamboo backed osage or multi-layered laminate bows of different types of woods, now I think you're getting away from a truly primitive bow. Making laminated bows requires saws, planers, and sanders that are absolutely necessary due to the strict tolerances that must be followed. They cannot be made in a primitive or survival type setting without those power tools. However, they are made from all natural materials, so they could be considered "somewhat primitive", yet are not quite on the level of fiberglass "traditional" bows.
Now, traditional bows would include all the bows I just talked about, as well as fiberglass recurves and longbows. That's the way I look at it...it helps keep the confusion to a minimum.
That's just the way I look at it!! :)
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Primitive can mean "Paleo" or "Rustic" or "Handmade". IMO, it is a general term.
If you want to classify a bow that is made with stone age technology, you should call it "paleo" or "stone age" or "created using experimental archeology".
My 2 cents. :)
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For me it all depends on what you're comparing it too. In the big scheme of it my bows are jsut "homemade" and I'm pleased as punch about that. Compared to compounds, yeah- they're "primitive". My bows fit more along the lines of the bows during the time of Howard Hill than of the Native Americans, but sitting next to the latest and greatest cam bow, it would be hard to see the difference betwen the two wooden weapons ;).
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It depends on how you look at it. I mean heck if you build a bow 100% with rocks and a string from plant fibers will it be primitive if you got your rock through the mail and had to drive your truck to harvest the plants ? What if you had on jeans and tennis shoes? Maybe a primitive bow made with abo tools v/s a primitive bow made with moderd tools? Everyone has their own idea of what primitive is and where that line you have to cross to make it non primitive. To some, if you dont walk into the woods naked and leave with a bow and arrows made while out there, it isnt primitive. Homemade to me is something you made yourself and didnt buy, so even the primitive folk made homemade stuff. Just some thoughts? ??? ??? ???
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Primative / homemade = FUN and good people. Doesn't matter what you call it as long as your having fun Thanks Leroy
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It depends on how you look at it. I mean heck if you build a bow 100% with rocks and a string from plant fibers will it be primitive if you got your rock through the mail and had to drive your truck to harvest the plants ? What if you had on jeans and tennis shoes? Maybe a primitive bow made with abo tools v/s a primitive bow made with moderd tools? Everyone has their own idea of what primitive is and where that line you have to cross to make it non primitive. To some, if you dont walk into the woods naked and leave with a bow and arrows made while out there, it isnt primitive. Homemade to me is something you made yourself and didnt buy, so even the primitive folk made homemade stuff. Just some thoughts? ??? ??? ???
Way to go boo now jamie is going to do a build along naked :o :D