How to string a bow

[DeathtotheBieber]

And gd vid!

[DeathtotheBieber]

Hey (on noting the middle earth map on ur wall) are u all into fantasy and stuff, or just lotr?

[philochristos]

@DeathtotheBieber I'm not really into fiction at all, but there are a few fantasy type things I like, LOtR being one of them. I also liked Harry Potter. Chronicles of Narnia was okay. I like fantasy movies, too. Willow used to be my favourite movie when I was younger. I'm not really a fantasy geek, though.

[spottedhorse7]

will you do a video on how to knot the string?

[philochristos]

@spottedhorse7 Are you talking about the knots I have on the stringer? I have a video showing how I make those if you'll just go to my channel. It's just a regular square knot except that before I stick the end of the string through the loop, I twist the loop one turn. I'm sure there's a name for that knot, but I don't know what it's called.

[spottedhorse7]

@philochristos I am new to bows but learnin. I mean the bow string itself. I took sinew and braided the strands together but what is the best method for knotting the ends so the stave can be securely strung. I hear daycron is one of the best string materials to use.

[philochristos]

@spottedhorse7 I have a tutorial on my web page showing how to make a flemish bowstring. It's at poor folk bows dot com.

[huyked]

2:12 "wuss"... too funny.

[BMiQz]

Umm, is that a fucking map of Middle Earth on your wall?

[philochristos]

@BMiQz No, it's just an ordinary map of Middle Earth on my wall.

[leeham991]

Is it best to keep a bow unstrung when not in use?

I have a 26lbs garden bow I'd had for a few months (though I have used up to 55lbs with other people's bows) and have finally got the money together for a proper bow and was wondering about this.

Currently I unstring my bow whenever I'm not using it, but with the proper bows wondering if it's not better to only unstring if it's not going to be used for a while, or just unstrung while not in use?

[philochristos]

@leeham991 If it's a fiberglass bow, you can leave it strung as long as you want. If it's a wood or bamboo bow, you should unstring it when you're not using it.

[Moonessence1]

awesome, thanks, love ur cats btw! =^-.-^=

[philochristos]

@Moonessence1 So do I! :-)

[scottlovesjeeps]

is used the third method once and one of the limbs exploded.

[Patchyman253]

@scottlovesjeeps Same here. Didn't 'explode' per say, but the limb cracked right in half.

[AmericanCryer]

I have two recurve bows. And the step through method is the only one that can work for those since the string is shorter than the bow

[p4h10oso]

five times? Some ppl shouldn't have a bow....wow!

[MrJeepford]

not all wooses get smacked with the bow using the foot

[MrDEADCELL1]

kittys!



[claynate]

lol random cats walking around.

[Chrisbutler1993]

0:12 , kitty wants the string :P lol

[ninsgveen]

to avoid losing an eye, just use a stringer. If you can afford a bow, you can buy a stringer. BTW the last one was safer than the second. A proffessional archer lost his eye due to the second method. That method has a way of bouncing back...

that and: don't buy bows that are too dem heavy for ya, if you're a wuss, buy a wuss bow :p

[SushiMaster82]

EXACTICALLY!

[mictain666]

i have that same map :D

[Eminemfollower89]

hahaha orrrrrrrr you could just stick it on your foot and bend the fricken bow and pull on the string in order to string it.....

[Eminemfollower89]

CAT BUTT

[wtlo1977]

how do you do that? wait...how do you do that? hold on......run that by me again'

[philochristos]

@wtlo1977 He he he

[philochristos]

@luap1236 Thank you. A friend gave it to me.

[TheYouuTubeRipper]

2:09 "That's sometimes difficult to do if the bow is really strong... and you're a wuss"

Classic!!! :)

[Storm13Cloud]

im 12 and use a 30 pound bow recurve... can be a pain to string it

[soterrado44]

Thumbs up for the cats!!!

[lilithgallery]

While testing out the 2nd and 3rd techniques I discovered a 4th one... sort of a hybrid between the two. It was faster so I figure I'll use my 4th technique from now on. It was essentially #2, but you put your knee on the inside of the bow and use two hands to string it. Much faster.

[imperialcreedguard]

very informative, it was very hard for me to find a video just explaining the basics. i appreciate your work :)

[Blutroth]

i dont see whats going on when you get the string in the notch....i'am totally beginner so it would be cool if you can make a detail view on this..

[XxHawkFeatherxX]

Thanks for this. It was a lot of help for me.

[samstterhamstteer]

what kind of string is the best for the bow?

[philochristos]

@samstterhamstteer I don't know, but I make my strings out of B50 dacron.

[seanetc]

@samstterhamstteer

There are a few

Animal Sinew

Rawhide

Linen

Phorium (NZ Flax

then you have B50 dacron which comes in spools and most archery stores sell them.

I use linen bowstring (irish barbours linen) its very strong but hard to find and expensive.

At the moment i'm trying to get some sinew. To use sinew and flax fibers you will need to know how to create cordage.

[tagurite]

Excellent!

[TrickinNinja]

this helped a bunch! thanks man.

[GIANTy0y0]

man i already have a leather punch

[Slic3R1]

does the string have to be half as long as the bow itself?

[philochristos]

No. For longbows, I make my strings about 3 inches shorter than the bow

[mitutoyo34]

Thanks, good advice, i just made me one of those.

only using nilon strap peace with brass eyeholes

[mitutoyo34]

nice device,hey does leaving your bow with the string on, causes damage to the bow over time?

[philochristos]

Not if it's a fiberglass bow. In fact, some people keep their fiberglass laminated bows strung all the time because of the small change of damage during the stringing process. But if you leave a wood or bamboo bow strung, it will take set, weaken the bow, and reducing cast. It's best to unstring them when you aren't using them.

[apon91]

interessting, nice with a middle earth map I would like to have one myself :D

i like it too that ur cats are walking around

[philochristos]

I like it when they walk around, too. I'm going to be upset the day they stop doing that.

[apon91]

the day they stop? When they die?

[philochristos]

Yes

[AOsbond]

i got one which is a 75lb draw weight. i can't bend the bastard at all.

[philochristos]

Ha! Why did you get such a strong bow?

[jhmmi]

philochristos, thanks man, great demonstration. just ordered me a bow offa ebay, preciate you teaching me how to string it!

[Asterixarcher]

I noticed that you have a LOTR map on your kitchen wall, pretty cool!

[philochristos]

I'm glad you think so because a lot of my friends pooh pooh it. They say nobody is ever going to date me as long as I have that hanging in my dining room.

[Tacticalknifeman]

i used the fiberglass resin and the hardener it came with and the 8x8 foot fiberglass cloth

[Tacticalknifeman]

dude i love your website and i finnally found your youtube page i making a long bow like your red oak one and its 1/4 in thick and tapered to the end with fiberglass cloth as a backing i got from autozone please respond

[philochristos]

That's great! What kind of glue did you use with the fiberglass cloth?

[MrCemgok]

i wanna make a 48 inch short board bow and i dont know what thickness board i should get i want at least 30 lb draw weight i cant decide between 1/4 or 1/2 what do ya think i should get?

[philochristos]

1/2"

[Gwenifer003]

This is the most amazing video I have ever seen

[philochristos]

LOL Well thanks, Gwenifer. :-)

[Tornfrombelow]

Good Vid man! I bought a stringer from my local shop for 15 bucks. Works great.

[cardonaman]

might as well buy the stringer becuase that leather hole puncher is expensive!!! more than 70 bucks at 3rivers!

[philochristos]

I'm sure I got mine for a lot cheaper than that at Hobby Lobby or something. But yeah, unless you already have a leather hole punch, it's not worth buying one just to make a stringer. It's cheaper to just buy a stringer. On the other hand, I've made a whole bunch of stringers and given them away to friends, so maybe it would've been worth it to buy the hole punch.