đ That title had me fooled đ well done on another Mick Masterpiece đ đ it looks great, how is the cast with Blackthorn ? have you had a distance trial with it yet ? or maybe thats the next vid đđ
Hi there! Thank you - great comment and so very much appreciated. Not sure of the cast yet, awful rainy day I finished and some stuff takes me away from filming for a little while but it will appear in a further video sometime soon. Thanks for watching. Mick
Itâs the bowyers like yourself who express concern, apprehension, and trepidation about tillering that typically do a remarkable job. Anybody cavalier about tillering simply hasnât broken enough bows. You, of course, have a resolution about yourself-clearly visible as you go to and from your tillering tree-that betrays your humble nature. Youâre a talented bowyer, and your videos are a pleasure to watch. Lead on.
Utterly impressive Mick. Your videos are addictive! Thanks for the inspiration - and helping me understand my childhood fascination with whittling sticks!
Actually quite nice. There are many examples of flatbows made of pignut hickory where the bark functions rather well as a "backing". These are lovely bows and shoot quite fast...~150ft/sec ; not bad for a self bow. Anyway, thanks for your time, talent and wit. PS: forgive my writing like an Englishman, I believe your accent must be catching. I am a southerner in the mtns. of Georgia,USA.
Oh! I just watched the two previous videos earlier today. I'm making my girlfriend a bow for her birthday and I needed the tips. I'm somewhat of a beginner carpenter and your videos really help me with my project. Thanks and kudos, mate!
Iâve been watching your videos a lot lately helping me with my own bow build. I was making an Ash self longbow which was pulling 140lbs at 20 inches. Today I managed to get it to 28inches...but without sorting out the small hinge that was forming. All I can say is that it exploded and my 6 weeks of here and there work went up in the air. Canât wait to make my next one!
SE FullmetalJake Well you got close and better than that you saw the problem. Next time - as youâve already figured- donât press on with an obstacle like that in the way. Sort it first. Go steady and youâll have a monster on your hands! Good luck.
đđ» đ you've made a beautiful nice looking bow. I really love your videos. They're some kind of relaxing, heartwarming for me. Keep on doing them. Thank you very much đđđș
Mate your production values are as spot on as your bow making. So impressed with your workmanship and your strength! Pulling 80lbs with no let off must require some serious back strength. All power to you. I'm about ready to pick up some hand tools and start making my first bow. đđŸ
Awesome. Always wondered about Blackthorn. Been climbing through it and swearing quite a lot for years! Seen a few real old ones and thought about as bow wood. Seems like very tough wood. Thank you Mick.
Love it Mick ! you did an outstanding job on the bow and this series of videos, that blackthorn bark once oiled is very nice I can see why you wanted to keep that to add character to the bow.good job.
Here I thought I was watching a documentary with sir Richard Attenborough. I just finished making my own Flemish twist bow string for a 60lb. Hickory longbow using your instructions. The results using artificial sinew are very satisfactory for a novice. Thank you for the very informative videos. You have a new subscriber.
Really nice Mick, great job and finished result. Sometimes during tillering draw a line the length of the flat sides of the bow which you're looking at on the tillering stick. You can see if the line bends evenly.. that's shows quickly how uniformly the limbs are bending throughout the arc of the circle. Nice job especially with bark on. I do this with dogwood cornus sanguinena and it looks great also. Cheers David
Hi David, thank you - that's a wonderfully simple but I can imagine effective idea. I shall give that a go for certain. Not tried dogwood but if it hangs on to its bark I will seek some out - thanks for the tip very much. Thanks for watching and helping me - Mick
Mr. Grewcock, you did an awesome job on your blackthorn bow, I know you have stopped making bows which is an back health issue. I wish you still could make them I have enjoyed all the video's of your's that I have watched. Thank you for sharing the video's, best regards....
Great video Mick. Can't wait for your next build. You say you're a beginner but you obviously have an eye for detail. If you ask me you make a fine bow. Keep up the excellent work
I must say Mick, you may have made "better" bows, but there's something magical about the bark on this one. The contrast between the dark bark and light wood is beautiful. Stunning!
Hi Malcolm, yes I do love the bark on effect. My first hazel was bark on also and I find that appealing too. Something earthy about them both, maybe like primitive bows used to be? Thanks for watching and commenting. Mick
Mick Grewcock Sometimes I look at a bow, especially laminated ones, and they look "perfect", almost as if they're mass produced on a machine. The bark-on Hazel and Blackthorn bows you've made look, lumpy, twisted, not perfectly straight. In other words, hand-made! I hope you understand where I'm coming from; I'm not trying to imply you haven't made a good job of them!
No, I quite understand. One of my favourites is my 'Wonky Yew' which has nobbles and bends along its length. I have (I keep it secret!!) an AFB, a glass laminated device for launching arrows that I bought when I joined a local club. Hate the thing, looks like it was extruded from a faceless machine!
I'm 15 years old and have had problems finding wood that would work for a bow so I've made some pvc bows. Your videos really help me out on tips tho. Thank u so much
Really nice, the way the bark has stayed on.I was doubting you would succeed in this or get into trouble loosing draw weight at hinges where the bark would crack. Kudos, thumbs up! The world upside down is that i simply start tillering Yew that doesn't require ring tracing as "the way" to get the bark of. I then regularly enjoy the nervous laughter of my fellow bowyers at the club after a large piece of bark came of with a terrific bang;-)
Very very nice bow Mick ! That shape is what i meant when i wrote "flat profile" that is exactly how i shape my Elm bows , i feel that it is how the wood tells us to shape it . And good arrow flight in the slow motion at the end of vid . Cheers .
Hi Rasmus - thank you and useful about elm, I'm having a go with elm soon. Better camera soon so I so hope to improve the slo-mo stuff. Best my GH4 can do is 96fps but quality is poor. Thanks for watching. Mick
Awesome looking with that bark. Amazing how you manage to tiller as good as you do considering the background. i would most definitely need a solid white board background with parallel lines.
A very interesting wood is the holunder (Sambucus nigra) but it is not easy to find the right one. I have harvested a very good one last winter, to build a bow next winter.
Hi Mick. It's really enjoyable watching you work. Well done with this latest bow, impressive stuff. You'll soon have more bows than you can shake a bow stave at! Sorry about the bad joke! I heard that in the 16th century, poorer folk who couldn't afford the 'new imported tobacco,' used dried blackthorn leaves as an affordable substitute: a poor man's tobacco. This may or may not be true. I was thinking, maybe as an aid to you tillering your bows, possibly putting up a black back cloth. This would do away with any visual distractions, so you could see the shape of the bow more easily without any background clutter. Kind regards, Dave.
Hi Dave, first that's a great idea about the cloth - never thought of that, I'll look into it. Certainly the distracting background doesn't help. Yes, my wife keeps saying: where are you going to put them all? I counter by saying I'll stop when I have as many bows as she has pairs of shoes ;-) Never heard of the leaves being used as substitute tobacco. Fascinating. Thanks for watching. Mick
Heheheh Hey Dave my gramps used to say ' stick that in your pipe and smoke it ' ha ha. I just thought of this...'whatever bends your bow' hahaha. Whadda ya think? Lol
I was enjoying watching your vid until the goldfinch stole the show! Great shot and wonderful bird song throughout the video... And great bow making as always!!
I'm not sure it's done by professional bowyers, but I was taught when you can pull the bow to ~20 inches and the limbs are reasonably even to shoot about 50 arrows, starting at a very small draw, and increasing, until you get to about 20 inches. Bows tend to loosen up quite a bit when you do this and it gives you confidence you can pull to full draw if you keep below or at the desired draw weight. Might be superstition but I do think it is a good stress test before going all the way to full draw and reducing the wood down to draw weight.
Hi there! Never heard of that technique but I am still very much a novice, just drawing toward the light! I understand your technique of progressive stress testing. However, I never pull above intended draw weight plus a bit go margin (I actually went to 28.5" with this one eventually). I do shoot in as well when I get to a reasonable brace height, I just have to compress the actual work into a video and try to give a flavour to the viewer of all that is involved. I appreciate your comment a lot and suspect that we probably do the same thing but in a different way. Thanks for watching. Mick
Hi Mick !!! Great bow my friend!!! Congrats !!! đđđ I like the way you worked this bow to get just the way you wanted . Great video as allways !!!đđđ Sorin the roumanian bowman.
Mick just come across this video of yours... What a lovely looking bow, having not long got into trad longbow archery and making my arrows, leather arm brace and trad canvas quiver, you have inspired me to have ago at making my first self bow... Thank you so very much for your informative videos cheersđ.
Congratulations Mick, that's a high class bow! Oil finish is fine, but it would be interesting for you to try shellac in next bows. Happy to watch your videos! Greetings from Spain!
Hello Alvaro and greetings from the UK. I agree, the oil finish is nice but needs constant attention; I will varnish/shellac this bow soon for a better finish. Thank you for watching. Be safe, Mick
congratulations Mick. Beautiful and obviously effective bow. I think you are a great guy and I love your English style longbows, but, you should try some American bows with a thicker handle and flat on both sides similar to your first ash bow. Have fun and take care Leo
Ho Leo, thanks for that - and I reckon I will be having a go at an 'American' style bow sometime - it's just that as you have your bow making heritage so do we, and it has a strong grip on me!! Thanks for watching, Mick
Im really glad you did this vid Mick... I have been wondering for ages if Blackthorn would work.. this wood is seeped in ancient legends and is regarded to have magical properties in pagan Myths ! it is reputed to be the wood of magical staffs ! I must say , it is a lovely looking wood once its been shaved down.. we go Sloe hunting every autumn in the hedgerows along the Sankey Canal (we make sloe gin for xmas). so I know where this stuff grows
Ha! Sloe gin! Maybe you've watched my Sloe gin video as well? I too make each year, usually as a covert-side tipple when shooting, but often given to friends too! Yes, for some reason BT seems rooted not just in the ground but in our ancient heritage too. It isn't common in straight bow length pieces, but a joyous wood to work. I found a stunning long bow length piece in my wood yesterday but it is just one among thousands of crooked trees. Try some!
It doesn't get much better than this, however I would recommend removing the bark if you ever were to leave the bow in a dry environment for a long period of time. I know this from experience when working with black thorn, anyway it up to you and it's a great bow non the less
Hi Kyle, the bark is on and staying by the look of it. Lovely wood, I have some more to cut soon. Yes I've finished a couple of laminated bows (check out some earlier videos). Never glued them up, just finished off pre-lam staves. Mick
Hi Mick. Like I said great job. Don't be afraid to go further than 27.5. Tiller looks good. You should be ok. On the other hand if you do not break a few in the process you are not making bows. I don't want to scare you. I speak from experience as I use to make flat bows and sell them here in Canada.
Hi Marian, I've actually pulled it to about 28.5" inch bit stopped there for fear of string follow increasing. Yes, I know I've got to break one sooner rather than later - just prefer it to be later and when I've got the camera running at high speed. Respect if you sold bows, wow - you must be experienced to do that. Mick
Hi, yes - I guess to make them within a decent time/cost you had to use power tools. I was in manufacturing for over 40 years and time was (and remains) everything when it comes to making stuff for ÂŁÂŁ $$ âŹâŹ. Just a hobby for me!
Take your time enjoy the process. You are doing great work sooner or later people will ask you to make bows for them. Take on the challenge. There is nothing more satisfying than a good review from one of your happy customer.
I must say that you have really inspired me in my bowmaking, i have just started but I have finnished 5 bows with different results. I have had some problems with compression cracks so if you could talk about that it would be great. Thanks for your lovely films. Best regards from Sweden!
Hi Bosse! Thank you - and you have been a busy man. I will he making a âproblemâ video in which I talk about the problems I have faced - including crysals (compression fractures). I have had crysals on hazel bows - what wood are you using?
@@MickGrewcock Hi and thank you for such quick response. I have been using Swedish ash, dried more than two years. I think I have managed to repair them for a wile, using linen fibre and white glew but I think i have what they call string follow. The bow gets softer after a while or maybe it is in my head :). If I unstring the bow for a while it rest and gets stronger again. Once again thank you for entertaining and inspiring videos!
@@MickGrewcock Hi Mick! Thanks for answer :) The shape is a kind of flat d-shape, its a 190 cm long bow and maximum draw length is 30-32 ". my guess is the draw weight is about 45-50 lb. Do you know if there is some guide lines about the ratio between bow length and draw length. Or how I know how muck I can bend the bow. This Sunday I have mixed watching your videos, repairing arrows and shooting some arrows. A nice Sunday . All best! // Bosse
@@Bossebo100 Hi there. Those fractures are caused by the wood compressing (being squeezed). When it has happened to me it has been because I made the belly too rounded AND have over-stressed the limb at that place. So the fractured part has been bent too much - or the limb either side of that area has crushed that part of the bow. Your bow is very long for that weight so I don't think it's the design - so it must be a weak area over bending. I believe that the ratio is around 2.5 times the draw length - maybe a little less if a flatbow. But this is just what I have read, not what I can prove. Hardwoods such as ash and hazel seem very likely to get those fractures unless the belly is flat. The only way to avoid it on a bow with a slightly rounded belly is perfect tillering - something I've never managed! Good luck with your next bow. Mick
really enjoying your videos Mick, nice to see your enthusiasm for bowmaking,that blackthorn made a pretty bow. I have had some luck with privet here in Australia as it grows feral and quite large here, just a thought for you to try if its available to you. cheers.
Hi Chris, heard that privet is okay but in UK its almost exclusively a hedging shrub. Our privet hedge is nearly 9' tall but has been cut twice a year for maybe 25+ years and there is not a single limb of any size in it. Glad you've had some luck with it and thanks for watching. Mick
Oh man, I love your video's so much! It's always a joy to see CZcams notifying me you've uploaded a new video :) And, a super nice bow! I've just finished my Hickory flatbow bow at 65" @ 28". I'm still planning on heat-treating it to correcting a little twisted limb and putting some varnish on and maybe an arrow rest. This summer holiday I'm planning on making my first Taxus Longbow, can't wait!
Hello Arnold! Well done on your flat bow, excellent. And I bet you'll enjoy the taxus!!! Lovely wood. And thank you for your kind words about my videos - great encouragement! Thanks. Mick
đ That title had me fooled đ well done on another Mick Masterpiece đ đ it looks great, how is the cast with Blackthorn ? have you had a distance trial with it yet ? or maybe thats the next vid đđ
Hi there! Thank you - great comment and so very much appreciated. Not sure of the cast yet, awful rainy day I finished and some stuff takes me away from filming for a little while but it will appear in a further video sometime soon. Thanks for watching. Mick
I look forward to that Mick đđ
you are like the david attenborough of bow making.
MrGreenbottleblue agree! Ahahah
It is that soothing voice, and calm yet energetic demeanor.
Itâs the bowyers like yourself who express concern, apprehension, and trepidation about tillering that typically do a remarkable job. Anybody cavalier about tillering simply hasnât broken enough bows.
You, of course, have a resolution about yourself-clearly visible as you go to and from your tillering tree-that betrays your humble nature.
Youâre a talented bowyer, and your videos are a pleasure to watch.
Lead on.
Oh my god... What a masterpiece Mick! I think this is my favourite so far!
Hello Fleur - thank you so much!! Mick
Utterly impressive Mick. Your videos are addictive!
Thanks for the inspiration - and helping me understand my childhood fascination with whittling sticks!
Thank you Peter. Glad you enjoy my videos. Thanks for watching.
Love it with the bark on Mick! Very beautiful, and well done as always.
Not too bad, I think it looks wonderful one of those occasions where I wish I had woodwork at school rather than classics!!!
Well I didn't do woodwork - nor the Classics (does The Beano count though?) - so you should have a go! ;-)
Stunningly beautiful! Blackthorn has some mighty powerful juju in it to hear some go on about it!
What a beautiful bow, Mick. Certainly leaving the bark on the back gives the bow character. Well done, Sir!
Flaxen Saxon
Thank you - I love the bark on appearance!
Actually quite nice. There are many examples of flatbows made of pignut hickory where the bark functions rather well as a "backing". These are lovely bows and shoot quite fast...~150ft/sec ; not bad for a self bow. Anyway, thanks for your time, talent and wit. PS: forgive my writing like an Englishman, I believe your accent must be catching. I am a southerner in the mtns. of Georgia,USA.
Thank you, lovely comment in any accent! Greetings from UK! Mick
Oh! I just watched the two previous videos earlier today. I'm making my girlfriend a bow for her birthday and I needed the tips.
I'm somewhat of a beginner carpenter and your videos really help me with my project. Thanks and kudos, mate!
Thanks Zandah - good luck with your project! Mick
@@MickGrewcock c6
ÂčxxxxĆșzĆșzzzzĆșzzzzĆșzzzzĆșzĆșzzzzzĆșzzĆșzzzzzzĆșĂœghhhhhyygm...bkÄ·kÄ·Ä·Ä·Ä·o
Congratulations! It's a beauty!
Iâve been watching your videos a lot lately helping me with my own bow build. I was making an Ash self longbow which was pulling 140lbs at 20 inches. Today I managed to get it to 28inches...but without sorting out the small hinge that was forming. All I can say is that it exploded and my 6 weeks of here and there work went up in the air. Canât wait to make my next one!
SE FullmetalJake Well you got close and better than that you saw the problem. Next time - as youâve already figured- donât press on with an obstacle like that in the way. Sort it first. Go steady and youâll have a monster on your hands! Good luck.
Mick Grewcock Thanks for the advice, Iâll definitely take it.
Your content is so interesting and the video quality is impressive ! Very pleasing to watch
Enzo Thank you!
đđ»
It's a beauty. What a lovely wood that is.
That is really cool. I love that you left on the bark! Looks absolutely wonderful.
Hi Ernest, yes, I love the look too - I have a huge stave of blackthorn seasoning just now - should make four full length longbows. Can't wait! Mick
đđ» đ you've made a beautiful nice looking bow. I really love your videos. They're some kind of relaxing, heartwarming for me. Keep on doing them. Thank you very much đđđș
Hi Lutz and thank you. Glad you enjoy and I appreciate you telling me! Mick
Thank you for the great movies you make.
best regards,
Gregory
Gregory Cauwenberghs Thank you Greg đ
Sir I am able to like your videos even before watching it. Your content is soothing.
Thank you đ
Mate your production values are as spot on as your bow making. So impressed with your workmanship and your strength! Pulling 80lbs with no let off must require some serious back strength. All power to you. I'm about ready to pick up some hand tools and start making my first bow. đđŸ
Good luck Bradley đ
Awesome. Always wondered about Blackthorn. Been climbing through it and swearing quite a lot for years! Seen a few real old ones and thought about as bow wood. Seems like very tough wood. Thank you Mick.
Dave D Great Wood Dave though itâs can be variable in quality. Good luck!
Love it Mick ! you did an outstanding job on the bow and this series of videos, that blackthorn bark once oiled is very nice I can see why you wanted to keep that to add character to the bow.good job.
Hello! Great, thank you - the contrast between bark and heartwood is lovely isn't it? Thanks for watching. Mick
Here I thought I was watching a documentary with sir Richard Attenborough.
I just finished making my own Flemish twist bow string for a 60lb. Hickory longbow using your instructions.
The results using artificial sinew are very satisfactory for a novice.
Thank you for the very informative videos.
You have a new subscriber.
Thank you for your sub and sorry for late reply (been away). Glad you had success with your string. Mick
There you have it. The game changing pro tip from a professional bowyer to make a beautiful bow. Cake and Coffee
Really nice Mick, great job and finished result. Sometimes during tillering draw a line the length of the flat sides of the bow which you're looking at on the tillering stick. You can see if the line bends evenly.. that's shows quickly how uniformly the limbs are bending throughout the arc of the circle. Nice job especially with bark on. I do this with dogwood cornus sanguinena and it looks great also. Cheers David
Hi David, thank you - that's a wonderfully simple but I can imagine effective idea. I shall give that a go for certain. Not tried dogwood but if it hangs on to its bark I will seek some out - thanks for the tip very much. Thanks for watching and helping me - Mick
Very nice bow Mick! I would love to see more of your work
Hi Luuk, lost of videos on my channel. Mick
Congratulations. And thank you for including your dog. I like dogs.
Hi Mick. I love watching your videos. Thank you for sharing...Raj.
Thanks Raj, delighted you enjoyed! Mick
Simply gorgeous!! Again you would have made so many of our ansestors proud.
Wow! That is such a beautiful bow. I really want to make a bow with bark on it like that.
Mr. Grewcock, you did an awesome job on your blackthorn bow, I know you have stopped making bows which is an back health issue.
I wish you still could make them I have enjoyed all the video's of your's that I have watched. Thank you for sharing the video's, best regards....
Thank you Dave. Appreciated. Keep well. Mick
Great video Mick. Can't wait for your next build. You say you're a beginner but you obviously have an eye for detail. If you ask me you make a fine bow. Keep up the excellent work
Thank you Quinton! Very kind comment, appreciated. Mick
I must say Mick, you may have made "better" bows, but there's something magical about the bark on this one. The contrast between the dark bark and light wood is beautiful. Stunning!
Hi Malcolm, yes I do love the bark on effect. My first hazel was bark on also and I find that appealing too. Something earthy about them both, maybe like primitive bows used to be? Thanks for watching and commenting. Mick
Mick Grewcock Sometimes I look at a bow, especially laminated ones, and they look "perfect", almost as if they're mass produced on a machine. The bark-on Hazel and Blackthorn bows you've made look, lumpy, twisted, not perfectly straight. In other words, hand-made! I hope you understand where I'm coming from; I'm not trying to imply you haven't made a good job of them!
No, I quite understand. One of my favourites is my 'Wonky Yew' which has nobbles and bends along its length. I have (I keep it secret!!) an AFB, a glass laminated device for launching arrows that I bought when I joined a local club. Hate the thing, looks like it was extruded from a faceless machine!
GREAT job Mick! Beautiful bow!
Thank you Robert! Mick
I'm 15 years old and have had problems finding wood that would work for a bow so I've made some pvc bows. Your videos really help me out on tips tho. Thank u so much
You could probably just go to your closest national forest and swipe a couple saplings I doubt they would miss them. Cheers
Cloudwarrior1 thank u so much
The shots you get are hands down the best throughout any outdoors video. Love you content!
Thank you very much!
Really nice, the way the bark has stayed on.I was doubting you would succeed in this or get into trouble loosing draw weight at hinges where the bark would crack. Kudos, thumbs up!
The world upside down is that i simply start tillering Yew that doesn't require ring tracing as "the way" to get the bark of. I then regularly enjoy the nervous laughter of my fellow bowyers at the club after a large piece of bark came of with a terrific bang;-)
awesome. bow. great results.
The bark on that bow definitely looks good. I think sanding it down a little is going to help the bark stay intact. Good luck!
Hi, yes I may sand it some more - I'll see, maybe it will come off anyway but I hope not! Thanks for watching, Mick
A very great bow. I really love it!
Thank you John. Mick
Very very nice bow Mick ! That shape is what i meant when i wrote "flat profile" that is exactly how i shape my Elm bows , i feel that it is how the wood tells us to shape it . And good arrow flight in the slow motion at the end of vid . Cheers .
Hi Rasmus - thank you and useful about elm, I'm having a go with elm soon. Better camera soon so I so hope to improve the slo-mo stuff. Best my GH4 can do is 96fps but quality is poor. Thanks for watching. Mick
That bow is peace of art, great job Mick.
Best regards
Milos
Mick, I think your blackthorn longbow worked out great! I think you did an awesome job! ...Love the dog a great bow shooting buddy!
Hi there! Thank you, not too bad. Yes, the wood, a bow and a dog - great! Mick
Fantastic, next time could we see more cake plz? It's been a great journey Mick, thank you for sharing and well done.
More cake! Couldn't agree more. Maybe a whole video? LoL. Anyway thank you for watching and commenting. Mick
great video as always!
Thank you! Mick
Awesome looking with that bark. Amazing how you manage to tiller as good as you do considering the background. i would most definitely need a solid white board background with parallel lines.
That solid background would help me too - I don't find it easy! Thanks for watching, Mick
Just watched this again and I still like the look of that cake.
Brilliant!
Calipers never lie. I bet if you check for symmetry every ten cm or so, you will find that you did quite a good job.
That worked really well not that I had doubt in you :)
Thanks Simon! Mick
Hi Mick, very nice Bow đ. i will see you when you build the next one....................
Yes! But I'm not yet sure which wood to use!! Thanks for watching Wilfried. Mick
A very interesting wood is the holunder (Sambucus nigra) but it is not easy to find the right one.
I have harvested a very good one last winter, to build a bow next winter.
You should habe *WAY* more views and subscribers. The quality of your videos is outstanding!
Thank you very much!
"Almost okay" I would call it way beyond fantastic.
Hi Mick.
It's really enjoyable watching you work. Well done with this latest bow, impressive stuff.
You'll soon have more bows than you can shake a bow stave at! Sorry about the bad joke!
I heard that in the 16th century, poorer folk who couldn't afford the 'new imported tobacco,' used dried blackthorn leaves as an affordable substitute: a poor man's tobacco. This may
or may not be true.
I was thinking, maybe as an aid to you tillering your bows, possibly putting up a black
back cloth. This would do away with any visual distractions, so you could see the shape of the bow more easily without any background clutter.
Kind regards,
Dave.
Hi Dave, first that's a great idea about the cloth - never thought of that, I'll look into it. Certainly the distracting background doesn't help. Yes, my wife keeps saying: where are you going to put them all? I counter by saying I'll stop when I have as many bows as she has pairs of shoes ;-) Never heard of the leaves being used as substitute tobacco. Fascinating. Thanks for watching. Mick
Heheheh Hey Dave my gramps used to say ' stick that in your pipe and smoke it ' ha ha. I just thought of this...'whatever bends your bow' hahaha. Whadda ya think? Lol
Thank you Mick... I was about to give up my tries and making a bow. And as some one earlier said, you have a good speakinag voice. Thanks again
Keep trying! You'll make it. And thanks - yes, others say I have a good voice for this stuff! Mick
That bow is beautiful... A work of art...
Very nice bow. I also, as always, really enjoyed the artistic quality of your videos. In my humble opinion, you are very talented. Thanks or sharing.
Thank you.
been watching your video here in thailand nice work
I was enjoying watching your vid until the goldfinch stole the show! Great shot and wonderful bird song throughout the video... And great bow making as always!!
I think this is my favourite of the bows you have made Mick, the Bark on looks absolutely lovely!
Thank you Jeff đ
I'm not sure it's done by professional bowyers, but I was taught when you can pull the bow to ~20 inches and the limbs are reasonably even to shoot about 50 arrows, starting at a very small draw, and increasing, until you get to about 20 inches. Bows tend to loosen up quite a bit when you do this and it gives you confidence you can pull to full draw if you keep below or at the desired draw weight. Might be superstition but I do think it is a good stress test before going all the way to full draw and reducing the wood down to draw weight.
Hi there! Never heard of that technique but I am still very much a novice, just drawing toward the light! I understand your technique of progressive stress testing. However, I never pull above intended draw weight plus a bit go margin (I actually went to 28.5" with this one eventually). I do shoot in as well when I get to a reasonable brace height, I just have to compress the actual work into a video and try to give a flavour to the viewer of all that is involved. I appreciate your comment a lot and suspect that we probably do the same thing but in a different way. Thanks for watching. Mick
Hi Mick !!!
Great bow my friend!!!
Congrats !!! đđđ
I like the way you worked this bow to get just the way you wanted .
Great video as allways !!!đđđ
Sorin the roumanian bowman.
Hello Sorin! Thank you, appreciate your comment and you watching! Stay safe, Mick
Beautiful bow nice work
Thank you
Mick just come across this video of yours... What a lovely looking bow, having not long got into trad longbow archery and making my arrows, leather arm brace and trad canvas quiver, you have inspired me to have ago at making my first self bow... Thank you so very much for your informative videos cheersđ.
fantastic stuff
Thatâs a lovely bow Mick
John Howson Thank you John.
Well done Mick deadly đ
Very nice
That's a nice little shed you've got there.
Congratulations Mick, that's a high class bow! Oil finish is fine, but it would be interesting for you to try shellac in next bows. Happy to watch your videos!
Greetings from Spain!
Hello Alvaro and greetings from the UK. I agree, the oil finish is nice but needs constant attention; I will varnish/shellac this bow soon for a better finish. Thank you for watching. Be safe, Mick
Good work. Keep it up.
Thank you! Mick
awesome video mick, your videos are always interesting and a joy to watch ;)
Thank you!
looking really good there buddy. propper job. stay safe.
Hi Shane, thanks as ever. Appreciate hearing from you. Looks okay I think. Enjoy late spring, all that growth is marvellous. Mick
Really nice looking bow! Thank you.
Cracking bow!
congratulations Mick. Beautiful and obviously effective bow. I think you are a great guy and I love your English style longbows, but, you should try some American bows with a thicker handle and flat on both sides similar to your first ash bow.
Have fun and take care
Leo
Ho Leo, thanks for that - and I reckon I will be having a go at an 'American' style bow sometime - it's just that as you have your bow making heritage so do we, and it has a strong grip on me!! Thanks for watching, Mick
I completely understand that. cheers
đ
Great video Mick
Thank you! Mick
great bow! great video and great series!
Thank you! Mick
Another great video n bow cheers
Thanks Ricky! Mick
man i love your videos keep up the great work. ...but that bow...that bow is awesome!
Thank you! Mick
Im really glad you did this vid Mick... I have been wondering for ages if Blackthorn would work.. this wood is seeped in ancient legends and is regarded to have magical properties in pagan Myths !
it is reputed to be the wood of magical staffs !
I must say , it is a lovely looking wood once its been shaved down..
we go Sloe hunting every autumn in the hedgerows along the Sankey Canal (we make sloe gin for xmas). so I know where this stuff grows
Ha! Sloe gin! Maybe you've watched my Sloe gin video as well? I too make each year, usually as a covert-side tipple when shooting, but often given to friends too! Yes, for some reason BT seems rooted not just in the ground but in our ancient heritage too. It isn't common in straight bow length pieces, but a joyous wood to work. I found a stunning long bow length piece in my wood yesterday but it is just one among thousands of crooked trees. Try some!
This guy is cool.
Dude, that thing is beautiful. The bark looks great. I hope you feel proud of it :)
Hi there, yes not too bad! Bark does look good I must say. Yes, quite pleased. Mick
Nice bow
It doesn't get much better than this, however I would recommend removing the bark if you ever were to leave the bow in a dry environment for a long period of time. I know this from experience when working with black thorn, anyway it up to you and it's a great bow non the less
Hi there - thanks, it's not too bad. I'll keep the bark on though and see how if it survives and keep it well oiled. I hope it stays on! Mick
I'm surprised the bark did as well as it did. Nice job. Have you ever tried a laminated longbow?
Hi Kyle, the bark is on and staying by the look of it. Lovely wood, I have some more to cut soon. Yes I've finished a couple of laminated bows (check out some earlier videos). Never glued them up, just finished off pre-lam staves. Mick
Beautiful bow with that bark left on it Mick . You use Tung oil which I prefer as well ... as opposed to linseed oil . Cheers and all the best .
I do use boiled linseed oil sometimes too - but tung is my favourite. Mick
Hi Mick. Like I said great job. Don't be afraid to go further than 27.5. Tiller looks good. You should be ok. On the other hand if you do not break a few in the process you are not making bows. I don't want to scare you. I speak from experience as I use to make flat bows and sell them here in Canada.
Hi Marian, I've actually pulled it to about 28.5" inch bit stopped there for fear of string follow increasing. Yes, I know I've got to break one sooner rather than later - just prefer it to be later and when I've got the camera running at high speed. Respect if you sold bows, wow - you must be experienced to do that. Mick
Respect to you as I used power tools to make mine. Band saw, belt sander I had to make them fast. Started just like you.
Hi, yes - I guess to make them within a decent time/cost you had to use power tools. I was in manufacturing for over 40 years and time was (and remains) everything when it comes to making stuff for ÂŁÂŁ $$ âŹâŹ. Just a hobby for me!
Take your time enjoy the process. You are doing great work sooner or later people will ask you to make bows for them. Take on the challenge. There is nothing more satisfying than a good review from one of your happy customer.
Sooner maybe, I am getting plenty of asks!
Great job! For both bows and great content. One of the best channels on utube! Cheers!
Thank you!
i just used a cabinet scraper for the first time today , i really like it on my red oak board bow - ray
I must say that you have really inspired me in my bowmaking, i have just started but I have finnished 5 bows with different results. I have had some problems with compression cracks so if you could talk about that it would be great.
Thanks for your lovely films.
Best regards from Sweden!
Hi Bosse! Thank you - and you have been a busy man. I will he making a âproblemâ video in which I talk about the problems I have faced - including crysals (compression fractures). I have had crysals on hazel bows - what wood are you using?
@@MickGrewcock Hi and thank you for such quick response. I have been using Swedish ash, dried more than two years. I think I have managed to repair them for a wile, using linen fibre and white glew but I think i have what they call string follow. The bow gets softer after a while or maybe it is in my head :). If I unstring the bow for a while it rest and gets stronger again.
Once again thank you for entertaining and inspiring videos!
Bosse SĂ€ll Hi Bosse. Sounds like you are making the wood bend too much. What shape is the belly? Ash needs a fairly flat belly.
@@MickGrewcock Hi Mick! Thanks for answer :)
The shape is a kind of flat d-shape, its a 190 cm long bow and maximum draw length is 30-32 ". my guess is the draw weight is about 45-50 lb. Do you know if there is some guide lines about the ratio between bow length and draw length. Or how I know how muck I can bend the bow.
This Sunday I have mixed watching your videos, repairing arrows and shooting some arrows. A nice Sunday .
All best!
// Bosse
@@Bossebo100 Hi there. Those fractures are caused by the wood compressing (being squeezed). When it has happened to me it has been because I made the belly too rounded AND have over-stressed the limb at that place. So the fractured part has been bent too much - or the limb either side of that area has crushed that part of the bow. Your bow is very long for that weight so I don't think it's the design - so it must be a weak area over bending. I believe that the ratio is around 2.5 times the draw length - maybe a little less if a flatbow. But this is just what I have read, not what I can prove. Hardwoods such as ash and hazel seem very likely to get those fractures unless the belly is flat. The only way to avoid it on a bow with a slightly rounded belly is perfect tillering - something I've never managed! Good luck with your next bow. Mick
You play awesome music
I like music in my videos - but not everybody does! Great that you do - thank you! Mick
really enjoying your videos Mick, nice to see your enthusiasm for bowmaking,that blackthorn made a pretty bow. I have had some luck with privet here in Australia as it grows feral and quite large here, just a thought for you to try if its available to you. cheers.
Hi Chris, heard that privet is okay but in UK its almost exclusively a hedging shrub. Our privet hedge is nearly 9' tall but has been cut twice a year for maybe 25+ years and there is not a single limb of any size in it. Glad you've had some luck with it and thanks for watching. Mick
Lovely work; If You coppice Blackthorn the New shoots make fine arrows too..
đđ
Oh man, I love your video's so much! It's always a joy to see CZcams notifying me you've uploaded a new video :) And, a super nice bow! I've just finished my Hickory flatbow bow at 65" @ 28". I'm still planning on heat-treating it to correcting a little twisted limb and putting some varnish on and maybe an arrow rest. This summer holiday I'm planning on making my first Taxus Longbow, can't wait!
Hello Arnold! Well done on your flat bow, excellent. And I bet you'll enjoy the taxus!!! Lovely wood. And thank you for your kind words about my videos - great encouragement! Thanks. Mick
Interesting project! If nothing else, it's an education! :)
I love your dog
shanebisme So do I đŸđŸ
Great stuff. Love it
He sounds like the nat geo narrator