How to Make a Bow and Arrow

Summary: Instructions on how to make a bow and arrows for the beginner.

It's easy to make your own archery kit, once you have the right equipment. For this you need: a 5-foot branch and a 1 or 2 foot branch for the arrow; hemp string; feathers; flint stone or metal; dead sticks of about 12 to 18 inches; feathers; cardboard; and a knife. For the bow, choose a piece of dead wood, preferably bendable and at least an inch in diameter and 5 foot long. Cut two notches in the branch, about 1 1/2 inches from each end. The notches should go about halfway into the bow and must be on the side of the bow opposite from the branch's natural curve. The smaller branches are for the arrows. Make these as straight as possible, sanding them if needed. Cut one notch at the end of the arrow, creating a nice hook. This is where the string will sit at the end of the arrow, so make a nice deep groove. Next cut a piece of your hemp string about three fourths of the length of the bow. It must be smaller than the bow. Tie loops at each end of the string that are big enough to fit around the notch that you made in the last step. Take the loops that you just tied and put them around the notches on each end of the stick. Now take the cardboard papers and cut them into elongated triangles. The legs (bottom) should be approximately 1.25 inches by 1-3/4 inches. Once you have about 6 of them cut out (for 2 arrows) glue them about .25 inches from the bottom of the arrow. Keep in mind you should keep them evenly spaced from each other. They should provide for balance, accuracy, and a nice spin when the arrow is released.