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Bows & arrows of the native Americans: A complete step-by-step guide to wooden bows, sinew-backed bows, composite bows, strings, arrows & quivers
Historians, archers, craftspeople, and anyone interested in the skills of Native Americans will enjoy this comprehensive account of the history and construction of these unique hunting tools.
156 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1991
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 24, 2015
Some excellent perspective on an ancient art. Were I to attempt crafting bows and arrows, Hamm is definitely a master I'd want.
Some quotes that appeal :
" ... on how I approach the making of bows and arrows ... I looked upon the wood and stone and sinew and feathers with respect as fellow living things rather than just as raw materials ... If you choose to take this weapon and hunt with it and perhaps make a kill, you will have come full circle, back to our ancestors who passed this wonder art down to us ..."
"To my mind, a sinew-backed osage orange or yew wood bow is the ultimate hunting weapon. They are light, extremely fast shooting, and useful in almost any hunting situation." (One of my archery favorite memories is how quickly a quiver could be emptied of arrows. Much faster than those bolt action rifles the USAF required for annual marksmanship certification. Being left handed was not a slowing factor with a bow like it was with the rifle.)
"How much sinew to put on a bow? Even a very thin layer ... will greatly enhance the durability ... For added speed and strength, I like to put on at least four courses and sometimes up to six or seven. On an average bow, 50" to 55" long, it figures out to about six elk leg tendons." (Buffalo tendons easier to work with than elk, but much harder to obtain.)
"The Indian people utilized reed shafts a great deal because it made such good arrows. They were light, stiff, and easy to obtain. The light, hollow shafts will fly much faster than a heavy hardwood arrow, which makes them easier to shoot accurately since they don't drop as much in flight. I try to avoid being overly scientific, but was recently able to shoot some reed arrows through a chronograph, and the results were mildly surprising. With a 60# Osage Orange bow, I first shot a heavy dogwood arrow, with a steel point, at a very reasonable 165 feet per second. I shot a reed arrow next, with the same bow, and it clocked 198 feet per second, which is quite unreasonable. In fact, I had to repeat the performance several times because the longbow and recurve shooters standing around couldn't believe it."
"Since a reed arrow is not sturdy enough to withstand the stress that an arrowhead places on it when hitting a target, a hardwood 'foreshaft' with the point attached is fitted into the front of the arrow. The foreshaft is normally 3" to 7" long, depending on the type of arrow you are making. These foreshafts are a good way to make use of the broken or culled hardwood shafts that have already been worked down to size."
" ... prejudice against the horse Indians' weapons was not shared by anyone from the old days who faced them in a fight ... when an early Texas Ranger head a newcomer make a disparaging remark ... he replied: 'I have seen a great many men in my time spitted with 'dogwood switches' ... They can shoot their arrows faster than you can fire a revolver, and almost with the accuracy of a rifle at the distance of fifty or sixty yards, and with such force that I have frequently seen them drive a shaft through and through a full grown buffalo.'"
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/...
Some quotes that appeal :
" ... on how I approach the making of bows and arrows ... I looked upon the wood and stone and sinew and feathers with respect as fellow living things rather than just as raw materials ... If you choose to take this weapon and hunt with it and perhaps make a kill, you will have come full circle, back to our ancestors who passed this wonder art down to us ..."
"To my mind, a sinew-backed osage orange or yew wood bow is the ultimate hunting weapon. They are light, extremely fast shooting, and useful in almost any hunting situation." (One of my archery favorite memories is how quickly a quiver could be emptied of arrows. Much faster than those bolt action rifles the USAF required for annual marksmanship certification. Being left handed was not a slowing factor with a bow like it was with the rifle.)
"How much sinew to put on a bow? Even a very thin layer ... will greatly enhance the durability ... For added speed and strength, I like to put on at least four courses and sometimes up to six or seven. On an average bow, 50" to 55" long, it figures out to about six elk leg tendons." (Buffalo tendons easier to work with than elk, but much harder to obtain.)
"The Indian people utilized reed shafts a great deal because it made such good arrows. They were light, stiff, and easy to obtain. The light, hollow shafts will fly much faster than a heavy hardwood arrow, which makes them easier to shoot accurately since they don't drop as much in flight. I try to avoid being overly scientific, but was recently able to shoot some reed arrows through a chronograph, and the results were mildly surprising. With a 60# Osage Orange bow, I first shot a heavy dogwood arrow, with a steel point, at a very reasonable 165 feet per second. I shot a reed arrow next, with the same bow, and it clocked 198 feet per second, which is quite unreasonable. In fact, I had to repeat the performance several times because the longbow and recurve shooters standing around couldn't believe it."
"Since a reed arrow is not sturdy enough to withstand the stress that an arrowhead places on it when hitting a target, a hardwood 'foreshaft' with the point attached is fitted into the front of the arrow. The foreshaft is normally 3" to 7" long, depending on the type of arrow you are making. These foreshafts are a good way to make use of the broken or culled hardwood shafts that have already been worked down to size."
" ... prejudice against the horse Indians' weapons was not shared by anyone from the old days who faced them in a fight ... when an early Texas Ranger head a newcomer make a disparaging remark ... he replied: 'I have seen a great many men in my time spitted with 'dogwood switches' ... They can shoot their arrows faster than you can fire a revolver, and almost with the accuracy of a rifle at the distance of fifty or sixty yards, and with such force that I have frequently seen them drive a shaft through and through a full grown buffalo.'"
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/...
June 19, 2025
This is a great book on bow and arrow making. I love to do it yourself as it is costumizable. Lots of essential skills have been lost over the years.
February 19, 2022
I've really gotten into flint knapping and self-bow building in the last few months and I intend to continue on that primitive path. This book was very helpful. I would recommend it to anyone with similar interests! I gave this one 4.5 stars! Cheers my friends!
February 26, 2025
So impressive! (If I only had the time...)
August 10, 2020
I very much
enjoyed this book. It was a interesting delve into two subjects I love, Native Americans and Archery. I learned a great deal from this time on a very rare topic.
enjoyed this book. It was a interesting delve into two subjects I love, Native Americans and Archery. I learned a great deal from this time on a very rare topic.
November 22, 2023
Hamm does a great job of walking the reader through every step in the process of making Native American-style bows, strings, and arrows. I'd like to start making my own archery equipment and this would be a fantastic resource to have on hand as I start out. The book is amply illustrated and packed with enough detail to be useful, but not so much that it's overwhelming. He also comments on the historical and material contexts of traditional archery equipment that provides some much-needed background to the use and design of Native American tackle.
April 7, 2008
Best single-book guide to making wooden bows and arrows I have yet read.
February 12, 2013
Examines the history of bows and their manufacture. The author instructs the readers how to make a traditional bow as well as arrows and other equipment. Full of pictures and drawings. Easy to read.
February 10, 2013
I like the layout, and the attention to detail in making arrowheads.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews