Traditional Bowyer's Handbook: How to build wooden bows and arrows: longbows, selfbows, & recurves.

Lots of detail, lots of graphics. Goes into selecting wood as well, which is nice. Honestly, looks to be a very good resource that I'm glad to have in my library.

Great information on a subject that has a lot of nuances. The writer directions along with pics really helps.

Wish I would have had this book when I was 4 years old making bows. One low star review said it didn't teach a person how to make a bow. I disagree. It is all in there... especially if you substitute or utilize his YouTube videos. Somethings are better explained in a book, somethings in video. Clay covers the bases. Pictures could be better. Perhaps a chapter that quickly does take someone through making a bow. It may be in there, I might have missed it. I wonder why he doesn't use a back drop for things such as the tillering rack to provide contrast.

This is a very good book if if you are thinking about building your own bow or even modifying an stick bow you already have. The chapters on the different woods is invaluable. You get enough detail for most people to do the job. The pictures to illustrate the book and give you a visual on what he's teaching were black and white or should I say dark grey and black. Many pictures were poor at best. They look like a photocopy of a photocopy of a photocopy, well you get the picture. This book is well worth the purchase though and a must have for anyone wanting to build or know how to build a self bow. 5 star for the information, 1 star for the pictures.

The Traditional Bowyer's Handbook by Clay Hayes is a 5-star guidebook into the realm of natural bow building. It combines 3 decades of first hand knowledge and experience from an author clearly devoted to continually seeking and refining his own hard mastered skill set.The information offered in the bow building process has been distilled down to its most efficient mechanisms and laid out in an easily discernible, linear format complete with pictures illustrating each step along the way.Details are offered concerning everything from selecting wood types and the variances among them to the tools used and the subtleties in using them, different bow types as well as string and arrow making. There is even a substantial chapter on takedown or 2-piece design.I can't imagine too many hands raised with follow-up questions after this class. Terrific book. Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in bow building or just a curiosity into the appeal of traditional archery.

The author really seems to love his subject. Very interesting read. I hope to apply his techniques

Just my opinion, but I think this book is a great place to start if you are interested in making your own wood bow.I recently got into archery, with a slight preference towards traditional archery, recurves and longbows. I then thought it could be fun to make a bow myself, but I should learn a little first. I did some research, put together a decent list of bowyer books and, to start, I bought Clays book and began reading.By the time I finished the book (casually reading between work, household duties, kids, etc…), I bought a book to help identify trees on the property, and now have 5 split bow staves drying in the shop. One of which has a rough drawn bow plan on it, and I’m hoping to get a roughed out bow going in the next week or two, as well as possibly build a tillering stand in the near future too.

Great read on bow and arrow making! Easy to follow instructions along with pictures to show more detail.