Long Bow Making

In this 3 day workshop, you will learn to select appropriate timber and use simple hand tools to make traditional English-style, horn-nocked self-longbows with reverse-twisted, Flemish-looped bowstrings. Rob’s longbows are hand made using traditional hand tools such as draw knives, spokeshaves, rasps and scrapers. Rob makes his longbow by using the ancient process of tillering (slowly, carefully and gradually testing and adjusting the bowstave for bend shape, draw weight and draw length) alongside carefully chosen and seasoned timber, cattle horn and waxed fibre. Rob is drawn to the simple, graceful shape and raw power of a drawn longbow.  Rob is a teacher of English, History and woodwork.