Courses & Workshops
Bow-Making Courses
These courses are designed for the absolute beginner. Upon completion, participants will have gained the skill and inspiration necessary to make their own bow. This course is delivered in two formats: a two-day weekend course and a six-day intensive. All tools and materials are provided for each course. Enrolment is limited to four participants.
Contact us directly if you have any questions or to sign up.
Six-Day Intensive
-During this 48 hour course participants will build their own bow with constant instruction and assistance. Upon course completion each student will leave with a bow of their making.
I can to come to you for a six consecutive days intensive, if you can provide the facilities and arrange a group of at least 3 participants.
Course includes Bowstring Making Workshop.
What You Will Learn:
- How to select an ideal tree or log for bow-making
- How to prepare and season the staves
- How to work with knots and snaky grain
- How to plan and lay-out a bow while taking into consideration the wood species and the unique character of a given stave
- The subtle art of tillering, which allows the bow to bend and return for years of use
- How to heat treat or temper a bow for proper string alignment and increased bow performance
- How to make a leather handle grip
- The entire bow-making process using only hand tools
The Six-Day Intensive Includes:
- A locally sourced and ethically harvested hardwood bow stave
- A bow string custom-made from linen and mercerized cotton
- A leather handle grip
- Wood sealer & finishing oils
- Two hand-made Sitka Spruce shafted arrows with turkey & goose wing fletching and stainless steel practice point
Six-Day Intensive
$1,400 (+hst)
8-4, Saturday & Sunday for three weekends or 8-4 for six consecutive days.
Bowstring-Making Workshop
What You Will Learn:
- How to tie a bow string to match your bow’s draw weight using Irish Shoemaker’s Weave linen thread
- How to serve the nocks with mercerized cotton
Choose one of two styles of bow string: Endless Loop or Flemish Twist. Enrolment is limited to six participants and lasts approximately 3 hours.
Bowstring-Making Workshop
$90 (+hst)
Arrow-Making Workshop
By the end of this workshop you will have made 6 arrows of your own. Enrolment is limited to six participants and is 8 hours long.
What You Will Learn:
- How to test the spine of an arrow shaft
- How to cut a nock and fit it to your bowstring
- How to attach feathers and lash them down
- How to fasten a stainless-steel threaded field point
Arrow-Making Workshops
$240 (+hst)