So, what’s the story?

The first bow I built was fashioned from the branch of a long suffering tree in my back garden as a child. I remember stripping the green, wet bark, lashing a handle with twine, and helping myself to a cane from the shed as a makeshift arrow. I’m sure it was functionally terrible, but as a prop to the theatre of my mind, the adventures were epic!

In my teens, I had a friend whose dad was an archer and shooting their bows in their field was a highlight of the summer for years. Most were contemporary recurves, but the star piece of the arsenal was an English longbow. There wasn't a chance I could manage its size or draw weight at the time, but such was its mythology and legend, it felt like a challenge had been set for later in life.

About a decade ago, I sought out a bow making course and built my first ‘proper’ bow. A 72” hickory, purpleheart and lemonwood triple laminate, coming in at something like 40lbs @ 28”. I still have it now. It’s a beauty! And from then, I was hooked.

In the years since, I’ve made too many bows to remember. Everything from primitives, to glass-backed laminates. And I’ve worked with most every species of wood I could get hold of: hickory, maple, ash, elm, hazel, oak, ipe, bamboo, yew...the list goes on.

All the bows I offer for sale here are crafted by hand and - other than the production of the blanks for the board bows - entirely with hand tools, including the finishing work, strings & arrows.

To me, there’s no more attractive bow than a wooden bow, but then I’m no purist either: I recognise the convenience of modern materials - not least adhesives and string compounds - and take full advantage of those. Much in the performance of the bows I make is thanks to those materials for which I make no apologies! That said, beyonds glues and strings, I might occasionally back the odd bow with glass, but give me plain old stick to bend any day! How simple and elegant that is. A primitive machine to transform energy: elastic to kinetic. But in the refinement of that design is where the endeavour lies.

The three models of bows I offer here are the result of that process: years of trial and error, failure and success, refinement and improvements. I hope you find something to admire in them too.

Whilst I’m largely self-taught, I’m indebted to all those who’ve shared their knowledge and expertise so freely. Check out these links & resources for a fully referenced library of all those fine folk, their contributions & work.

For those who’d might like some pointers, help or advice, do drop me a line. I’d be happy to help, however I might be able.

Rob - RedStringBows - The Workshop in the Woods - Nailsworth - December 2023