Best products from r/Bowyer
We found 28 comments on r/Bowyer discussing the most recommended products. We ran sentiment analysis on each of these comments to determine how redditors feel about different products. We found 35 products and ranked them based on the amount of positive reactions they received. Here are the top 20.
1. 9" Shinto Saw Rasp
- Hardened Steel Teeth
- Teeth Designed To Prevent Clogging
- Double sided: Coarse and Fine
Features:
2. Traditional Bowyer's Bible Volume 1
- Rubber tipped temples provide a non-slip comfortable fit
- Full frame with larger lens provides excellent coverage
- Integrated rubber nosepiece for longer, comfortable wear
- Protects against 99. 9-Percent harmful UV rays
- Meets ANSI Z87. 1+ standards
Features:
3. Traditional Archery from Six Continents: The Charles E. Grayson Collection
Used Book in Good Condition
4. Hickory Bow Kit! Premium Grain! Perfect for Hickory Bows! Custom Wood Archery!
- Bow Stave Specs - 71" x 1.5" x 1"
- Backing Strip Specs - 71" x 1.5" x 1/8"
- Riser Block Specs - 8" x 1.5" x 1"
Features:
5. Crown Hand Tools Sheffield UK Steel 2 Piece Rectangular 2 1/2" x 5" Cabinet Scraper Set 375
- This scraper set in made in Sheffield England by Crown Hand Tools
- Scrapers are 2 1/2" x 5" and are .032 inches thick
- Made of medium carbon steel with a hardness of 40/42 Rockwell C. This specification gives good edge retention while allowing the “spring” or “flex” in the blade which gives the user control of the tool
- This is a high quaity set that will last a lifetime
- Scraper edges are milled and not stamped which will speed sharpening
Features:
6. Morakniv Companion Fixed Blade Outdoor Knife with Carbon Steel Blade, 4.1-Inch, Military Green
- Fixed blade outdoor knife with 4.1-inch high carbon steel blade
- Limited lifetime manufacturer’s warranty; Made in Sweden
- Patterned, high-friction grip makes the knife comfortable to hold and easy to handle
- Blade length: 4.1 inches (104 mm);
- Blade thickness: 0.08 inch (2.0 mm); Overall length: 8.6 inch (218 mm); Weight w/ sheath: 3.9 oz. (110 g)
Features:
7. Nicholson 18155N 14" Farrier's Handy Rasp and File - Cushion Grip
Rectangular shape with rasp-cut teeth on one side for aggressive removal of materialDouble-cut teeth on reverse side for rapid removal of materialSingle-cut teeth on edges for smoothingAmerican pattern file for non-precision material removalCushion grip on tip and forged handle for comfort
8. TEKTON 6695 10-Inch Half Round Wood Rasp
Half-round profile with rasp-cut teeth roughly shapes wood, leather, soft metals, and soft plasticsCoarse, individually cut tooth pattern quickly removes materialLarge, comfortable poly handle gives you a sure grip for controlled strokes and pressureAlways Guaranteed
9. Easton T Bow Square, Black
- Attaches to string above and below the nocking point
- T-shape bow square
- Color is orange
Features:
10. Morakniv Classic No 2 Wood Handle Utility Knife with Carbon Steel Blade, 4.2-Inch
Traditional craft/utility knife with carbon steel bladeRed ochre birch handlePlastic sheath with a belt clipLimited lifetime manufacturer’s warranty.Blade Thickness: 0.08" (2.0 mm), Blade Length: 4.2" (106 mm), Total Length: 8.3" (210 mm), Weight: 3 oz. (86g)
11. Stanley 21-295 Surform Flat File Regular Cut Blade
Manufactured with a metallic-gray, die-cast alloy bodyHigh-impact polymer handle holds up to heavy useHigh Quality New!!!!!!!Limited Lifetime WarrantyManufactured with a metallic-gray, die-cast alloy bodyHigh-impact polymer handle holds up to heavy useFitted with a replaceable (10"/250mm) bladeLimit...
12. SnapOn 474-150-0.80 Bahco 6-Inch Cabinet Scraper
Overall length of 6-InchCabinet scraperSpecifically for carpentry workBlade of cold rolled, hardened and tempered chrome nickel steelWhite plastic edge protector
13. Crown 375 Cabinet Scraper, Flat 2.5-Inch by 5-Inch
- Exceptional quality tools from Crown Hand Tools Ltd, Sheffield, England
- Hardened and tempered high carbon steel
- Faster than using sandpaper
- Used to remove paint, glue or stain from wood surfaces
- Ideal for creating shiny & level surface
Features:
14. Wooden Bows: What I Wish I'd Known When I Started
- A Transformative, Timeless Bath Blend: Bath time is quality time. Especially when you’re relieving muscle aches, easing stress or headaches, calming overactive nerves, or preparing for a better night’s sleep. Choose a highly effective natural bath flake known to offer rejuvenating results. Ancient Minerals is the trusted formula made from pure Genuine Zechstein magnesium chloride from a pristine, 250-million-year-old seabed discovered miles underground.
- When Epsom Salts Need An Upgrade: The main differences between our magnesium bath flakes and epsom salts relate to bioavailability and concentration. If you’ve tried both, you’ve likely experienced the difference. Our premier magnesium chloride absorbs more easily into the body for fast, efficient relief. It offers long-lasting helpful effects for skin issues, workout & muscle soreness, and even mental strain. Ease into a calming, warm bath with Ancient Minerals and feel the comfort.
- A Glorious Retreat for Sore Feet: You’ll reap the benefits from a regular full-bath soak in Ancient Minerals magnesium chloride, and you can give your feet special attention when they need focused pampering. Simply dissolve a cup of our flakes in a comfortable foot bath and let your soles luxuriate in the pure, soothing elixir. Bonus: your whole body will absorb advantages from this topical magnesium boost.
- Gentle Enough For All Ages: Magnesium deficiency is a concern for all ages—and children also need remedies for muscle aches, skin and sleep issues. Our gentle bath flakes offer an excellent complement to their nightly bubble bath. They’ll delight in watching the delicate snowy flakes quickly dissolve in their cozy bathwater, and you’ll feel great knowing all the healthy perks their precious systems are taking in. Our mild flakes are ideal even on sensitive skin.
- Flourish With Gifts from Ancient Earth: Mother Nature knows a few things about well-being. At Ancient Minerals, we embrace the natural gifts giving humans blissful relief for centuries. Our revolutionary approach to magnesium application is helping people all over the world enjoy restorative wellness. We’re honored to be the #1 recommended brand for topical magnesium.
Features:
15. Darice Paper Garland: Birch Design, 3 x 84 inches
- This garland decoration is made of paper, but it has the design of birch that will add a natural touch to your DIY crafts
- Features wired edges for added flexibility
- Perfect for accenting candlescapes, vases, floral arrangements and more!
- Measures 3 inches wide and 84 inches long
- 1 roll of paper garland per package
Features:
16. Stanley 15-410 Rod Saw - Carbide Grit Blade, Hacksaw Blade
Tungsten carbide particles enable blade to cut on both forward and reverse strokesStanley - Black & DeckerFits standard hacksaw frameLimited Lifetime WarrantyMakes thin straight cuts in ceramic, hardened steel, cast iron and masonryBlade Length - 10"
18. Bohning Pro Class Fletching Tool Right Clamp 1349
Easy to OperateQuick set magnetic clampIncludes jig and right wing clampAdjustable to fit all sizes of shaftsPre set dial stops for consistent fletchingEasy to OperateQuick set magnetic clampIncludes jig and right wing clampAdjustable to fit all sizes of shafts
19. Stanley 12-404 No. 4 Adjustable Bench Plane with 2-Inch Cutter
- The hand planer for woodworking has a cast-iron base with precision-ground sides and bottom
- The wood plane has an epoxy coating for durability and long life
- The bench plane comes with a hardened, tempered steel cutter edge for durability
- Cutter manually adjusts for precise control of depth and alignment
- Quick-release cam-lock for easy removal of iron
- High-impact polymer handles and knobs are contoured and polished for comfortable hold
Features:
20. Spyderco Tri-Angle Premium Sharpmaker Set with DVD and Two Sets of Alumina Ceramic Stones - 204MF
- Easy-to-Use, Outstanding Results - This has everything necessary to sharpen any type of edged or pointed tool in just a few minutes' time. Simply keep the plane of your knife
- Durable Design - The Sharpmaker has an ABS plastic base/storage case and contains keyed holes that accurately set the stones
- Ready to Travel - The 204MF is designed to be handheld and portable. Simply snap all the components into the self-contained ABS Durable plastic base and lid. You are good to go!
- Works on All Knives - Every Sharpmaker comes complete with a detailed instruction book and DVD that guides you step by step through the process of sharpening kitchen knives, chef knives, Pocket Knives, scissors, awls, and many other tools.
- Must Have Essentials - Instruction book and DVD. Aluminum Safety Rods, 2 Fine and 2 Medium Grit High Alumina Ceramic Sharpening Stone for aggressive sharpening and Professional-Grade finishing.
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>How do you find wood to use?
If you're just starting out, I highly recommend visiting a lumberyard or Home Depot/Lowes, and getting your hands on some pre-cut lumber. I made my first dozen or so bows from 1x2x6 red oak boards from Home Depot. Hickory is another great option. The stuff is tough as nails, and extremely forgiving of mistakes. I'd also recommend a backing on your first couple bows, just to be safe. Titebond III and good linen cloth is bulletproof.
What's great about stuff from stores/lumberyards is that it's cheap and easy to come by. So when you break one* it's not like you're out a $60 Osage stave, or one that you spent months drying, shaping, and then tillering only for it to snap.
Plus they just make damn fine bows. I made one for a friend, 48# @ 28", that he used to take a mule deer a couple years back. Also, red oak looks absolutely gorgeous with a good stain.
If you really want to go down the rabbit hole and find some actual timber, do some searching to find out what good bow-woods are in your area, then find some you can take LEGALLY. Where I used to live in western WA, Vine Maple grew like a weed. One of my neighbors had a ton growing in their backyard, and agreed to let me take all I wanted in exchange for getting rid of the roots as well. Six bowstaves for an hour or two of work.
>However, I was wondering if I might receive some insight from the r/Bowyer community on what brands of tools stand the test of time/give the best results for the money in your toolkits?
If you're first starting out, and using pre-cut lumber, I can't recommend the Stanley Surform rasp enough. That, along with some sandpaper and rat-tail files for cutting string grooves, was all I used for my first six or seven bows.
Good scrapers are a life-saver, especially when you're tillering. Here's a set that I got some years ago: https://www.amazon.com/Crown-Hand-Tools-Rectangular-375/dp/B012M9H8UG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1483215420&sr=8-2&keywords=wood+scraper
They still work just as well as when they were brand new. I would recommend learning how to sharpen them properly first, though. One of the edges on mine is ruined because I didn't learn how to properly sharpen/turn the edge at the beginning.
Here's the only other things I can really think of:
*There's a saying in the bowyer community: If you aren't breaking bows, you aren't making bows. I messed up 4 staves before getting one that shot consistently and survived. So don't beat yourself up or get too frustrated when it happens. You'll learn from the mistakes and make even better bows that way!
Hope that helps! I'm by no means an experienced bowyer but if you have any questions I'll do my best to answer :)
It's really important that you get a tool that's right for you. As you notice, I don't recommend planes, the other guy did.
I have reasons but they are mostly my own. For eexample I wouldn't recommend planes because they will only work when working on straight grain. The moment you encounter a knot, you'll be struggling. And on top of it, planes are expensive and only the expensive ones are worth getting. A cheap drawknife or rasp works fine but a cheap plane is gonna make you cry.
Now, you were saying you don't wanna file for 10 hours. I think you're a little bit mistaken about rasps. You will probably be surprised how quick a good, coarse rasp is. They can devour wood. The reason why you need a rasp is because there will be spots in wood where the grain is running off. A cutting tool will struggle to cut when grain runs off but a rasp will still work.
Alright, I recommend the following. Get yourself a rasp. I have no particular recommendation. Check out ebay and see if you can get one there. If not, get one from harbor freight. Look for a big one. Possibly these 4-in-1s.
Then, get a Morakniv knife. The company is famous for making high quality bushcrafting knives. These knives are absolutely amazing for working on wood.
And a knife is better than a plane or drawknife if you don't have a workbench. Just place the wood against the ground and your foot and use the knife.
On Amazon for $14, the companion. https://www.amazon.com/Morakniv-Companion-Outdoor-Military-4-1-Inch/dp/B004TNWD40
It's one of their cheapest and great. They come with a scandi grind. It's the best grind for woodworking and easiest to resharpen.
For a detailed overview on old bow construction materials, see if your library has or can get a copy of http://www.amazon.com/Traditional-Archery-Six-Continents-Collection/dp/0826217516 (ob. discl. I arranged for a second printing). Or see http://www.archerylibrary.com/
Bob W. Kooi has published a fair bit on the physics of archery, starting w/ his thesis: http://www.bio.vu.nl/thb/users/kooi/thesis.pdf --- I believe it touches on materials.
You should be able to get a good overview of recent developments at: http://www.archeryhistory.com/longbows/longbows.htm
Short answer:
Some materials were used anciently and until very recently such as steel.
My suggestion would be to focus on the traditional yew longbow (noting how new growth and old growth wood was used w/in a single stave to form the back and the belly, taking advantage of their differing properties) contrasting it w/ a modern longbow which is well-documented such as the ACS longbow (unfortunately bowmaker.net is off-line, try: http://peteward.com/test.adcockACS.html )
This rasp is great for rapid wood removal and medium wood removal Diamond Nicholson Farrier Rasp File, American Pattern, Rasp Cut, Rectangular, 14-Inch Length https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B004HW6AV0?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf
This one is cheaper and only 1 type of teeth but is half round. Great value TEKTON 6695 10-Inch Half Round Wood Rasp https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B000NPT6RU?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf
I don't know if those are available for you but I recommend them. You just need to make sure the tools you get don't leave any gaps in what you need your tools to do
Great accomplishment, looks good! You should put a nock point on that string, I can see that the arrow is nocked very low on the string, causing the limbs to bend unevenly. If you don't have a bow square, you can get away with a framing square. Search for "tied on nock points" on YouTube to learn how to actually apply a nock point. Good luck, and keep makin'. Also, listen for pops or crack sounds coming from your bow, and routinely inspect the belly for chrysals (compression fractures).
This is what I've got So far it's done pretty good. Then went to Home Depot and bought a hatchet which really helps for slimming down the wood. But until I've got my own house (in an apartment right now) this is the best I can do :/
Thanks so much!
I do have a few questions, though. I was doing some reading on the sub before making my post, and I had seen some people recommending the Shinto Saw Rasp over the Stanley Surform Rasp (I assume that links to the correct one?). What's your opinion on the matter? I know nothing about rasps (Which I hope to correct) so I'm not sure what makes one rasp better than another.
Also, how does one determine what the draw weight of a bow that they've made is? Is there a way to alter it if it turns out it's too heavy? Again, I haven't read the books in full yet, but I just wanted to get that question out of the way while I was still thinking of it.
Are there any kinds of finishes that are more conducive to making a good seal on a bow that won't potentially affect it? (assuming that adding a stain or finish can affect the performance of a bow)
I've never made a bow, but I just finished reading Jim Hamm's Wooden Bows: What I Wish I'd Known When I Started; and thought it was a great introduction of bowyer terms and techniques, all completely new to me as a novice. Hamm is also a co-author of the the Bowyer's Bible series, which I think would be cool to dive into after banging out a couple crude beginner's bows.
https://www.amazon.com/9-Shinto-Saw-Rasp/dp/B004DIHDU0 amazing rasp - the open structure means it doesn't clog and it can remove material pretty dang fast.
Surely you'd want a long role, not individual squares?
https://www.amazon.com/Darice-1186-16-Garland-Craftwork-84-Inch/dp/B00MA6Y5E4/ref=pd_bxgy_201_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00MA6Y5E4&pd_rd_r=PXNHJRA92JEDHMA7TK0K&pd_rd_w=6aUuL&pd_rd_wg=UqrgS&psc=1&refRID=PXNHJRA92JEDHMA7TK0K
I don't know how well it would last as backing on a bow, the stretching and shock of shooting would surely shred it pretty quickly.
thanks! i think im gonna grab this shinto saw rasp based on some other users comments. They seem to like it a lot more than the surform.
My dad got me another hickory
staveboard bow kit from these guys for my birthday. 2 weeks later here's what I made. I'm really happy I finally got up to 50 lbs. So many times during this one I was sure I'd ruined it. But I shot it today and it didn't blow up or unglue so hopefully this what I'll be shooting at my first tournament in January.Thank you to everyone who contributes their knowledge to this sub. Its the only decent part of Reddit left.
Last photo says .4" (I'm assuming diameter), which is a bit big.
Might want to try a chainsaw file. I picked up a set at Harbor Freight that have worked fairly well for a few sets of nocks. Like this. Should note they seem duller now and I keep a brass brush to clean it out, and one broke at the handle from pushing too hard, but that is typical Harbor Freight. There should be something higher quality on Amazon.
I've also seen some use a hacksaw with a rod saw blade like this one, but I haven't used that method myself.
I second /u/otis888's suggestion of looking up the work of Nicholas Tomihama. He has several books out on Amazon, The Impossible Bow among others. He also has a YouTube channel showing people how to use heat from a heat gun, stove top or even a box filled with electric light bulbs to heat form the PVC into very slick tapered bow shapes. These PVC bows made by tapering the PVC outperform non-tapered PVC by quite a bit, and his bows have been known to shoot arrows (at around 10 grains per pound) at more than 160 fps. Some arrows have been clocked at up to 196 feet per second, when shot from a 65 pound bow made form $1 worth of 3/4 inch PVC.
I've made a bunch of these bows, some for myself and some for my kids and their friends. The youth bows cost me under $2.50 each, including the PVC, strings, paint, etc, and shoot as well as any commercial bows you can buy for less than $100. It takes me less than an hour to go from unfinished PVC tube to a nice, working hungarian style horse bow, or a traditional recurve. Another hour to paint it and put on a comfortable hand grip, and it's ready to take out and shoot.
So far, I've used my main shooter (a 40 pound recurve) shoot over 1000 arrows with no signs of degradation at all. I can still hit a 4" target from 20 yards away with it, and the arrows sink the same distance into the target today as they did the first time I used it.
Some of my friends, upon making bows for themselves or their kids, tell me that the PVC youth bows shoot faster than the bows that they have bought for their kids in the local sporting goods store. I know the weights are about the same - 15 to 22 pounds, depending on how long the bow limbs are and how much you recurve the bow during the build process.
Start by buying shafts. This is s great and affordable fletching jig: Bohning Pro Class Fletching Tool Right Clamp 1349 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000AVE3Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_LOV1Bb6NVT9NM
Spend a little bit of money (Around $20-$30) to buy a Bench Plane, such as this. I found that this tool works really well for forming boards. However, you need to be really careful that you don't take off too much wood.
I second the Shinto: http://www.amazon.com/Shinto-9-Saw-Rasp/dp/B004DIHDU0
However, for finer tillering I prefer a good cabinet scraper
Here is the desktop version of your link