I have a question about making strings for longbows. I am building a selfbow, and I am ready to make the string for it. I need to know how much shorter than the bow the string needs to be. My bow, nock to nock, is about 1/8 to 3/16 shy of 70 inches in real length. How long, in real length, should the string be? I have built recurve strings so I know how to do it; I just need to know how long it needs to be.
Thanks,
TimberBound
I think the norm is usually about 2-1/2 - 3 inches shorter than the length, nock-nock.
I have so many old strings laying around that I usually find one that'll fit, by first trying one that I know will be a little long, and then make another by just using the one that fits as a ruler. Sometimes I never know the real measurement!
But usually I leave the string for last when makeing a selfbow. Mainly because I can use the length of my tillering string when my bow is near done, for somewhat of a comparison of how long my string needs to be.
hnh
TB.. here you go......
http://www2.pcom.net/jthutten/jth/doc/flemish.htm
As a general rule a string should be 4" shorter for a recurve amd 3" shorter for a longbow for the AMO length of the bow.I would make it 67" long,most selfbows usually brace alittle lower then a modern longbow.