Home > DVD/Book Reviews > Making the Laminated English Warbow - The Longbow Series

A man needs his own space, this can be a shed or a den, the cellar or perhaps a spare room, where ever it might be is not really important, what is important is that he has that space. For me that place is the workshop I built myself at the end of the garden. I am no builder so if you look closely you will see the brick work is out and every wall is pissed in one plane or another – but it's my space and filled with all the stuff that is important to me.

I spend a lot of my time up there making stuff and doing archery "things". Whilst I am making arrows or bows or just faffing I generally have an archery video playing on the TV. This one is set to be one of my favourites and at 1 hour 35 mins it isn’t just a quick here’s one I made earlier type DVD.

Longbows are a passion and Warbows hold a fascination. This DVD promises to guide you through the making of a laminate Warbow. The start of this is great and there isn't enough of it, different shots of archers shooting what are obviously very heavy bows with whopping great arrows.

Our guide through the making process is Steve Stratton of DIY archery, an authority on the Warbow and an expert craftsman. Anyone who makes bows or even wants to make a bow, shoots a longbow or is just interested in the bow making process will find this DVD not only instructive but entertaining too.

We get to see Steve choose his woods, I especially liked this part because each of the available woods is talked about and some of it's properties explained. then you are shown what to look for and what to "look out" for.

Each stage is explained in detail and Richard Tonge makes an appearance to show the glueing steps. I very much like the format as you could use this DVD as a "build along" companion, Steve makes it so easy to follow that by the end you are itching to get started on the next bow. The instructions, title and indeed the content are all about building a laminate warbow – however with a few small adjustments you could easily be building a "normal" weight Longbow as the process is the same.

Probably the hardest part of any bow build is the tillering process, here you get a nice little tutorial on how to tiller, what to look for and how to deal with it. As with all things, instructions from a book are fine but there is nothing like someone actually showing you how to perform a particular task – Steve does a brilliant job with his straight forward and easy manner.

This is a DVD for those who enjoy shooting bows, not just longbows as you can watch this even if you have no intention of making a bow, it's instructive, interesting and well thought out and put together. But I will be willing to bet that once you have watched this you will start having thoughts of making your own Warbow !!

Rating
Features & Design
The makers have thought through the whole process of making a laminate bow and have simplified and streamlined the whole build, it's easy to follow and each stage is paced well.
Performance
Expect to see Richard in Hamlet soon
Value for Money
Until recently this sort of information was rare as hens teeth, even now you will pay handsomely for someone to show you what to do – this DVD doesn't necessarily replace a hands on course but prepped with this knowledge you can go it alone or take a course with some idea of what to expect – superb value
Overall
If you have a collection of archery DVD's you will probably be ordering this as we speak, if you are thinking of having a go at bow building then BUY THIS DVD, if you are an armchair bowyer this DVD will give you an insight into making a real bow and next time you bullshit your mates at least you will have half an idea what you are talking about.

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Steve Nicholson and Andy Gilfrin, are real archers interested in the best archery suppliers have to offer. In our search for the very best bow, arrows and equipment we have shot, used and worn pretty much everything on offer.

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Essential Details
What : Making the Laminated English Warbow - The Longbow Series Price : £20

Latest

Magazine We were very pleased to give our support to the James Whale Kidney Foundation shoot which we cover in this months magazine. We were also contacted by Lars Pilø with news on the archery related finds on Jovfonna, and while we couldn't get out there ourselves Lars kindly filled in some background information for us.


A mixed bag this month, me in the South West, Geoff putting the record straight, a chat with Keith Stay and the wisdom comes from South Cox of Stalker bows. 

We take a tour the length and breadth of the British mainland to visit Scotland with Border Bows, Yorkshire with Aidy Hayes, the Wirral with Jason from thelongbowshop.com, down South with the Company of Canterbury Longbowman, and Geoff is in Spain.

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Making the Laminated English Warbow - The Longbow Series