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Hello! One thing I've been wanting to do for a while is craft a bow and arrow by natural means, like the Native Americans did centuries ago. My flintknapping skills haven't improved at all, and I'm stuck on what natural fiber I can harvest for a bow string. Any advice?
Exactly what are you asking the advice about, bowmaking, flint napping, cordage?
Here in KY I would recommend one type wood and several local fibers. In Texas it would be another recommendation, in Kalifornia another.
While bowbuilding is a complex task that takes some mastery, fletching arrows is even more detailed.
If you do a search through our archives you should find several threads. There are also many websites on the internet dealing with primitive archers and bow building.
If you check out the making stuff section, there are several threads and tutorials on those subjects.
A start;
http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...king-a-longbow
Cherokee Indians made a string from fox squirrel hide. They would tan the hide, then cut it in a spiral to get a long solid length, then use the twist away, pull over method of making it two strand, then if need be double it again to get the strength they wanted / needed.
It was tied at one end then slipped up to the nock to brace it.
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Thank you all for your advice, I'll check it out.
Another thing you may want to do is google "making a sapling bow" there are several tutorials on this on the web, both text and utube.
sapling bows and "board" bows are the decent starting place for homemade bows.
Each modern tool used has a more primitive alternative that replaces it. The learning curve for more primitive tools is steaper, and I found that replacing one part of the modern tool equation with a older solution at a time slowly lead me to doing things more old fashioned.
I am not yet at a full palio tech level, although I have used different parts of it.
Reflecting upon it, if I were to offer a direction I might suggest making a sapling or board bow using what ever tools you have / can get while also studying fling knapping to master making some flint tools.
Then you can test your knapped tools as you make your bow, while also having some modern items to help advance your bow making skills and over time the two will meet in some happy place.
(At least that is the path I have followed, feel free to follow the one that calls to you.)