GREEN ARROW BOGOR ARCHERY SCHOOL

BELAJAR MEMBUAT
SURVIVAL BOW DARI BAMBU

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Build a Bamboo Survival Bow in 30 Minutes

http://sensiblesurvival.blogspot.co.id/2012/03/build-bamboo-survival-bow-in-30-minutes.html

Bamboo has been used for millennia to make fine bows. It is tough, straight grained, very flexible, and
easy to work. Bamboo is used for backing on many traditional laminated bows. This bow is neither fine,
nor traditional, nor laminated; but it is quick and easy to make, and it works.

To build this bow you will need a nice large cane of bamboo. The walls of the cane should be at least three-
eights of an inch thick, and the cane need s to be about five or six feet long. Pictured below: Bamboo for
bow making

Use a hatchet, or heavy knife to split the cane in half. Pictured below: top, Splitting bamboo; bottom, two
pieces of the split cane

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Now take one of the pieces of bamboo and use your hatchet or knife to split off the sides and narrow the
part that you will use to about two inches in width. Pictured below: top, Splitting off sides; bottom, two
inch wide stave

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Use you hatchet and knife to shape the front profile of the bow. It should be about two inches wide in the
middle and taper to about one inch on the tips. Pictured below: top, Shaping bow with the hatchet;
middle, tapering the limbs; bottom, finished profile

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Next you can use your knife to carve a couple of notches in each end for the bowstring. Pictured below:
Carving notches

Now its time to make the handle. Cut a stick that is about an inch to an inch-and-a-half in diameter and
about a foot long. Taper the ends of the stick as shown below. Pictured below: tapering the handle stick

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Carve out any joints in the area where the handle will rest then test the fit of the handle. Pictured below:
top, carving out a joint; bottom, handle resting in place in the cane

If the handle fits you can take some cordage and wrap the handle to secure it in place. In the illustration
below I am using some yucca cordage that I had made earlier, but you can use para-cord, a shoelace, or

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anything else that you have. Pictured below: Wrapping handle

All you need now is a bowstring. I used some more yucca cordage for my bowstring. Pictured below:
Finished bow, strung and ready for use

This particular bow, which is only about a quarter inch thick, is not all that powerful, about twenty
pounds; but thicker bamboo will make a more powerful bow. I wouldnt hesitate to use this bow to try and

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take a rabbit, coon, possum, or other small game. Pictured below: Bamboo bow at full draw

POSTED BY SENSIBLE SURVIVAL AT 5:40 PM

15 COMMENTS:

Michael Degorter said...

Does the bamboo need to be dried (if so, how?) or can I just pluck a piece out of the ground and
get to it?

Also, must the bow be split straight down the middle or can one give it a more lopsided cut to
increase power?

JUNE 7, 2012 AT 6:26 AM

Sensible Survival said...

You can make a bamboo bow like this using green bamboo. The idea is that this is a quickie
survival bow and in that situation you would not really have time to cure the bamboo. If you cure
the bamboo it will make a more powerful bow. I have a friend that has a bow he brought back

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from Korea that is made of bamboo with a sinew backing. It is a very good bow. I am currently
curing some bamboo to make a bow of this type. As for leaving the bow wider, I am not sure. The
curved sides would be under a lot of compression, but if the wood holds up to the compression it
would definitely add power. It would be worth a try. If you do this, I'd be interested to know what
the results are. Hank

JUNE 7, 2012 AT 7:09 PM

Sensible Survival said...

To cure bamboo I put the whole canes up in the rafters of my shop and just leave it for a few
months. I don't split it until after it is cured. Seems to work fine. Hank

JUNE 7, 2012 AT 7:12 PM

marin said...

What I accidentally found out when I was testing My bow was that if you split the bow ends in half
then it bends better even if it is dry

DECEMBER 18, 2012 AT 10:52 PM

Michael Kenyon said...

I was thinking I could double up on the bamboo to increase power. I would think by placing one
shoot inside the other, stacked the back of the outside piece to the front of the inside one. Also you
can use smaller bamboo reeds to make arrows with

JANUARY 13, 2013 AT 10:29 PM

prasad said...

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but my bow broke when I tried to tie the string. 2 times

MARCH 23, 2013 AT 7:39 PM

Paige Van Etten said...

What inch size do I need? 1 or 5 in.?

APRIL 9, 2013 AT 6:0 5 PM

Sensible Survival said...

The larger the diameter of the bamboo, the flatter and thicker your finished bow will be. Use the
largest bamboo that you can find. Hank

APRIL 10, 2013 AT 9: 27 AM

ShadowedSun said...

what type of bamboo would be best to use?

OCTOBER 27, 2013 AT 2:05 PM

ShadowedSun said...

What type of bamboo is best to use?

what type are you using?

OCTOBER 27, 2013 AT 2:06 PM

Sensible Survival said...

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I'm afraid I don't know specifically what type of bamboo this bow is made from. The stuff just
grows wild here in East Texas. It is a frosty green and grows up about 15 or 20 feet tall and maybe
three inches in diameter. Sorry I can't be more help.
Hank

NOVEMBER 7, 2013 AT 7:27 AM

Bryce Li said...

My bow broke, since it was way too thin

JANUARY 28, 2014 AT 3:22 PM

garrett bavosa said...

It looks like u bent or warped the bamboo. How did you do this

MARCH 5, 2014 AT 6:05 PM

Jester Blackguarde said...

If I were to do something like this, I'd make is a laminate bow. Basically, just follow the
instructions here, but repeat them a few times, and stack the separate "bows" you made together,
and bind them at the center and near the tip. This will potentially make the bow more powerful.

MARCH 5, 2015 AT 9:35 AM

John Turner said...

good article, here i found a good article about how to pick your perfect bow, how to make one and
how to hunting with a bow https://www.patriotdirect.org/seven-tips-for-bow-hunting-for-
survival/

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