So, you’re trying to figure out how to make a bow with a string. Maybe you’re out in the woods pretending you’re a survivalist, or maybe you just found a really nice piece of PVC pipe in the garage and thought, "Yeah, I can turn that into a weapon." Honestly, most people mess this up because they think the string is just a piece of rope. It isn't. A bow string is a high-tension cable that has to store energy without snapping your face off.
It’s about physics.
When you draw a bow, you’re compressing the belly (the side facing you) and stretching the back (the side facing away). The string is the catalyst. If the string has too much stretch—like a bungee cord or cheap nylon—you lose all that kinetic energy. You’ll end up with an arrow that flops three feet in front of you. Not great.
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To actually make a bow with a string that works, you need to understand materials. We aren't just tying knots here. We are creating a mechanical system.
What Most People Get Wrong About Bow Strings
Don't use paracord. I know, every "survival" YouTuber tells you to use 550 paracord for everything, but for a bow string, it's garbage. Paracord is designed to stretch. It’s a shock absorber. If you put it on a longbow, the "creep" (the permanent elongation of the string) will happen almost instantly. You’ll be constantly retightening it until the cord is thin and dangerous.
Instead, look for Dacron B50. It’s the gold standard for traditional bows. It has just enough give to not snap a wooden bow limb, but it’s stiff enough to actually shoot. If you're going modern, you'd look at things like FastFlight, but that stuff is so low-stretch it can actually shatter an old-school wooden bow because it doesn't absorb any of the vibration.
Then there’s the "string" itself. You aren't just buying a spool and tying it on. You have to build it. Most professional strings are either "Endless Loop" or "Flemish Twist." The Flemish twist is the one that looks cool—it’s braided and tapered—and it’s actually more durable for field use because it doesn't have a single point of failure at a knot.
Material Science in Your Backyard
If you’re truly stuck in the middle of nowhere and need to know how to make a bow with a string using what’s around you, you’re looking for inner bark or animal products. Think dogbane, milkweed, or even stinging nettle. You have to strip the fibers, dry them, and then reverse-twist them into a cord. It's a slow process. Your hands will hurt.
Sinew is the "pro" move. Traditional Native American bows often used sinew from the legs or back of a deer. It’s basically natural fiberglass. When it dries, it shrinks, which actually adds "pre-load" to the bow, making it snappier. But unless you're a hunter with a carcass ready, stick to the synthetic stuff.
The Actual Build: How to Make a Bow with a String
Let’s assume you have a "stave"—a piece of wood. Maybe it's hickory, orange osage, or even just a decent piece of ash. You've shaped it. It’s got a "tiller" (the curve of the limbs). Now you need the string to pull it all together.
Step one is measuring. A general rule of thumb for a longbow is that the string should be about 3 to 4 inches shorter than the bow itself, measured from nock to nock. This creates the "brace height"—that gap between the handle and the string when the bow is at rest.
If your brace height is too low, the string hits your wrist. It hurts. A lot.
- Find your length. Take your string material and measure out about 3 times the length of the bow. You need the extra length for the loops.
- The "Timber Hitch." If you’re just testing the bow (tillering), use a timber hitch on one end. It’s a knot that gets tighter the more you pull on it, but it’s easy to undo so you can adjust the length.
- Waxing. This is the part people skip. You need beeswax. Rub it into the string until the fibers fuse into a single unit. This prevents fraying and keeps moisture out. Water is the enemy of a natural string; it makes it heavy and slow.
The Flemish Twist Technique
This is the "real" way to make a bow with a string. You take two bundles of threads—let’s say 6 strands of Dacron each. You twist them individually away from you, then wrap them around each other toward you. This creates a rope that won't unravel.
To make the loop, you fold the twisted part back onto the main body of the string and continue twisting the ends into the main strands. The friction alone holds it. No knots. No weak points. It’s beautiful, honestly.
Understanding Brace Height and Tiller
Once the string is on, the bow is under tension. This is when things get scary. If the wood has a hidden flaw, this is when it explodes.
You want a brace height of around 6 to 7 inches for a standard longbow. If the string is too long, you just unhook one end and twist the string. Each twist shortens it slightly. This is why we use "twisted" strings rather than just a straight piece of wire or cord.
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Check the "tiller." Are both limbs bending equally? If the top limb is bending more than the bottom, your string isn't the problem—your wood is. But a good string allows you to see these flaws clearly.
Why Silencers Matter
Ever wonder why some bows have fuzzy balls on the string? Those aren't for decoration. They’re "string silencers," usually made of beaver fur or wool. When you release an arrow, the string vibrates like a guitar string. That "twang" is the sound of wasted energy and it also scares away whatever you're aiming at. Adding these little weights dampens the vibration.
Safety and Maintenance: Don't Get Hit
A bow string is a razor under tension. If a strand starts to fray, the whole thing is a ticking time bomb.
Check the "serving." The serving is the extra bit of thread wrapped around the middle of the string where the arrow nocks and where your fingers grip. This protects the actual string from wear. If the serving looks loose, fix it immediately. You can use dental floss in a pinch, though serving thread is better.
Also, never "dry fire" your bow. That means pulling the string back and letting go without an arrow. Without the weight of the arrow to absorb the energy, that energy goes back into the limbs and the string. The string can snap, or worse, the bow can delaminate and send splinters into your arm.
Natural Alternatives
If you aren't using Dacron, what else works?
- Linen: Surprisingly strong. It was the go-to for medieval archers.
- Silk: Very fast, very expensive, very prone to rotting if it gets wet.
- Rawhide: Great for backing a bow, but as a string, it’s a bit temperamental with humidity.
Actionable Next Steps
If you’re serious about this, don't just grab a piece of clothesline from the backyard. Start by ordering a spool of Dacron B50 and some beeswax.
Before you try to string a heavy wooden bow, practice making a "Flemish Twist" with some cheap twine. Get the muscle memory down. Once you can make a 10-inch loop that doesn't slip, you're ready for the real thing.
Measure your bow’s "nock-to-nock" length carefully. Subtract 3.5 inches. That is your target string length.
Build a "string board"—basically a piece of wood with nails at specific intervals—to help you measure the strands accurately. Consistency is the difference between a bow that shoots straight and one that’s just a dangerous stick.
Finally, always keep a spare string. Even the best-made strings fail eventually, usually at the worst possible time. Keep your spare waxed and stored in a cool, dry place. If you're using natural fibers like linen, check them for dry rot every single season.
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Building a bow is an art, but making the string is the science that makes it work. Take your time. Don't rush the twists. A well-made string should last you thousands of shots.