Making a Laid in Bowstring by David Sinfield

Making a laid in bowstring
in lots of easy steps by David Sinfield





This is what you’ll need to get started from left to right:
• Beeswax
• Knife
• Dacron (I’m making a two colour string because it looks cool and you’ll be able to follow the
process better I hope
• Serving string on a server (next tutorial will be serving)


Measure the string against the bow by tying in to one of the nocks and reeling out at least a foot longer than the bow:





When you have one strand the right length measure half the number of strands that you’ll need against this one. I’m making a 10 strand string for an ash bow that puills about 30lbs so I’ve got 5 strands here.





Cut through the loops at each end and you’ll end up with 5 separate strands.

Do the same with the other half of the string and cut another 10 strands about 10” long . We are going to use these to reinforce the loop.




Take a bundle of short strands and a bundle of long strands and lay them parallel and scrape the ends with a sharp knife to feather them off.



Now wax all the strands together.



And feather off the other end of the short strands and wax them in to.



Repeat with the other ply and you’ll end up with this:



Pinch the bundles together below where the short ends start:



Take the top bundle and twist it between your finger and thumb of the other hand until it kinks.


Twist it away from you by rolling your thumb upwards.



Cross the top string over the bottom. You need to hold the twists in (I’ve let go so you can see what is happening. Then twist the other bundle (which is now the top) and cross it over the top:



Repeat this and you’ll start to end up with something that holds itself together.




Do enough to make a loop that will comfortably slip a foot down the top limb of your bow. Bend it on itself to make the loop and paiif off the two sets of strands. Wax them together.




Then twist and cross again until you are past all the feathered out ends:




Find something to hook the loop over and get equal tension in the two sets of strands. I use my big toe but it was a bit cold when I was doing this.




Measure the string against the bow to determine where you are going to lay in the knot end. The feather off the knot end with a knife then wax them and twist and cross again until you run out of string:




You now have something that looks a bit like a bow string.




The knot used for the knot end should be a timber hitch. It’s not easy to see here but you can remember it by saying “over round and though and through. It makes a slip knot that won’t slip and under tension and when not in tension can be untied:




Make the string too long and adjust the length by twisting the knot end anticlockwise as you look down the string. If you twist it the other way you’ll unwind the laying in.


When you have the string on the bow and under tension the whole string can be waxed and the wax rubbed in with some soft leather. You need to rub until your fingers are getting hot through the leather.




And here it is on the bow:








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