Before we can start Tillering (the art of getting the stave to bend) you are going to need a string, this is an art and skill all of its own, you could of course buy one, but if you think you can make a bow then you can make a string!  The details you need on how to make a basic Longbow string are in the below video, if you want to buy the materials to make a string then pop along to our store www.richardheadlongbows.com

As Richard mentions at the end of the above video, its now time to apply the `serving`, this is an extra layer of thread to preserve the middle of the string where the arrow and you hand will be, please have a look at the video below to understand this process. 

The next step to complete your string is to add a `nocking point` this is a physical mark placed at a particular point on the serving to allow you to place (nock) the arrow correctly and in the same place each time you shoot.  Whilst we are still only at the point of starting tillering our bow you may not need to do this yet, once you have completed your bow and its ready for shooting then follow the below video.