Hardest part of making your first bow?

Welcome to the world of bow making!

What is the hardest part of making your first bow?

When I first started making bows, I was too stubborn to look for information on how to make a bow. That being the case, I decided to try making a bow with only some wood working skills and an idea of what a finished bow should look like. It wasn’t until after I broke my first three attempts, a pine bow, poplar bow, and red-oak bow, that I found my first online tutorial on how to make a bow. 

It was then I realized just how much I didn’t understand about bow making and determined to do more research to better understand the mechanics of bows and how to best make them. Since then, I have spent my time building and learning about bows.

If I was to start all over again, I would start with a more forgiving wood, like hickory, and a nice tutorial on how to make a simple longbow. No need to make it complicated. Start simple and learn the basics of tillering. Once you get started, then you will learn how to improve.