Bowstring

A bowstring joins the two ends of the bow stave and launches the arrow.

A good bow string is light weight, strength, resistance to abrasion, and resistance to water. Traditional materials include linen, hemp, other plant fibers, hair, sinew, silk, and rawhide. Almost any fiber may be used in emergency. Natural fibers would be very unusual on a modern recurve bow or compound bow, but are still effective and still used on traditional wooden or composite bows. Sinew and hide strings can be damaged by water. The author of Arab Archery suggests the hide of a young, emaciated camel.

Njál's saga describes the refusal of a wife, Hallgerður, to cut her hair to make an emergency bowstring for her husband, Gunnar Hámundarson, who is then killed.

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  Japanese bowstring (tsuru) and woven bowstring holder (tsurumaki)
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  A Turkish bowstring knot

Related pages

• Archery
• Bow (weapon)
• Garrotte