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DIY Medieval Crossbow

Crossbows are very accurate and powerful weapons used for hunting and for sport. While most people buy crossbows from hunting stores, people in medieval reenactment groups enjoy making their own medieval crossbows from basic parts for a fraction of the price. Although making your own functioning medieval crossbow can seem like a daunting task it is actually a very simple process that anyone can complete with the right tools.

Things You'll Need

Crossbow stock
Sandpaper
Water proofing sealant
Crossbow stirrup
Construction grade adhesive
Crossbow tickler and tickler hood
Crossbow trigger
Bow string

Instructions

- 1
  Sand the body of your 24 inch crossbow stock so that it matches the shape and design of your choice. Sand all the edges on the top portion of the stock, including the groove for the bolts and the area around the anchor of the drawstring.
- 2
  Cut a 1 to 1.75 inch groove into the front of the stock leaving two inch wide nudges on the top and bottom of the groove. The groove should be cut at a six degree angle.
- 3
  Coat the stock in your choice of sealant. Allow the stock to fully dry before you begin attaching any of the other pieces to it.
- 4
  Mount the bow to the 6 degree cut you made with construction grade adhesive or the screws provided with the stirrup depending on the design of your bow. Some bows are made so that the bow is held in place on its own while others use the stirrup to pin the bow against the stock and drive screws through the stirrup into the stock.
- 5
  Place the tickler in the slot about 11 and half inches from the front of the crossbow. Place the tickler so that the notch for the drawstring is at the top and sand down any edges that stop the tickler from turning without too much pressure.
- 6
  Slide the locking mechanism up through the underside of the stock so that it locks with the smaller groove in the bottom of the tickler, use construction grade adhesive to glue the stock cover onto the side of the stock where you attached the tickler keeping the tickler in place. Attach the tickler hood to the top of your stock so that the metal hood runs over and protects the mechanism you just constructed.
- 7
  Attach the crossbow trigger to the underside of the stock by sliding the shorter curved edge up into the trigger groove where you place the locking mechanism of the tickler. Adjust the trigger until the edge of it is against the locking mechanism and releases when you pull the trigger up against the stock, allowing the mechanism to slide freely. Most triggers are connected to the stock by a single pin that runs through the width of the stock and through a hold in the trigger however this may vary depending on the trigger you have.
- 8
  Attach your bowstring to the grooves in the ends of your bow and pull the string back notching it in the grooves of your tickler. Make sure the trigger is in the locked position and that your mechanism holds. Pull the trigger to test that the mechanism is working and that your string is released.

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