I've made one bow, a 67" osage longbow. I have two more in the works, another osage and one of ash. The ash works like a dream compared to the osage. The bowyers bibles all have useful info for the beginner(as well as lots of stuff that is beyond the beginner) and
Cherokee Bows and Arrows is a good no-nonsense read full of alot of insight from a seasoned bowyer.
I made my first one with a small flexcut draw knife and a cheap set of cabinet scrapers. I have since acquired an antique 8' drawknife that took a wicked sharp edge and works much better for large stock removal. I used an axe this time as well, and I feel kind of dumb for not using it on my first bow. It's good for thinning the width of the stave, especially if you are trying to follow the grain(for a figure bow). The cheap scrapers are still in use, I just burnish them more often.
The sapwood/heartwood thing seems to be downplayed by experienced bowyers, unless refering to yew(although it is not uncommon to see it on other woods.) IMHO, you'de be better off learning the distinction between early wood and late wood.
I am thinking about making a shaving horse/bowyer's bench sometime in the near future.
If there is any beginners advice I could give, that would be to take it slow, and expect your progress to be even slower.
