He was German archery champion and took part in world and European championships, using bows he built himself. These are now in demand among archers worldwide. What is the secret of bow maker Thomas Müller?
“In 1999 I read a trade magazine about the ArcheryFrom this point on, my passion for building sports bows was awakened – a Viruswhich has never left me alone until today,” says Thomas Müller in conversation with the RHEINPFALZIn 2000 he took part in the German Championship with a self-made bow and became vice-champion, and in 2001 he even became German champion with around 500 participants.
He then often built bows for himself and experimented with them. “I had to accept setbacks, but over time the quality and performance of the bows got better and better. That’s when I came up with the idea of starting my own bow making business,” the 46-year-old Hatzenbühler recalls.
In 1999, he completed a two-year apprenticeship as a cabinetmaker at the CJD. After that, he worked at Daimler in Germersheim as a warehouse clerk until 2005. After that he became self-employed as a bow maker. Through his former training master he got the opportunity to train in the CJD in Maximiliansau “That was how I made the leap into self-employment,” he says happily to this day. His 25-year-old son works as a carpenter.
Hardly any time to participate in championships
Over the years, Müller several national and international titles, such as the 2016 Vice European Champion or the great 6th place at the World Championship in Dahn“This has enabled me to make international contacts and my bows have since found new owners all over the world,” he says proudly. However, his participation in championships is currently limited due to time constraints – with 25 to 30 hours of work on a bow, 90 percent of which is done by hand. “You have to work very accurately and precisely. If you don’t work precisely, the bow can break during any work,” he explains. According to Müller store maximum energy and transfer energy back to the arrow as quickly as possible.
The structure of his bows is similar to that of a cross-country ski. The top and bottom layers are made of GRP (fiber) glass, the core of the limbs is made of bamboo and the handle is made of the corresponding hardwoods in various selections. Exotic woods, Gemstonesmeteorites used. In stock Müller about 100 different types of wood such as shell maple, bird’s eye maple or amboin burl and zebrano from special wood dealers.
Popular with tournament shooters
His bows are purchased by advanced sports and tournament archers. He can only produce a small number of bows per year due to the complex manufacturing process. “About 50 to 70 bows,” he says. The cost is between 700 and 1000 euros, as exclusive materials are used.
The facility at Müller – his home club is Diana Jockgrim – in the CJD is similar to a carpenter’s workshop. But if you look closely, you can see the special facilities for these special needs. He also has ready-made bows in stock for test shooting. He also makes and sharpens knives in the workshop and does various leather work.
Info
You can view Müller’s website on the Internet at www.bogenbau-tfk.de. You can reach him at the email address [email protected] or by phone at 07271 408228 or 0172 7053758.
