WhipperWil Archery

WhipperWil Archery is a father-and-son operation in Elizabethtown, PA that's been making custom bows for nearly 30 years. Bill Darr and his son build every bow by hand using the same methods archers have used for thousands of years—no power tools, no shortcuts, just natural wood and hand tools.

Every bow starts the same way: logs are split (not sawed) and air-dried to 7-10% moisture content. The team works the wood to a single growth ring on the back of the bow, then shapes the profile following the tree's natural grain. This approach means each bow is unique, and it lets them work with the wood instead of against it.

• •All bows are guaranteed for life. They stand behind durability because they oversee every step—from log to finished product.

Wood options: Osage Orange, Mulberry, Ash, Elm, Yew, and others

Custom additions: - Snake skin backing: +$200 - Horn or antler tips: +$100 - Inlayed horn shelves: +$50 - Bows over 55 lbs (up to 100 lbs): +$100

Draw weights range from 25–55 lbs standard; heavier draws available.

Arrows are made the same way—hand-planed shafts, hardwood reinforced nocks, turkey feather fletchings. No plastic materials used anywhere. Every arrow is spine-matched to the specific bow it's made for.

Arrow pricing: - Standard wooden arrows: $60 (half dozen) / $120 (dozen) - Footed arrows: $120 (half dozen) - Broadhead arrows: $125 (half dozen) - Single arrows with obsidian points: $20 each - Kids arrows: $40 (half dozen) / $80 (dozen)

All arrows are hand-spined in 5-lb increments and grain-weighed within 10 grains of each other.

Every quiver and arm guard is handmade from leather, hand-stitched, hand-sewn.

Knives: $30–$100 depending on the blade

WhipperWil does archery and siege weapon demonstrations. They bring a trebuchet and siege bow, shoot at human-painted targets up to 160 yards away to show how longbows were used in historical warfare. Bill sometimes shoots multiple arrows at once at moving targets thrown by Yeoman. Demos include historical context and occasional live siege weapon firing.

The shop also does traditional flint knapping. Bill makes single obsidian-tipped arrows ($20 each) as part of this work.

Handmade bows and arrows cost more because they take more skill and time. WhipperWil doesn't compete on price—they compete on quality and customization. If you want a bow built for YOUR draw length and weight, with wood that's been properly dried and worked with intention, this is the shop. The lifetime guarantee is backup; the real promise is that every bow will shoot the way it's supposed to.