The Timber Hitch or Boyer's Knot.

Ok Folks here is a diagram of the timber hitch, also known as the Boyer's knot.

In many cases flemish braid strings were braided with a loop at only one end, meaning that the top had a loop braided into the string and the other end was left loose. This loose end was to be tied onto the lower limb nock and left there permanently.

The knot most probably used was the Boyer's knot. I am sure that other knots were used as well but I do not have the time or resources to track down evidence of them all.

It is simple to tie and as I discovered, simple to goof up if you don't pay attention. My first time trying this knot, the knot slipped and I was hot stripped by a waxed string coming up from below. It hurts, so don't make the same mistake I did.

Ok the basic knot is a loop, right? What you do is hold the string in your left hand with a tail hanging out. The length of the tail is dictated by the knot you want to make and how short you want to make the bowstring.

Now take the tail and loop it back, making sure that the tail goes under the string and over not the other way as it is not secure nor the traditional way to tie the knot. It is this first under and over that is important as this will be pinched between string and bow where it will be held more securely and will not slip.

As the tail loops over the string, slide it back through the loop a couple of times, in the picture you can see that it is looped 3 times. This pinches the end of the string in the knot and holds everything tight and thus you have the Boyer's knot.