KUALA NERUS: Besides the exorbitant price, the difficulty in finding a quality traditional bow in the market is what drove Zulfkifli Latif, 59, who is from Kampung Padang Hangus here, to make his own bows.
In fact, what started as a desire to make bows for his own use, now earns Zulkifli a good income from making and selling bows.
According to Zulkifli, he started making his own traditional bows for the sport of archery about four years ago because of his deep interest in the sport.
He said that the process of making it was not easy and it took him two years of research and development before producing a product that was not only durable but also of good quality.
“I first got involved in archery about 10 years ago. At that time, everyone involved in the sports knew how difficult it was to find a good and sturdy traditional bow. Even if you find one in the market, the price would be expensive.
“For two years I tried to make my own bows using a variety of materials including rattan, wood, bamboo, and a fish rod … but none was durable,” he told Bernama when met at his workshop in Kampung Padang Hangus, today.
According to Zulkifli, his unwavering effort finally bore fruits when he made a bow with material made from epoxy fibre (EFG) which he bought from China.
He said the material was suitable because it is pliable and resistant, not easy to break, and is reasonably priced.
“The difference between a traditional bow and those used in modern archery like Recurve and Compound is the simple construction and without aid. Therefore, those using it would need to be more focussed and controlled to ensure that the arrow is right on target,” he said.
Zulkifli said he is able to produce around 50 bows a month with the help of his two sons, Alif Azizul, 35, and Alif Hakimi, 27.
Each bow produced by Zulkifli is hand-made and sold between RM400 and RM500 which is much lower compared with the same product in the market, sold at RM600 and above.
Zulkifli also said his clients were individuals, archery clubs, and sports shops from all over the country.
“Thank God, my two sons share the same interest which made it easier for them to inherit the skills and business. I would not be able to handle all the demands if I was alone in the business.
“I give a one-year warranty for each bow sold, and if there was damage or the bow is broken, they can come to have if repaired for free. That’s among the services we offer for customer satisfaction,” said the member of the Terengganu Traditional Archery Association or Gapeter. – BERNAMA
