Christian Wanka, son of Herbert Wanka, studied bow making in his parents' workshop from 1992-1995. He finished his apprenticeship in 1995 and received the highest national rating in the journeyman's exam for bowmaking.
The classical Wanka bow is influenced by the work of Eugene Sartory, Alfred Lamy and Gotthard Schuster. His newer bow model is influenced by the work of Dominique Peccatte and Étienne Pajeotand, following the so-called "new french school of bowmaking".