[Archers] More Broken Bows

[Garth Groff]

Noble friends,

This Saturday I was inspecting and prepping our bows before leaving for 
a practice. I was planning to shoot the new traditional yew longbow I 
got a few weeks back. After inspecting the bow, I thought I would blow 
off a few arrows on the 8-yard range I have in the basement. I hadn't 
even drawn the bow halfway with my first arrow before it exploded into 
three pieces, right at eye-level. I feel very lucky that I wasn't 
injured, but all the pieces were cast forward.

The good news is that I emailed the bowyer and he got right back to me 
with an offer of a similar bow he was just finishing. He even offered me 
an osage orange longbow at half price. I politely declined his generous 
offer, and asked for the next yew bow. I really want this for living 
history demonstrations, and a substitute wood just won't work (I already 
have a hickory traditional longbow which I wanted to replace with yew). 
The next yew bow will not be shot. I have plenty of other bows for that.

So are there lessons to be learned here? Probably not, since I went 
through the whole inspection cycle (except the drawing, which would have 
had the same effect). So Baron Colum is not alone.

I propose we start an honorary order, the Society of Shattered Stave 
Survivors. Any Scadian archer who has had a bow completely break is 
eligible for membership with all rights and duties pertaining (which are 
none). I nominate Baron Colum, Lady Sarah Sinclair who broke an Ed 
Brayette bow at practice, and myself. Any others?

Kind regards,


Lord Mungo Napier, Shire of Isenfir TA Marshal