[Archers] wooden bows

[Michael]

Wow, what a talkative bunch we all are :)


> On the other hand, I can make a wood bow myself, if I have the right bit
> of forest to start from, and the same goes for arrows. I suspect many of us
> also are attached to the wide arrow shelf and flatter arrow trajectory of
> fiberglass bows. I haven't yet spent more than $200 on a self bow, while
> the last (admittedly very nice) fiberglass bow I tried out was over $600.
> Ash was certainly widely used in period, and hey, unlike yew, it grows
> here; as do hickory, and sometimes osage. But somehow I find I'm often the
> only one shooting a self bow at our events...
>

in service,

Eirik Gralokkr

>
>
> Today's Topics:
>
>   1. Re: Archers Digest, Vol 101, Issue 30 (John Atkins)
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:28:00 -0500
> From: "John Atkins" <cogworks at triad.rr.com>
> To: <archers at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org>
> Subject: Re: [Archers] Archers Digest, Vol 101, Issue 30
> Message-ID: <011f01ccecf1$dc0859b0$94190d10$@triad.rr.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Back in my Trimarian days when I was first apprenticed to a laurel, his
> advice was that you KNOW how to make it, not that you actually HAD to make
> as they did in period.  His example was an A&S entry.  Note how it was done
> in period and why you choose not to do it that way in your entry.  Example:
> period pigments versus modern guache.  Period pigments - lethal, guache -
> not.  So those of us who don't shoot yew ELBs or horse bows from Yumi,
> horn,
> raw hide, et al, could easily explain how bows were made in period and why
> we choose not to use that type bow.  First thing that comes to mind for me
> is that a true ELB made out of yew costs about as much as 3Rivers Tomahawk,
> The 3Rivers bow is glass backed which means I can shoot it for years,
> whereas the yew bow will, over time begin string follow and reduce its
> poundage and ultimately become a nice wall hanging.  Even though, like most
> here, I'm obsessed with archery and have way too many bows, at least Lady E
> thinks so, I would still rather spend my $$ for a bow that I can use for
> more than a few years.  (Yes, I know there are exceptions.  I actually have
> an old Ben Pearson lemon wood bow that is still serviceable, but it is the
> exception.)  As for my arrows, I have a set of "period" arrows I made just
> for demos.  But I choose not to shoot period arrows.  Too much effort for
> arrows that I will most likely damage over a short period of time.  Thus
> plastic nocks and field tips, all replaceable if need be or does not cause
> crying due to loss of arrow that took a long time to make!
>
>
>
> But I think the point that most accomplished archers make their own arrows,
> strings, quivers and arm guards versus most heavies that buy all their
> armor, weapons and shields is not really a fair comparison.  Not arguing
> for
> or against, just pointing out some things that stand out to me.
>
>
>
> Now stainless steel versus mild steel or modern glass backed longbow versus
> all wood ELB, yeah, similar comparisons.  But I think the real area of
> distinction is how many archers can talk intelligently about bow types and
> cultures that used each versus heavies talking about "period" fighting
> techniques and weapons and cultures that used each.  i.e. flat snap and
> butt
> wrap, are those actually period terms?  I have a few sword fighting books
> and I can't find those references in the indexes.
>
>
>
> cog
>
>
>
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