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This is a discussion on "Ask me about archery, longbows especially." in the Research forum.
linen was very popular.
T.Allen.Smith - cheers again for the info. I didn't even think of it being unstrung, to be honest. I've probably skim-read over details quite often.
Caged Maiden - cool video. I'd love to learn archery. I'd also like to get back into fencing - it has been a while. I used to make a lot of weapons as a kid, though. Bows and the like. Anything that'd shoot at something else. Some of them actually worked pretty well.
Great shooting Ani!,
I just wanted to ad a bit about keeping a primitive bow strung. (Primitive meaning that it is made from all natural materials ie no glass) A wood or composite bow will do something called 'following the string' if it is left strung too long, or even after a few hours of shooting. What that means is that once the bow is unstrung it does not go back to it's regular 'unstrung' shape, rather it 'follows the string' and maintains some of the curve it has when strung, which of course weakens it. Most bows will recover their unstrung shape after a few days in a dry place if stored properly.
I have not heard of intestines being used for bowstring but that doesn't mean it isn't true by any means. I know that tendons and sinew are/were highly valued for 'backing' a bow. The tendons from the back legs of elks are bought and sold on e-bay for this purpose. I have never seen it done, but I believe they take the dried tendon, hammer it until it breaks down in to long strips of fibre and glue it on to the back of the bow. Native Americans used this technique extensively to significantly increase the power of their bows. Rattlesnake skins were and still are used in the same manner. Two great magazines with all sorts of information like this are "Traditional Archer" and "Primitive Archer". I think they both have websites. Thanks for all the input. You folks are awesome!
Last edited by John McDonell; 6-10-12 at 9:57 AM. Reason: spelling
I made my own bow, it is a composite of four woods, from the outer bamboo to an inner of heartwood yew. It pulls about 65lbs and with self made hunting arrows is viciously accurate at 100yards.
I love bows I wish I could get a better one, I have a 45# re-curve made from fiber glass I think. I have a few questions about bows in general
1. Can you mix the type of designs of bows such as a re-curve and a long bow? I have a book I am working on and the bow that comes to mind that my characters are using are something like Legolas from Lord of the Rings.
2. If I mix a design like that what is a maximum draw weight on the bow?
3. What is the pros and cons of having a quiver on the back vs. having the quiver on the hip
then the thing I want to comment on is the type of string when you talk of linen caged maiden is that the same thing as Flax or is that different
1. I don't see how you could mix a design of a recurve and a long bow. The advancement from long bow to recurve was a tech advancement. Before recurves, bow limbs only bent one way. The recurve design (2 curves on each bow limb) allowed for a more compact frame while still having a powerful draw weight. A recurve design & a long bow design are mutually exclusive.Originally Posted by Lightryu68
I have seen recurve/compound bow hybrids where the limbs curve & compound pulleys lower on the bow limbs aid the ease of the draw. This would likely be too modern for most fantasy applications.
2) There technically is no maximum draw weight on a bow. The draw weight has three factors:
1- the thickness and quality of the materials used 2- the technique used in making the bow (design).
3- the draw length of the archer. For example, an archer that has a draw length of 28 inches might draw 45 lbs of weight. An archer with longer arms might draw the same bow to 50 lbs of weight because he is pulling the limbs farther back & therefore increasing force. Usually bows are weighted something like this: 55lbs @ 30"
3) quiver placement is purely personal preference. Some quivers are even attached to the bow itself but these usually only hold 6 arrows & are more for modern hunting.
It makes sense to me that quiver placement would be dictated by where an individual wears their melee weapons. If I have 2 long knives in my hips I'd place the quiver on my back.
Last edited by T.Allen.Smith; 6-11-12 at 11:48 AM.
“Maybe the hardest thing in writing is simply to tell the truth about things as we see them.”
― John Steinbeck
Historically, many archers never used quivers. In a war setting, many used straw bales or the ground, and hunters frequently tucked three arrows in their belts. I have many historical paintings referencing this for my quiver research paper.
As far as a hip quiver or a back quiver? As a female, bunches of straps crossing your chest makes things uncomfortable, but I am making a back quiver after I'm done with my hip quiver. If you make it yourself, you can adjust for comfort in design. We have several men and women who use both to great effect. So personal preference is the deciding factor there.
When I shoot normal target, I use a hip quiver. When I shoot speed rounds, I stick 8 arrows in my boot. That way they don't move and they're always in the same place.
Linen is made from flax, yes.
I guess you use only field points, broadheads in the boots or razor tips might hurt.
My first leather project was a quiver. Funny thing, I never attached the straps.
The only thing I remember bout grammar is she baked me cookies.
http://severinr.deviantart.com/
True that. I only do target archery, and we aren't allowed to use broadheads. I am using medieval bodkins for this next project, but only six of my twenty-four arrows will be pointed. The rest will be field point.
I am making a really neat quiver right now. If I get it done anytime soon, I'll post some pics.
Also, I'd like to note that a "quiver" is any container used for transporting arrows. Historically, this might have meant a leather open quiver at the hip or on the back, or even a bladric style. Also though, it is used to describe arrow bags which were made of linen and employed leather spacers to separate the arrows within. It featured a drawstring bottom and top which would be pulled up and pulled tight to protect the feathers. The arrows were meant to be pulled down and out the bottom in this case, because broadpoints will not pull up through the spacers, rather, the fletches passed down through them.
Also, a quiver might have been an ordinary wooden box and could have stored many arrows.
Eastern quivers looked different than European ones, in that most often they were made of lacquered wood, sometimes strapped to a saddle to use while mounted. Other times, they had hinged lids (leather hinges) and could be used on the hip or presumable the back.
One thing about a back quiver, when making one, you need to make sure it either hangs at an angle which allows for a comfortable draw or cut it in a way so as to have one side mostly open. Personally I'm used to using a hip quiver, but again, design is really important when going for function. Back quivers are easier to travel with because they don't flop around when you are moving, but they can be trickier to draw an arrow from. If speed is important, having arrows in your belt or in a hip quiver might be faster.
Okay so I am starting my tutorial. I am cutting the videos right now and hope to have this project done by next week, so here's the link for those of you who want to follow and make your own arrows or just learn how they were made for your research. Thank you for the support and interest. Arrow-making Tutorial
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