Archery

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Archery

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Escribano

Posts: 6403
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy

Archery

The town where I live, has a long history of archery from medieval times. I fancied a hobby that took me into our large garden, and as my wife is doing the growing, I await delivery of a traditional, Eastern recurve bow.

In the meantime, I wondered about how bows are made so I bought part one of the bowyer's bible.

After many pages discussing wood, curing, profiles and angles it goes on to say that a pretty decent bow can also be made in a matter of hours. Which is like saying a flamenco guitar uses wood cured for years and takes weeks to make but anyone can also knock one up with green wood in a few hours.

I gave up on it when it was obvious to me that with all the pseudo-science, each bow can be very different, even from the same wood following some basic rules.

It completely lost me when this American book explains that a particular English bowyer could trace their ancestors back to the Stone Age

Anyway, I might make a longbow (it is in my English blood, after all), but I am going to learn how to shoot one first.

The archery festival in my town

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 27 2021 9:55:57

gerundino63

Posts: 1731
Joined: Jul. 11 2003
From: The Netherlands

RE: Archery (in reply to Escribano)

Cool Simon! In my young youth I made bows and arrows… even a crossbow.
I stoppen when I shoot a fiend and graze his neck. Blood, crying, and punished by my father. My mother broke the bows and arrow.
His father and big brother came to do the punishing all over.
This Robbin Hood was also a fast runner in that time…😃

Archery is zen according to the Japanese. I like that.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 27 2021 10:57:28

Escribano

Posts: 6403
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy

RE: Archery (in reply to gerundino63)

quote:

Cool Simon! In my young youth I made bows and arrows… even a crossbow.

Excellent. I was also into bows and arrows as a kid, as many were. My dad brought me a knife back from Denmark when I was about 8 years old and I promptly cut my thumb to the bone, making an arrow.

I recently found the knife again and restored it.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 27 2021 11:28:16

Piwin

Posts: 3504
Joined: Feb. 9 2016

RE: Archery (in reply to Escribano)

Nice!

I don't have a yard, so I make do with a rubber band and a cat. It's the poor indoorsman's equivalent to archery.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 27 2021 13:18:52

Paul Magnussen

Posts: 1791
Joined: Nov. 8 2010
From: London (living in the Bay Area)

RE: Archery (in reply to Escribano)

You might like to get hold of Longbow, by (the actor) Robert Hardy. He was the foremost English expert on the subject, and was consulted by the archæologist responsible for raising the Mary Rose.

I read it some years ago: it was excellent.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Longbow-Military-History-Robert-Hardy/dp/0857332481/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1AQU3MYH78QJU&dchild=1&keywords=robert+hardy+longbow&qid=1627405162&s=books&sprefix=Robert+Hardy%2Caps%2C312&sr=1-2

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 27 2021 18:06:42

Escribano

Posts: 6403
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy

RE: Archery (in reply to Paul Magnussen)

quote:

You might like to get hold of Longbow, by (the actor) Robert Hardy. He was the foremost English expert on the subject, and was consulted by the archæologist responsible for raising the Mary Rose.

Yeah, I was appalled when they broke one in testing to extreme angles that were not warranted (driven by a myth) as the bow strings they found put the bows at around 50-100lbs in draw weight. No more.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 27 2021 19:04:51

Escribano

Posts: 6403
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy

RE: Archery (in reply to Escribano)

I found an ash sapling to practice on in the forest. Here it is with said knife, which I again cut myself with !!!

This will probably have a recurve for more energy from a smaller bow (52 inches). Not much expected out of a sapling, maybe 15-20lbs.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 27 2021 19:08:10

gerundino63

Posts: 1731
Joined: Jul. 11 2003
From: The Netherlands

RE: Archery (in reply to Escribano)

Cool knife! And a lovely working spot.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 28 2021 12:15:25

Escribano

Posts: 6403
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy

RE: Archery (in reply to gerundino63)

It is rather peaceful under the grapevine.

I found another piece of wood by the road today, nice and straight and already dried out. Close grain with few knots but I don't know what tree it is from.

I might try that one while the first one dries out.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 28 2021 13:32:07