250 pounder attempt

[aznboi3644]

wow that looks truly like an Navi war bow...over 200lb at 36" draw...maybe a gorilla or an orangutan could draw it if we could train them.

[rudderbows]

Ian, thanks so much for the help.

[adb]

That's great, but why didn't you show us the bow at full draw? Can we see a full view of the bow at full draw and 225#? Thanks!

[CraigMBeckett]

Rudderbow,

It would be nice to see the bow.

Can you give us the dimensions and the material used?

Craig.

[rudderbows]

Its easier to get a digital photo than use the video camera for me. I will get a few shots of it here in a few days and post them.   Its a massive bow.  Nearly 1 1/2" wide at the widest point ( plus a 1/16")   80" in length tip to tip and is made from bamboo backed sapwood hickory.  In order to keep the weight high the tips were kept about 3/4" wide on the plus side.    Made from 1" thick board material unplaned. I searched for hickory that was a little more dense.  The bamboo is about 3/16" thick in the middle and of course being bamboo varies a bit in thicknesses along the pength of the bow.
 On looking back at the bow AND in condieration of the next one I kn ow the 225 is an impressive number, BUT I am dissappointed because I wanted a more realistic draw length more like 33" or so. The 225 came at 36".  This means a lighter weight back at 33".  Unless I am mistaken Not too many folks pull a bow to 36" inches.  Dont most of the English warbow shooters pull between 28 and 33" typically? Does anyone have some typical draw length averages for war bow shooters by chance?

[adb]

Well, I do believe the war arrow shafts found aboard the Mary Rose varied in length from 30.5" to 32". That's the shaft length from the valley of the nock to the base of the head, and not the arrow's OAL. That being said, most modern warbow shooters, me included, draw between 30-32". My draw length seems to be optimal at 31". Any more than that seems beyond the human limit. If I'm making a warbow, I'll tiller it to 32", and measure the weight there. What was your bow's draw weight at 32"? And no, I agree, tillering a bow to 36" is unrealistic. I don't believe anyone would be able to shoot it. Just cuz the speedo on your car goes to 220km/hr, doesn't mean it'll go that fast. 

[adb]

Having reviewed your youtube video again, it looks to me like your bow would be about 200#@32" ... still very impressive!! I think you have about 50# or so more to make it as a legit 250# warbow. I'm dying to see the bow on the tiller at full draw!!! Could you also show us some details of your impressive tiller tree set-up?  Thanks!

[CraigMBeckett]

Rudderbows,

Forgot to congratulate you on the first attempt.

Thank you for the info on the bow.

In answer to your question on draw length:

Warbow users strive for a 32 inch draw, the 200 lb world record was done at this draw length.

There are 4 standard arrows used in competition, details are available on EWBS site.

The minimum length of these standard arrows from bottom of nock to shoulder of point is:

1, Standard Arrow, 31.5 inches;
2, Livery Arrow, 30.5 inches;
3, Quarter Pound Arrow 30.5 inches;
4, John Holder Challenge Mark Arrow 31.5 inches.

Craig.

[nickf]

craig, thank you for noticing, I looked at the wrong post; at adb's. Clearly saw 3 fingers didn't even notice ryoons pictures !

[CraigMBeckett]

Nickf,

No worries mate, we all make mistakes some of the ones I have made make me cringe.

Craig.

[adb]

craig, thank you for noticing, I looked at the wrong post; at adb's. Clearly saw 3 fingers didn't even notice ryoons pictures !

[CraigMBeckett]

Adb,

You would have to go back quite a number of posts to post No. 64 , Nickf thought Rod had said something he didn't to do with the 4 finger draw. Nickf is explaining he looked at the wrong photo etc.

Craig.

[bow-toxo]

[]

Noone knows what bows were used for hunting in England during the middle ages as no bows exist anymore. However the size of the sockets for big hunting broadheads show that the arrow shafts were thick, therefore the bows were heavy in draw-weight since its difficult to shoot arrows weighing more than 100g and with half-inch shafts from bows that draw less than 100lb.

Dave

         We have no way of knowing whether preserved ancient bows were used for hunting, war or practice but mediaeval books on hunting tell us that the hunting bow should be weaker so that it could be held half drawn while waiting for deer to be driven past by beaters, the usual hunting method for aristocrats in royal or baronial forests. How many hunting broadheads were tested ? A half inch shaft, even tapered, seems a lot for a weak bow.

 Some posters suggest that mediaeval longbowmen drew with two fingers rather than the "modern three". The book of Roi Modus from before the Hundred Years War, Lartdarcherie from the 15th century, and Ascham's Toxophilus all clearly instruct a three finger draw.
 

[CraigMBeckett]

Bow-toxo,

.......mediaeval books on hunting tell us that the hunting bow should be weaker so that it could be held half drawn while waiting for deer to be driven past by beaters, the usual hunting method for aristocrats in royal or baronial forests.

It must be remembered those books were written for the wealthy, not for the majority, why would a peasant or even tradesman have 2 or more bows, they were not inexpensive in the real terms of that time. With the exception of Ascham, who was chosen to be a teacher of the bow to royals we  have no idea as to the capability of the authors in the field about which they wrote, were they preeminent or just blowhards with an axe to grind?

Craig

[bow-toxo]

Bow-toxo,

It must be remembered those books were written for the wealthy, not for the majority, why would a peasant or even tradesman have 2 or more bows, they were not inexpensive in the real terms of that time. With the exception of Ascham, who was chosen to be a teacher of the bow to royals we  have no idea as to the capability of the authors in the field about which they wrote, were they preeminent or just blowhards with an axe to grind?

Craig

 First, Ascham was not chosen to be a teacher of the bow to royals. He took up archery for health reasons and thought it was time someone wrote about an important subject as books had been written about medicine, hunting, aachitecture etc. People had more than one bow for example if they engaged in flight shooting competitions for money and needed a shorter bow that would be good for only a few shots. of course they needed a bow for the cumpulsory shooting practice, perhaps another one for clout shooting. As they had been shooting from an early age, they might also have bows that they had outgrown.

 The authors of the books mentioned were describing archery that they participated in when they lived. In a word they were eyewitnesses. Some people today apparently prefer to rely on urban myths like the two finger salute or uninformed guesswork. I don't. Of course we always have to recognize blowhards with an axe to grind. They are everywhere.