Nydam yew longbow buildalong

[Kviljo]

I started on a 77" long yew stave today. I'm making it for a friend who wanted a Nydam replica of 50-60 pounds.

It's going to have the metal spike and all, so I'm on the lookout for some measurements or photos of the original Nydam bows. I know they were quite narrow and not that heavy from some center-measurements that Clarke gave in 1963, and I've seen some drawings that were made in 1863-65. - but I don't trust that they give a honest representation of the bows. So my first question is: does anyone here know of any litterature that shows these bows, and perhaps also with some measurements?

Also, I think this yew looks and feels a little britle, and not fat. From the pictures - what do you think? I'm a bit sceptical, because I really don't want to break it, since it's not my stave

[Dane]

If this bow comes out half as nice as your recent osage holmegard, it will be a beautiful weapon.

I assume you looked at the earlier Viking bow thread - I posted a link to some data on the bows, but I suspect you have seen that. JD Tiller was planning to build a Norse bow, as well. I don't know how he is getting along with it, though.

One out of the group was elm, if memory serves me right, and these were all made from branches or saplings.

And cool on the spike - that will really add to the bow. Good luck on this!

Dane

[duffontap]

JD Tiller?  Hmmmm.  Hmmmmm.  Hmmmmmmmmmm.

     J. D. Duff 

PS:  That stave is beautiful.  It doesn't appear particularly dense but it shure will handle 50-60 lbs.  It would handle 100 lbs. at that length. 

[Dane]

Duff! Sorry, man. I have had a very long week. Go ahead and smite me.

Dane

[duffontap]

I doth smite thee!     To your credit there is a D Tiller.  I'm still working on that bow.  I used a fairly nasty piece of Yew and lost a little interest.  I'll get back on that soon.

               J. D. Duff

[Dane]

Ouch! Thanks, JD Duff.

Think of it this way - a nasty bit of yew is better than no yew at all?

Someday...someday.

Dane

[Kviljo]

Those you guys are talking about are Viking age bows. Nydam is Roman age 


Here's the Torsbjerg bow on the left, and one of the Nydam bows as they were drawn in 1863-65:

[duffontap]

I was wondering about that.  It that image from "Longbow?"  I was just looking at it the other day.

          J. D.

[Kviljo]

Those drawings have been published in a lot of papers. I scanned that one from Junkmanns book. Originally they were printed in two large books on the finds, in 1863 and 1865.

[Dane]

You know, I totally spaced out. Of course, the ship burial find! You can smite me again for a mushy brain.

If you find hard data, measurements, etc. I'd love it if you would share here. And how do you expect to make the spike? Thin sheet iron?

Dane

[Kviljo]

Hehe

I'm a bit handicapped because I'm on vacation, so the library is unavailable for me, but if I come across anything I'll post it here. As far as I have understood, they tapered in almost straight lines from the center to the tips, and I have some center measurements so it should be sufficient. But again, it would be good to have some more to go on.

Guess I'll have to forge the spike, and make it as close to the original(s) as I can.

[sagitarius boemoru]

Ho Kviljo. I have full find catalogue including photos. But I m leaving to england tomorow. If you wait  Ill mail you some pictures once I return.
Even if narrow, they dont look to be tapered straight, there ix still bit of leaf shape in width tapper.
Also there are huge diferences in working qualities of individual bows, there are some well made and some very badly made too.

Jaro

[SimonUK]

I have a bit of yew like that - in places there is a gradual transition from heartwood to sapwood and I'm not quite sure where to make the back of the bow. The last bow I attempted from that log broke during tillering (but that was completely my fault I think).

[Kviljo]

That would be great Jaro! - I'll wait!


Bet I'll just decide a growthring that will compromise between sap and heartwood. Not much else to do, I bet.

[Kviljo]

Well, it took some time, but the bow slowly came into beeing. The plan was altered a little, so it became heavier, the spike was dropped and an extra set of stringer-nocks was added. It's 77" long and 67# @ 28". The stave had 1" reflex, and has 0 after just beeing unstrung. I'm really impressed but the force/draw-curve, it must be the fattest I've ever tried on a longbow! It's nearly as thick as it is wide, and I had some problem stabilizing it, as it also had uneven growth on each side in the cross-section. I tillered it by drawing straight lines on the side, and adjusting the bend according to those, to avoid getting confused by a few kinks here and there. That's the reason it looks a bit uneven tillered, but I'd rather tiller a bow to stress the wood evenly than giving it an even bend at full draw.