Crossbow (pics)

[Kviljo]

It is about 40" long

No problem David, all we need is a good pri.. eh, trade

[david w.]

i know a tree trimmer he said he cuts down tons of mulbery and some osage. he said if he found some good peices of osage he would give them to me and i can get alot of mulbery.

so hows possibly  mulbery and osage sometime?

the only thing is shipping overseas could be espensive.

[Kviljo]

Yep, that's the largest barrier 

But I'm sure you would be able to make one of these yourself. All it takes is some time and materials

[david w.]

expensive materials. unless i cut it i couldny afford yew

[carpespasm]

I've had a peice of wood sitting in my "make stuff out of me" pile for a couple weeks, oak i think. When I saw this, I decided to give a go at trying to make a simple crossbow like yours. The stock for mine is going to be a single piece of wood though since when I held it up it feels to be just about perfect for making a "cave-crossbow". It probably won't be so great, but  I'm willing to give it a go since kviljo has shown us such a simple to implement design. I might put in a small guard a couple inches long over the place where the bolt is caught by the string to prevent nasty flyback though.


That's the body of it trimmed up with the top of it rasped flat. It's just roughed out at the moment and shown here with a prop bow I made for a Robin Hood halloween costume a couple years ago. I guess I should start a build along thread for it?

[sagitarius boemoru]

Kviljo, that looks like my version of the same. Skane crossbow is somehow less refined that either yours or mine.


Altough I think they can be made with longer drawlenght




Jaro

[Kviljo]

Hehey, that looks pretty much the same as my Lilløhus-version.

So there's one more or less complete crossbow from Skåne too?

Don't think I would risk making mine with a longer draw, because the bow has followed the string quite considerably. But a longer, weaker or sinewbacked bow would of course do the trick.

[sagitarius boemoru]

The idea is to have  the prod wide, then it can be made shorter.2´´ wide is about what I used. They arent nearly as much stressed as they look like. This was made two years ago.
I made one with a roller nut recently.




Jaro

[wolfsire]

Havent finished the trigger on the small one. 

The larger has a pin/bolt with spring trigger. Barrel is about half inch.  Poundage is 45 to about 55 lbs when the cordage is tight.  Powerstroke was 22 inches, but the string has streatched.  Max range texted with AA batteries at about 50 yards.  Been playing with making bolts out of dry cleaner hangars, paper tubes and wire.  Finally got some wood.

[sagitarius boemoru]

Is that a joke?

J.

[carpespasm]

macguyver has apparently found a unicorn to get parts from. Everyone knows unicorns have dayglo sinews. An interesting design, but I think you're gonna make some people on the forum gnash their teeth with that crossbow being so non-primitive Wolfsire.

[wolfsire]

Sorry, my bad.  It was not a joke.  I apparantly misunderstood the purpose of having a forum for "primitive" archery.  I though it was about using the resouces available and managable low level technology.  I supposed if I was made of money and could afford ivory, hardwood, leather and sinew rather than nylon and ABS, I could be part of the "in" crowd, privildeged enough to be "primitive."  I guess I should have read the sticky.   Whether you though was funny as a joke, or interesting as almost primative, I hope you enjoyed it.  If it does not belong, I ask that a moderator let me know and I will remove the post.

[Dane]

Wolf, relax! I was totally startled to see those two weapons you posted, as this is about primitive archery. And this is not a rich boy's club - a trip to the local butcher or slaughterhouse, or into the woods, or by the side of the road, or from hunting friends, etc, can get you lots of materials for little or nothing. That is half the fun. I've never seen any ivory used at all here, as well.

Jaro, a fine weapon! Is that you spanning the earlier crossbow? Very cool clothing and period shoes.

[wolfsire]

Wolf, relax! I was totally startled to see those two weapons you posted, as this is about primitive archery. And this is not a rich boy's club - a trip to the local butcher or slaughterhouse, or into the woods, or by the side of the road, or from hunting friends, etc, can get you lots of materials for little or nothing. That is half the fun. I've never seen any ivory used at all here, as well.

Sorry for over-reacting.  I'm just now learing what I can find in the desert, etc, and yeah that is half the fun.  I thought carpespasm bit about dayglo unicorn sinew was pretty funny, and well aimed, but to be asked if this project that I worked on for many many hours to try to learn a primative skill or two was a "joke" ... well, that just hurt, as I am new here, and it set me off.  Sorry again and I appreciate your understanding.  Thanks for the kind word.

[Dane]

No problem. Those two psycho unicorn crossbows probably gave you some valuable skills in making them, and I bet they are fun to shoot. Nothing is wasted, eh?

You can make fun, funny stuff too and spend countless hours. I do Roman reenacting (Legio III), and made my pug a tiny gladius (Roman short sword), with a real bone grip, hardwood pommel, and leather covered wooden sheath with brass furniture, along with a wool tunic, so she could take part in our events. I don’t even want to admit how long it took me to craft those! I can post pics, if anyone wants to see it. It cost me about 3 dollars in materials. I am also making a replica lame-o Sleestack crossbow (Always loved Land of the Lost, even today. The Marshall family should have hunted dinos, though), just cause it is fun.