This thread has really got me thinking about what the arrows would have been like in medieval times compared to what was found on the 'Mary Rose'.
If softer woods like poplar were common in Tudor times, you can see why they would use a horn reinforcement on an arrow shot from a heavy bow.
Ascham gives us clues that perhaps harder woods like oak and ash make better 'war' arrows, so maybe these woods were used in earlier times!
The last set of arrows I made were from oak and it really is a hard wood! I decided not to reinforce them and go for an early medieval look with broadheads.
I suppose they would only reinforce arrow nocks if they had to do so.
Anyway, I've got some offcuts from the oak and some beech and will conduct a static weight test on a nock and see what kind of force would be required to split them!
Come to think of it, I should really make a bulbous example and see how that compares?
