Author Topic: Max. length?  (Read 13891 times)

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Offline AndiE

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Max. length?
« on: November 30, 2013, 08:59:26 am »
Hi

What is the max. length of a warbow found in the past? I read that there were bows up to 84" on the Mary Rose, is that right?

Or does anyone know somebody who build (a) warbow(s) >84"?

Kind regards
Andi

Offline WillS

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Re: Max. length?
« Reply #1 on: November 30, 2013, 10:46:13 am »
Hi mate, hope I can be of some help - as far as I know, although there are bows up to 84" (or thereabouts) on the Mary Rose, the average is around 77".  The longer the bow, the less stress the limbs are under.  If you wanted a monster bow (something 160lbs +) going to around 82 - 84" is a safe bet, as you're giving the bow the best chance of surviving. 

It also comes down to the individual archer's draw length.  If you have a draw of around 33" (like Glennan Carnie for instance) then making a bow a few inches longer can help. 

I'm currently finishing up a 130lb self yew warbow which was 83.5" long to begin with.  I cut the nocks as close to the tips as possible, and long-string tillered it like that.  The plan was to then chop 1 inch off each end, then fit the horn nock and end up with a bow around 78 - 80" nock to nock.  It actually broke during tillering and forced me to cut it slightly shorter than planned so I'll just have to put the nock slots closer to the tips than I usually do to get the same length. 

One particular bowyer in the UK makes all his Mary Rose replicas around 82 - 84" long just for the safety of the bow and longevity of performance.

It's also really hard to come across perfect yew staves 84" long, so generally speaking if you happen to have one - use it all!  If you're making a laminated warbow, go for the best length to suit draw length and performance which is usually somewhere between 75 and 80" long.

Offline adb

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Re: Max. length?
« Reply #2 on: November 30, 2013, 10:59:41 am »
This doesn't answer the original question... but... there's a fine balance between overall length, draw length & weight,  limb mass, and performance.

Offline Bearded bowyer

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Re: Max. length?
« Reply #3 on: November 30, 2013, 01:21:13 pm »
You could contact the Mary Rose museum and ask, it must be catalogued somewhere.....

Offline AndiE

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Re: Max. length?
« Reply #4 on: November 30, 2013, 02:01:38 pm »
Hi

Thx!  :D
Who is this UK bowyer?

Kind regards
Andi

Offline WillS

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Re: Max. length?
« Reply #5 on: November 30, 2013, 02:31:49 pm »
You could contact the Mary Rose museum and ask, it must be catalogued somewhere.....

No need.  Every single bow is catalogued in Weapons of Warre with drawings, cross sections, weight, draw weight, style, shape, length etc.  Even a table of each bowyers mark and how often they occur.  Plus arrows, horn nocks, strings, cannons, shoes, maille, gunshot, hand guns, pikes... All meticulously measured, analysed... It's stunning.  If you were to contact the museum Alex Hildred will only direct any queries regarding the bows to her book anyway, with good reason!

Andi, I referring to Steve Stratton.  In fact, if you look through the threads in this section he's posted quite a few photos of his Mary rose replicas.

Offline Bearded bowyer

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Re: Max. length?
« Reply #6 on: November 30, 2013, 02:43:14 pm »
Hi Wills
Are people still allowed to got to the museum and handle/ get close and personal with the bows?
I haven't been yet.

Offline WillS

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Re: Max. length?
« Reply #7 on: November 30, 2013, 02:56:24 pm »
Up until the new museum launch it was pretty straightforward, but not any more.  You need a good number of contacts and a good reason to be allowed before they let you anywhere near.  I'll enquire with them what it is what's in charge and see if I'm allowed to name a few people who are worth knowing, but generally speaking it's tricky now. 

It is worth becoming a Friend Of The Mary Rose Museum however, as they often have events and talks on and if you're a Friend (it's a bit pricey of course) you get invited.  Can sometimes involve handling one or two bows and the odd arrow.  Real shame it's become so hard, but then I guess they're incredibly precious objects so letting various people in gets risky after a while.

It is WELL worth going anyway though.  The museum almost feels like a warbow display case, the bows are everywhere on every floor and on the top floor there's an entire room dedicated to them.  They're in glass cases but you can get so close that you can see knots, grain and tool marks.

Offline Bearded bowyer

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Re: Max. length?
« Reply #8 on: November 30, 2013, 03:06:42 pm »
Sounds amazing.
I wonder if I can bribe the wife and kids to make the trip from Cambridge.....
May be a solo trip me thinks ;)

Offline Bearded bowyer

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Re: Max. length?
« Reply #9 on: November 30, 2013, 03:12:27 pm »
Are there any skeletons of the archers on display? as an osteopath I am particularly interested in the skeletal changes of the archers.

Offline WillS

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Re: Max. length?
« Reply #10 on: November 30, 2013, 03:25:45 pm »
Yup, first room you go through has an archer and focuses heavily on his bone structure.  Have you seen Ghosts of the Mary Rose, with Steve Stratton and Mark Stretton in it?  They do a full bone scan on Marks shoulder structure.  Might interest you.

Offline Bearded bowyer

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Re: Max. length?
« Reply #11 on: November 30, 2013, 03:32:15 pm »
Thanks Wills
I will see if it is on you tube.
Ta.

Offline WillS

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Re: Max. length?
« Reply #12 on: November 30, 2013, 03:33:57 pm »
It is. 

I put up a thread with photos from the new museum - did you see it?  The pics have all gone now because I shifted them in Photobucket but if you've not seen them yet I'll re-upload them?

Offline Bearded bowyer

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Re: Max. length?
« Reply #13 on: November 30, 2013, 03:50:41 pm »
If you don't mind, that would be magic!

Offline WillS

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