Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => English Warbow => Topic started by: Archeress on October 21, 2013, 09:34:10 am

Title: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: Archeress on October 21, 2013, 09:34:10 am
Mods, please feel free to shift these if you think they should go somewhere else ay.

Now this is a BIG bow. Italian Alpine Yew. bigger than me.
(http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/ag67/archeress64/YEW%20BOW/yew1_zps17e87227.jpg) (http://s1299.photobucket.com/user/archeress64/media/YEW%20BOW/yew1_zps17e87227.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: Archeress on October 21, 2013, 09:40:28 am
From humble girly beginnings..an obvious attempt to confuse my enemies.

(http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/ag67/archeress64/Abbey%20Festival%202013/kelly39_zps944af9d7.jpg) (http://s1299.photobucket.com/user/archeress64/media/Abbey%20Festival%202013/kelly39_zps944af9d7.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: Archeress on October 21, 2013, 09:43:11 am
to my first forays into trad longbow...thats a 40 pound ash.

(http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/ag67/archeress64/Abbey%20Festival%202013/arrowgirl1_zps9824bc2a.jpg) (http://s1299.photobucket.com/user/archeress64/media/Abbey%20Festival%202013/arrowgirl1_zps9824bc2a.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: Archeress on October 21, 2013, 09:46:06 am
My best blokey impression.  i play a male archer in my group.  might as well look the part. thats a 70 pound elm with a half inch bobtail war arrow..yeah i know its outta whack but it was a photoshoot for a newspaper.  what the public dont know, the members of Primitive Archer forum wont reveal..will you all ?.
(http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/ag67/archeress64/Abbey%20Festival%202013/_BEC3845-COPY_zpsbd576bb5.jpg) (http://s1299.photobucket.com/user/archeress64/media/Abbey%20Festival%202013/_BEC3845-COPY_zpsbd576bb5.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: Archeress on October 21, 2013, 09:47:25 am
Early days with fake medieval clothing..sorta like SCA ..lol... too much archery that night. Maybe a little more mead than usual.
(http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/ag67/archeress64/Abbey%20Festival%202013/arrowgirl26_zps4e8421f8.jpg) (http://s1299.photobucket.com/user/archeress64/media/Abbey%20Festival%202013/arrowgirl26_zps4e8421f8.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: Archeress on October 21, 2013, 09:51:49 am
A familiar body on the right ?.  me on the left.

(http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/ag67/archeress64/middle2_zpsfe71c1ee.jpg) (http://s1299.photobucket.com/user/archeress64/media/middle2_zpsfe71c1ee.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: Archeress on October 21, 2013, 09:52:47 am
As you can see..my first Yew bow is very knobly.

(http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/ag67/archeress64/yew2_zpsc93c880e.jpg) (http://s1299.photobucket.com/user/archeress64/media/yew2_zpsc93c880e.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: Archeress on October 21, 2013, 09:54:07 am
80 pound trilam.

(http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/ag67/archeress64/oldphoto1copycopy_zps1f640f45.jpg) (http://s1299.photobucket.com/user/archeress64/media/oldphoto1copycopy_zps1f640f45.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: Archeress on October 21, 2013, 09:54:36 am
Moving up the draw weights

(http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/ag67/archeress64/Abbey%20Festival%202013/IMG_0361copycopy_zps0b3f893d.jpg) (http://s1299.photobucket.com/user/archeress64/media/Abbey%20Festival%202013/IMG_0361copycopy_zps0b3f893d.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: Archeress on October 21, 2013, 10:00:10 am
Now for something completely different.   5 weeks into my attempts at 127 pound yew..notice the very high draw arm and elbow?.  simply because i have not been able to complete my rotation / crank whatever you want to call it therefore my arm is stilll on the way down.  My technique needs tweaking in several areas and i have begun to address my shortcomings.  No where near full draw yet.  though i have put the bow down in the last few weeks and hit the gym in a big way.  novemeber should see me haul it back further..  i hope.

(http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/ag67/archeress64/9-20-2013_001_zpsa0e4b989.jpg) (http://s1299.photobucket.com/user/archeress64/media/9-20-2013_001_zpsa0e4b989.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: toomanyknots on October 21, 2013, 10:00:38 am
:) Sweet pictures. That is a sweet Steve Stratton bow too!
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: Archeress on October 21, 2013, 10:04:43 am
Thankyou TMK.  it is indeed.  My next yew is a Ben perkins..he must be close to sending it out to me.  120 pound polletti stave Italian Yew.  Cant wait.
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: mullet on October 21, 2013, 10:05:07 am
Cool pictures, keep them coming.
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: toomanyknots on October 21, 2013, 10:06:51 am
Thankyou TMK.  it is indeed.  My next yew is a Ben perkins..he must be close to sending it out to me.  120 pound polletti stave Italian Yew.  Cant wait.

And welcome to primitive archer!
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: Archeress on October 21, 2013, 10:08:02 am
Thankyou Mr Mullet..sir. 

Oh by the way..i make all my own arrows and one day will start my bow making career.  one can only try.
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: mullet on October 21, 2013, 10:14:45 am
Embarass me with the sir, ::) Making a bow isn't as hard as you might think.
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: blackhawk on October 21, 2013, 11:46:22 am
Cool..thanks for sharing...;) if you think shooting elbs is fun try making one ;) I think I like making them more :) and its a fairly simple bow to make...just start out lighter in weight and learn how to tiller...then you can move up in weight once your skills and eye develop good tiller skills...you definetly don't want one of those high weight bows blowing on ya...ouch!!!! And welcome to pa :)
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: Heffalump on October 21, 2013, 11:58:50 am
Some great shots there Kel, I'll have to have a word with Steve if I get him to make me another bow though. I'm all for ye olde "crooked stick", but that one he sold you has got nipples!  :o ;D
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: Del the cat on October 22, 2013, 01:35:29 pm
Great pics... that lat one is prob' about where I am with my 100# Elm at the moment.
Del
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: WillS on October 22, 2013, 02:12:51 pm
Cool pics Kel!

I'd recognise that red hat anywhere ;)
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: Joec123able on October 23, 2013, 04:28:28 am
Impressive I definetly couldn't draw it
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: 1442 on October 25, 2013, 12:35:02 am
I could draw that! Gimme a pencil and paper and I'll draw it real quick.
LOL
Thanks for the cool post Archeress
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: AndiE on October 25, 2013, 03:54:34 am
Hi

@Archeress

What is the drawweight of your knobly first Yew bow?

Kind regards
Andi
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: Archeress on October 25, 2013, 10:39:30 am
hi there Andie...Well its a stratton bow and it will ultimately be 115 pound at 32.  however it has started its life being 132 pound at 32 and has settled in at 127 pound..i assumed it would drop a bit lower but so far it is still milling around 125.. no matter..just means its a testament to the maker making a damn strong bow..got to love that yew.
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: AndiE on October 26, 2013, 03:39:53 am
Hi

Oh! I thought it had less because you posted it before the 80# bow.

Kind regards
                    Andi
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: Atlatlista on October 26, 2013, 10:05:36 pm
Archeress - you are a beast!  How hard was it to get up to that kind of draw weight?  I've been thinking about doing it myself, but I'm primarily a victorian-style target longbow archer, and I just haven't got the nerve to go much heavier than 45 pounds since I use my bows in competition.
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: Archeress on October 27, 2013, 07:10:22 am
hi there Atla'..well i didnt primarily start out to move on up the draw weights..i started with a 40 pound ash longbow..then realised i wanted something a bit stronger...70....then i thought maybe an 80 would be fun...used that for 2 years then as facebook allows i made so many warbowing friends..next thing you know i have a bowyer making me a 110 pounder....i got well and truly hooked and now its  got real personal.  Me against "the bow".  its all about confidence..ego..my personal growth as im getting on in years.  I just dont give up on things...when i have this 125 ish yew bow sorted and i am drawing it regular for a few months then i will look at 130 to 135 ish..i will keep going until my body says give it away girl..your nuts. ..so i have been shooting longbows for about 7 years. 

i occasionally shoot 3daaa shoots here in australia and use a 70 pound elm longbow as my weapon of choice. 
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: Atlatlista on October 27, 2013, 11:53:10 am
hi there Atla'..well i didnt primarily start out to move on up the draw weights..i started with a 40 pound ash longbow..then realised i wanted something a bit stronger...70....then i thought maybe an 80 would be fun...used that for 2 years then as facebook allows i made so many warbowing friends..next thing you know i have a bowyer making me a 110 pounder....i got well and truly hooked and now its  got real personal.  Me against "the bow".  its all about confidence..ego..my personal growth as im getting on in years.  I just dont give up on things...when i have this 125 ish yew bow sorted and i am drawing it regular for a few months then i will look at 130 to 135 ish..i will keep going until my body says give it away girl..your nuts. ..so i have been shooting longbows for about 7 years. 

i occasionally shoot 3daaa shoots here in australia and use a 70 pound elm longbow as my weapon of choice.

70 pounds for target shooting, that's crazy.  Must be a pretty flat trajectory though.  If you ever shoot a field or fita round, let me know how the 70 pound longbow treats you, I'd be really curious to find out.
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: Archeress on October 27, 2013, 07:42:43 pm
no definately not a flat trajectory..well not at 40 metres anyway.  rather a medium arc.  i shoot instinctively..i made a promise to learn this a few years ago..no sights, no weights, no marks..just simply looking at the target the whole time and i let my body do the rest.  howver still in the learning phase so my accuracy is at 50 percent.  wind shears, forest overhang etc manage to stuff me up at times.  steadiness of bow arm..clean release..so many factors.   but on the instinctive side of things..if all the other factors were a big fat zero then my bow arm seems to know what my eyes want. 
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: Atlatlista on October 27, 2013, 07:47:13 pm
no definately not a flat trajectory..well not at 40 metres anyway.  rather a medium arc.  i shoot instinctively..i made a promise to learn this a few years ago..no sights, no weights, no marks..just simply looking at the target the whole time and i let my body do the rest.  howver still in the learning phase so my accuracy is at 50 percent.  wind shears, forest overhang etc manage to stuff me up at times.  steadiness of bow arm..clean release..so many factors.   but on the instinctive side of things..if all the other factors were a big fat zero then my bow arm seems to know what my eyes want.

I tried instinctive for a while, but can't recommend it.  I don't use a sight or weight or marks either, but I pay attention to my sight picture and actively aim my shots.  I find this improves my shooting tremendously.  I was just 8 for 8 on a police silhouette target at 70 yards in a 15 mph crosswind this afternoon, using a simple longbow with wooden arrows.  I could never have dreamed of shooting that accurately with an instinctive (not)aiming method.  Of course, whether aiming carefully is possible with a very heavy bow is a question others are better placed to answer.  I can certainly do it up to 60 pounds of draw, beyond that, I'm not so sure.
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: Archeress on October 27, 2013, 08:08:48 pm
Heres another way to get into my head..  My family history is english and welsh..i have had a fascination for medieval history since i was a kid.  I am going to england in 2015 to take part in the 600th anniversary of agincourt as an archer.  i live it an breathe it here.  as far as warbowing is concerned i am over the moon just holding my bow.  Arming it and drawing it back and loosing..i am still fascinated by this process..i feel the history in what i am doing.  almost to the point of accuracy not even being in the equation. 

For target though..my 70 pound elm has won me a couple of medieval comps here.  hitting a half man size knight at 50 metres for example with one shot.  for 3D shooting or ABA (australian bowhunting association) meets i am half as good as these crusty old men with there laminated recurves and shelf shooting...but i dont mind..i love the fun of it all.  Its warbow i take seriously
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: Atlatlista on October 27, 2013, 08:24:30 pm
50 yards on a human torso is pretty good shooting.  What do you think your effective range would be on man-sized silhouettes?  (Use the military definition of effective range, which is the range at which you hit more than 50% of the time).
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: Archeress on October 27, 2013, 08:35:18 pm
Well i am about to find out on november 1oth when i can shoot clout to my hearts content.  I do recall a few months ago shooting my 110 pounder at a target pig at 30 metres..prob 5 out of 10.  this was at full draw behind the ear..looking at the target the whole time.
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: Atlatlista on October 27, 2013, 08:42:17 pm
That's super-interesting.  Keep us posted on your clout round.
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: Archeress on October 27, 2013, 08:44:12 pm
I will make sure to video a few things also.
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: Archeress on October 27, 2013, 08:46:15 pm
I found a vid from august this year fooling around with my 110..i am uploading it to youtube as we speak.  i will put it here when its done.
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: Archeress on October 27, 2013, 09:56:56 pm
http://youtu.be/ggnCS-XYSPM
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: Archeress on October 27, 2013, 09:58:36 pm
just mucking about.  i have since changed a few things about technique..my feet are both now firmly anchored to the ground..my knees are bent and i am leaning over and forward a little.  attacking mode.
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: Atlatlista on October 27, 2013, 11:54:44 pm
Is the brace height on a warbow supposed to be that low?
Title: Re: Kel's Warbow life.
Post by: Archeress on October 28, 2013, 01:28:53 am
hi..Brace height should be around 5 to 6 inches  but i keep this at around 4 1/2.  seems to suit it better.  this particular bow is made from a lamination of greenheart/greenheart and bamboo.  it recently has dropped to 105 but i have had it for a year now.  It is a very thin bow so i called it "the whippet".