Welcome to the New English War Bow Forum!

[Nuss]

Does anyone know or have a clearly defined definition of what a English War Bow is or should be?
 I am very new at this and have lots to learn.
 
Tim

[D. Tiller]

I would say a bow with a rounded belly, man height or taller, tapering aprox. mid limb to nocks and bending throughout the bow in compas rose form. Should pull out to or beyond the ear when drawn. Draw weight is up to the individual though warbows in the middle ages where likley from 90 up to arround 150#'s. Most landing from 120 to 130#s in the later midieval ages. Bows must be able to cause total deformity from the body over 30 years of continue daily use. Lets see.... deformation of the left arms and joint from pulling bow and pounding of recoil. Increased musculature on right arm from drawing, especially the fingers of hand, curvature of the spine from drawing bow and large recoil through the body. If starting in early age left arm shorter than right. Later life intense pain from deformities and arthritis.

Yep! That sounds about right. 

David T

[Lloyd]

You forgot the nerve damage and eventual arthritis in the bow hand fingers.
Tell me again why we do this?

[duffontap]

You forgot the nerve damage and eventual arthritis in the bow hand fingers.
Tell me again why we do this?

Because we can.

        J. D. Duff

[Justin Snyder]

I don't think you can call it a warbow if it wont penetrate 1/4" plate armor.    Justin
PS JD, YOU CAN (for now). 

[Stonedog]

I for one am very, very excited about this forum!  In the past years, all of my hunting has become experimental archaeology types hunts.....with my flintlock, I wear the kit of an 18th C American Colonial hunter.....everything authentic.....down to the hand sewn and hand woven linen shirts and braintanned moccasins.

Recently I have been going historical with my archery passions too!  My area of study is Anglo-Saxon England before the Conquest.  I am putting together a proper kit......hand sewn tunics of linen and wool....hose...turn shoes and of course a proper bow!

My project for this week is a hand made Seax.....9" blade....about 1/4" thick.....hand hammered.....next week.....I will make the sheath and get my bow started.....unfortunately, due to my kids enjoying food (they really do liek to eat,,,who woulda thought!?)...I have to use poor mans yew...aka.....hickoy backed ipe!

In the past few years...my focus has been 100% on the round belly narrow designs....or the war bow and it uses for hunting.....and not many forums have what I am looking for....so I have been reading mainly.....hardys two books......bickerstaffes writings....etc....

But this fourm.....it perfect!

Thanks!

[duffontap]

Thanks for the introduction Stonedog.  Sounds like you're the genuine article.  Hand-woven linen shirt?!    I look forward to seeing your laminated warbow. 

             J. D. Duff

[duffontap]

Justin,

'Anything I can do you can do better.....la, la, la.....'  I'd bet you could do 100#s right now.  Maybe more.  Get yourself a good Osage stave and build that war bow.

              J. D. Duff

[Stonedog]

JD...I am a new old guy....I was a charter member of the old forum....now I am just a newbie again!  LOL!

[duffontap]

I'm an old guy on the new forum.  Ha, ha.  Welcome back. 

        J. D. Duff

[Miles]

Hey Stonedog your not alone I've been doing living history for over 27 yearsI've gone full circle from World War II, World War I, American Civil War and American Revolutionary war and now doing what I started doing when I was 17 years old but this time I've put down the big five Howard Hill Longbow and started making bows and historical arrows from scratch.

I've been experimenting with historical arrow's designs like barrelled and big chested and shooting chain mail with botkins tips and types 16 Broadhead's to demonstrate how easy arrows could penetrate chain mail as part of my living history display.

My living history impression like you were all wool and handwoven linen I per tray a 15th-century English bowmen I focus on one year and time 1471 during the wars of the roses.

I have been working a kit myself out from pictures of 15th-century artwork it have been specializing on the small things that an archer had of the Times, like animal grease horn and leather arrow discs.

If I had some technical skills I would post images of some of the things that I'm doing but I can't figure this thing out.


Miles
http://www.replications.com/greys/Image%20Gallery/2007/MTT.htm

http://www.lordgreys.org/

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[SimonUK]

Hi people. I used to visit the englishwarbow forum before it closed down. Nice to see some familiar names here. I'm not really a warbow shooter as I can't pull bows that heavy, but I hope to one day.

Simon

[duffontap]

Welcome Simon!  I'm so thankful that PA is doing this. 

         J. D. Duff

[D. Tiller]

Simon, your last names not Stanley is it? If so we all know you can pull them heavy bows!!!! 

Just kidding! Keep practicing Simon just like me you will be up to 100# in a year or two. My problems getting the time to go out and shoot and make bows. I lement the day I started my own buisness. Seems like I'm always working!!!

All I want to do is shoot my bow all day! Sounds like a song I know.

David T

[duffontap]

I think once a week is enough for building bow pulling power.  It gives your body time to recover.  Kill 'em and rest 'em.

             J. D. Duff