About the rules, the American and the English Warbow society is a good place to start for standards in bows and arrows.
http://www.theenglishwarbowsociety.com/EWBS_about2015.htmlThe Bow
The English Warbow was the bow the longbow used in battle by the Plantagenet and Tudor armies of the 14th, 15th and 16th Centuries. The EWBS defines a warbow to be a bow that follows the pattern, profile and tiller of the bows found on the Mary Rose.
The Society imposes a lower limit on bow draw-weight for adult males (70lb at a measured 32” of draw), although there is no lower weight limit for women, juniors and archers over 60. In order to encourage beginners, further allowance is made for a new member’s first year.
Mary Rose Class Self yew bows in the “spirit of the original” MR bows:
- No shorter than the shortest MR bow (74” – to be confirmed);
- May be to any MR bow profile;
- Heat treatment may be used to straighten a stave but not to induce unnatural reflex (an unbraced bow shall not show any artificially induced reflex);
- Be full compass in tiller;
- Within the 5/8, depth/width rule along the length of the bow;
- Has some profile to the belly of the bow (i.e. not flat bellied); and has no handle grip/covering.
Meane Wood
Self bows made of other woods available to the medieval bowyer, such as Ash or Elm. In the absence of reliable historical evidence of the dimensions of meane wood warbows, the MR dimensions above are to be used for this class, except:
- Not less than 72” in length; and
- Heat treatment may be used to straighten a stave or stiffen the belly but not to induce unnatural reflex (the bow must not be reflexed when unbraced).
This specification will be revised if period bows of this type are found.
Non-Historical
Non Historical Bows made from laminations of wood. Any laminated bow would be in this class, exotic or otherwise, as would backed bows, any join in the handle bows and self bows of wood not used in the above period by Anglo-Welsh armies (e.g. osage). The following shall also apply:
- A maximum of four wood laminations;
- No less than 72” in length;
- No synthetic or horn laminations;
- Bows may have a handle grip or covering;
- No bamboo may be used except for bows used to shoot the Flight Arrow;
