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Bulbous Nocks

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Yeomanbowman:
I think the illustrators were born in an age that was as immersed in archery as we are as familiar with as a driving a car. 
For instance, can we really be sure the medieval archer didn't shoot "off the wrong side"?  It seems strange that recurved limbs often shown on one limb, often the bottom? 
Certainly the arrows on the Mary Rose were Tudor and not medieval, used for naval warefare and livered and not personal as in those illustrated in the Luttrell Psalter.  But does this rule out bulbous nocks as genuine medieval designs and stylistic license?  I don't believe so.
The depicyion of the Wilton Diptych arrow looks very real and tests with it have shown it to provide an excellent loose.  I'm inclined to be very open minded.
warbowwales.com/wilton-arrow-replica/4563532669

meanewood:
Yes, there seems to be a few illustrations that definitely show a bulbous nock but I wondered if it might be because the artists are trying to show the slot (nock), or they are trying to show a groove. If they did use bulbous nocks, it could only mean they were trying to strengthen the nock in soft shafts like poplar!
Maybe they did this prior to developing a horn slot many years later?
Speaking of horn slots, can anyone confirm the presence of hardwood shafts amongst the Mary Rose finds and if so, were they slotted to take horn as well?
I don't use reinforcement in my beech and oak shafts because they seem to be easily able to withstand a large force!

Yeomanbowman:
The vast majority of shafts were aspen or poplar with birch being the next common followed by alder.  Of the 600, or so, sampled only 1 was ash.  All were slotted and very few had an effective draw length of over 30".  Far more were 28" that 32" but mainly they were of a 30" draw length.  The Westminster Abbey arrow is medieval and this had a horn sliver.  The reference to cross-nocking, perhaps meaning with a horn sliver, is medieval.  I don't think it is likely to be a Tudor development.
Get a copy of Weapons of Warre and it will tell you all you need to know.

adb:
Agreed. Both books 'Weapons of Warre' are excellent reference texts, giving vast detail on all the Mary Rose artifacts, including every detail of the archery items.

WillS:
In the Mark Stretton/Steve Stratton DVD "Fletching The Medieval Arrow" which is part 3 of the longbow series dvds, Mick Mann shows an excellent replica of an arrow with bulbous nock, and gives a very detailed explanation and close up of how they're made.  Worth checking out.

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