Main Discussion Area > English Warbow

string material

(1/4) > >>

stuckinthemud:
Hi All,

I have finished roughing out a short war-bow stave (65") and need to make a string for it before I tiller it. I have no idea how strong it will be, but it could be in excess of 100#. I usually make my strings from linen but have only made a few light and medium weight bows so far.  Is linen OK for such a heavy bow, or do I need to invest in some B50 or FF?

dylanholderman:
well from all i have heard linen was used in period so.... yeah. but if your going to invest in a modern string material go with FF or one of its equivalents, Dacron stretches too much especially at the warbow weights.   

Del the cat:
65" English Warbow  :o ???
You'll not make a 100# English warbow with a 30" plus draw length from 65", unless it's a flatbow design, in which case it isn't an English Warbow....
Not that I'm worried by the definitions ::)

You are better off starting with a 78" stave, you can always take an inch or two off, but starting with 65" is IMO doomed to failure.
Mind, if you can do it you'l get my vote for Bow of the Month!
Linen is ok, but much better to go with FF... forget Dacron, you'll never brace it!

Del

stuckinthemud:
Hi Del,
I started off reading up about bow X1-3 (thanks Jeremy) and have reduced the dimensions on this bow a few mm all around.  With its rounded-rectangular cross-section, Bow X1-3 is a lot like a fat flat bow, or so it seems to me.   As to the finished draw-weight, well if it finished up as a heavy long-bow, so be it, I'm not averse to turning it into a flat bow at a later stage........ :laugh:
Any way, at the moment, leaning all my weight on the centre of the bow deflects it less than an inch, and I have finished roughing it out, so the draw weight is starting off at 160#per inch.  Once I have a suitable long string and put some horn nocks on, I can start tillering it, but for now it can just stand in a corner and scare me to death each time I look at it  >:D

Del the cat:
Ah, yes I've re-read some of that article...
Maybe you'll be ok if you go fr the 28" draw. Many of the Mary Rose arrows were 28"
I look forward to seeing it at full draw
Del

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page