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'Lyverye arrowe' and mean wood experimentation

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meanewood:
Hi Jeremy

I finished my first Yew (Pacific) bow about 3 months ago.
I decided to make it following the dimensions of one of the obviously weaker bows from the 'mary rose"and it came out at 80lbs at 30in draw.

That's the same poundage as my X13 replica, so yesterday I decided to shoot them both together with a set of lyverye arrows to see how they compare!

What surprised me is the Elm X13 out distanced the Yew consistently by 10-15 yards!

I like to hear how you have gone with comparing elm and yew of the same poundage, especially 100lbs and above?

WillS:
A good bow will always out-perform a lesser bow regardless of weight or timber. 

If the yew bow took some compression damage, has string follow, doesn't have an efficient tiller shape etc, a well made elm bow of the same weight will kick it's ass every time.

Interesting that you ended up so low in weight with the MR replica.  My recent replica of MR80A0907 (one of the smallest bows found) was 100 @ 30", and that was using very poor quality English yew.  Your elm replica was much lower than the original as well, as Jeremy's reproduction was 141lb.  Are you starting with the original dimensions and reducing as you tiller, or are the final, finished bows the same size as the originals?

meanewood:
Hi Will
My 'replica' was also 80A0907, 29mm depth and slightly wider at 36mm 80lbs at 30in!

The X13 is elm however not wytch elm. 29mm depth and 42mm wide, same as the original!

WillS:
How odd!  I figured that with good quality, healthy European yew 80A0907 would be at least 130lb, possibly 140lb.  That's providing the dimensions are exact, and the bow was tillered carefully and properly.

Of course, you could take two identical bows fully finished and ready for tillering, and give them to two different bowyers and you'd get two completely different results.  That's why it's so hard to make estimates on draw weight, even when you're working with "replicas."

It all comes down to how well it's treated when being bent, I suppose.

meanewood:
Hi Will

Have no fear, I treated it better than my wife, just ask her!

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