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Mary Rose Replica Bow Build-Along--An Entrance into the World of War Bows
Badger:
They had a clear understanding of arrows obviously, the more forward weight the better as far as accuracy and consistency, also heavier arrows are far more efficient and will be less radical to slight changes in draw length, I think we have a ways to go before we catch these guys of the past. Steve
duffontap:
That's just what I'm thinking Badger. As far as I can think, there isn't any way to make arrows that heavy without tapering them like they did. War bows are pretty wide in the handle (about 1 1/2") so there was a big paradox. The taper on those arrows would help the arrow stabilize in flight faster, allowing for smaller fletchings, less surface and fletching drag and an overall longer, more accurate flights. You're the flight expert--you know.
J. D. Duff
Milo:
JD, thank you so much for this buildalong...
Seriously, so many folks have done their own "warbow" things, and not to belittle them... this one is very informative all along the way. (forgive me those that I may offend).
One problem I have always found with the "specs for traditional war bows" of the era from 1100 - 1600 is the assumption is always made that all bows were made for equal height, equal stature bowyers...
Additionally, the assumption that all Yew is considered equal has always drove me crazy...
I am sorry, but coming from England, and my best friends houses having ceiling heights of 5'10" leads me to instinctively (hmmm why's that?) assume the average height was no greater than 5'11. (the houses were built from 1200 - 1500 ad) Unless the builders wanted everyone to stoop all the time.
Someone with a stature of 5'11" would be almost convincingly overdrawing at 30".
Pacific NW yew does not grow anywhere near the same conditions as Italian Yew. "Sorry, been both places many times.... the Pac NW has more in common with western Wales than Italy.... no offense."
Even here where I live, bowwoods from 30 miles west have a consistent and undeniable difference from bowwoods gathered 30 miles east.... every time... Lets not get into semantics 2000 miles across.
To make the bow you have, under the perameters you have, is very informative....
Informative is the key. I have enjoyed this very much. But not to disregard Jaro and others who have specialized in this particular genre of bowyery, there are many more facets to this era than simply meet the "existing eye" so to speak.
I am quite certain that any wood that meet the specs of performing the desired needs were consistently used whenever possible.
Much along my own personal views that the Native americans where I am currently residing consistently used Cascara, Vinemaple, Oceanspray and other easily accessable and excellent bowwoods.... whereas only Yew and the occassional oak remain...
....let 400 years of open air and 20+ inches of annual rain in a temperate environment leave you with as much forensic evidence as dumping a body in sulphuric acid..
Yew survives here, and local history is only recorded verbally....
Not much to stare at.
Not to debunk anyone..
Please do not think this is really arguementative against anyone...
Just my own observations, theories, and ideas, fuelled by a whole bottle of Good Port and 45 minutes of typing and revising...
Either way.. good bow, great work, and fun topic...
Sloshy Milo
duffontap:
Good thinking Milo,
I should remember to say more often that I don't claim to be an expert on this subject. I have great interest in these bows and arrows and I research on them daily. I've chosen to show my findings here because it's such an interesting topic and I enjoy what you and others have to say. If it weren't for Pip and Jaro and others like them, I'd be pretty lost.
You raise an interesting point that I've pondered quite a bit. We're always saying that Yew survives so that's why we find so many Yew bows. I've heard that that's the reason why all the Mary Rose bows were Yew (when the ship was supposedly carrying whitewood bows). But, in the case of the Mary Rose tackle, why would an ash or poplar arrow shaft remain in nearly perfect condition while an ash or elm war bow rots away with not trace? In my experience, Poplar will rot in a zip-lock baggy in Arizona. This is not an argument, but rather a curiosity I've had with what survived and what didn't.
Thanks for your insightful post Milo--keeping me thinking.
J. D. Duff
sumpitan:
The full-length Mary Rose arrows cannot have weighed 800-900 grains, don't know on what Tim based his view (or where he said that in TTBIII, for that matter). I've made a couple of alder shafts to the MR specs, and even they weigh 800 a piece. Add a light warhead and fletching and you're already over the 1000 grain mark. And this with a lightweight arrow wood, similar in density to aspen / poplar.
Tuukka
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