Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Hawkdancer on July 14, 2019, 10:23:52 pm
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Not sure how to best phrase the question - has anyone used the online dimensions to replicate the Meare Heath bow? I have a primo yew stave from High Desert that has been telling me "Meare Heath" ever since it got here. I have been replying "I need more skill", but I think I better get going on that project! I am not looking at an exact copy, but a shootable, reasonable rendition. My assumption is the general style was used regularly in it's day. Since that is actually pre Celtic, more or less, it is rather ancient. I'm looking at about 45# @ 26" and about 66" non, give or take an even number. Thanks for the help
Hawkdancer
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I've read quite a bit into the old Eurpoean bows, and believe that the Meare Heath bow is quite unique. Once yew became available and replaced elm as the primary bow wood, the deep cross section design seen in later longbows appears. Virtually all of the oldest yew bows I have found in the texts have a deep cross section and narrow limbs. If they had horn tips added, you'd swear they were english longbows. The Meare Heath is a huge bow, well beyond the normal dimensions for a normal bow of that period.
Kyle
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I started a replica once. Only got to floor tillering. Mines eastern red cedar, somehow found a perfectly straight grained, quarter sawn board (good luck ever seeing that again) and decided to give it a go, just never finished it. Can't remember exactly where I got the dimensions, but I remember I roughed this out in inches converted from mm.
Overall length: 72 1/4 in.
Handle Length: 5 in.
Limb length, each: 33 5/8 in.
Limb width near fade: 2 5/8 in.
Very gradual/eliptical fading to the tips.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48294016616_a0dfc38939_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2gzzsAU)
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This design has interested me for quite a few years, and tempted me a couple times. On the world wide web a couple exact replicas can be found, but I've never been able to accept the notion that the original was any thing more than a ceremonial bow. Some practical tinkering my be needed to make this design a reliable shooter.
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The Meare Heath, I'd say, is an overbuilt design that would have been very durable, reliable and probably cast a heavy arrow pretty well.
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I have the same feeling, Pat. The study I read online apparently comes to the same conclusion. I added the same pattern of rawhide to my first bow, and it seems to be doing well. It is 46#@ 26" and 65" ntn. Hope to get it roughed out at MoJam!
Hawkdancer
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I have made one MH type bow. Hackberry. 2 inches wide for most of its length. The bow took nearly no set after hundreds of arrows and pretty heavy use. Perfectly flat profile. It was tempered well and it may have been a great piece of Hack, but I attribute at least some of the performance to the design.
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I use to make that design quite often, about 66/68 in length ,2 to 2 1/4 wide at the fad and full length of the limb to about 6 inches from the tip,then tapper to the tip, 4 1/2 grip and 1 1/2 fads. they shoot fine, a bit over built and got lots of jokes about shooting a boat paddle. I was using mostly Hickory/Hack berry/Elm or Ash.
Pappy