Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => HowTo's and Build-a-longs => Topic started by: AndrewS on April 15, 2021, 04:48:43 am

Title: Endless Strings?
Post by: AndrewS on April 15, 2021, 04:48:43 am

I am searching since when there are endless strings in archery?

I found that endless strings were very popular after WWII made of Fortisan and Dacron.
Before WWII, I found in all the literature I had available that strings were made of hemp, linen and nettle and that these materials were twisted
Strings made of gut, rawhide and sinew are also described.
Partly splicing techniques are described as they are common today for the Flemish splice.
Otherwise, sufficiently strong strings can also be tied to the ends of the bows.

For the Asian composite bows, strings of three parts made of silk are described. The middle part is wound endlessly with knotted ears.

For crossbows from the Middle Ages, there were also endlessly wound strings of hemp / linen. However, these strings are very short and very thick, so that manufacturing them by twisting the strings does not work technically.

Does anyone of you have any clues since when there are endless strings in archery?

Title: Re: Endless Strings?
Post by: Pat B on April 15, 2021, 12:44:00 pm

It seems to me that endless strings were used with the Asiatic horn bows but that's just a guess.

Title: Re: Endless Strings?
Post by: AndrewS on April 15, 2021, 03:21:12 pm

Thanks Pat

In Arab Archery (Orginal from 1500, translated from Elmer at. al. in the early 19xx) the strings are made of camel hide as recommended Stringmaterial. And this strings are not endless.
( you can read it on archerylibrary)

In Mongolia, China etc. the strings are made most  of silk. The center part is a piece of endless string. The ears are an extra piece of string (often not the same material as the middle piece) on each side knotet to the endless piece...
I think this type is the grandfather / grandmother / grand X of modern endless strings, but it is no real endless string in my opinion.

Title: Re: Endless Strings?
Post by: Yooper Bowyer on April 15, 2021, 04:56:34 pm

From an economy of effort stand point, I think they may be a more recent development that came with spools of string material. 

Title: Re: Endless Strings?
Post by: AndrewS on April 18, 2021, 08:18:09 am

Thanks for your answer, which supports the thesis that endless strings did not appear until modern bow yarns came along, starting around 1950.

Title: Re: Endless Strings?
Post by: Yooper Bowyer on April 18, 2021, 01:47:11 pm

I would say they where very rare, the evidence isn't conclusive enough to say more.