Bowmanship Thread

[zenger]

Any help?

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[Ad'lan]

Run a Cloth over the bow, if it snags anywhere on a splinter or split of fibreglass, don't use the bow.

[Tetra Grammaton Cleric]

I expect to see a lot more heat in this thread when I am alive fully hits it's straps.





^survival rpg/fps - it looks awesome, I've been watching it's development for a while.

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[KnightoftheRoc]

I expect to see a lot more heat in this thread when I am alive fully hits it's straps.





^survival rpg/fps - it looks awesome, I've been watching it's development for a while.

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That looks pretty interesting. The only FPS I've ever played that involved a bow was Thief:The Dark Project. One thing about that which I liked, was that if you pulled back on the bow and held, you would eventually start to see the bow wander, and then be forced to relax the draw and set it down from the muscle strain. It added a sense of reality that the GUNZ&BOMBZ style FPS's seem to lack. I've played Elder Scrolls: Morrowind, but that had less of that sense of realism- it did, however, seem to shoot more realistically, right down to the arrow having an arc to it's path.

[SavageArcher]

the Turok series of games used bows and I saw a write up for the game Cyrsis 3 that features the use of a hi tech compound.

[SavageArcher]

I just checked out the trailer for this game. It's almost enough for me to want to get a gaming system now.

[Red_Snow]

Here's a quick question that I've been pondering over for a quite some time now: how does one draw more with their back muscles than there arm muscles?

I've heard it say that when drawing a person should try and pinch their shoulder blades together to activate the correct muscle groups.

Pondering buying a lower poundage bow to work on my muscle development and form more then just yanking back and slinging sticks.

[Ad'lan]

Here's a quick question that I've been pondering over for a quite some time now: how does one draw more with their back muscles than there arm muscles?

I've heard it say that when drawing a person should try and pinch their shoulder blades together to activate the correct muscle groups.

Pondering buying a lower poundage bow to work on my muscle development and form more then just yanking back and slinging sticks.

This is me shooting (feel free to criticise my form, It was some quick shooting at the end of day, only a 6 yard range and I lost my knock point on the last arrow, was a clean 6" out of an otherwise tight group). But you notice my arm remains level with my shoulders, or above, never below? You should feel the draw in your shoulder blades. Keep your elbow high when first practising so you get the motion. There should be almost no exertion in the arms, they just transfer the power from the body.

[Red_Snow]

I'll give it a try. Right now after 20 or 30 shots my elbow just kills me. With a knife. To the face.

[ForgeCorvus]

I'll give it a try. Right now after 20 or 30 shots my elbow just kills me. With a knife. To the face.

Fingers or shoulders can be expected (for new archers or old hands shooting more arrows or heavier bows then normal), but if your elbow hurts you're doing something wrong.......Bow hand or string hand?

[Red_Snow]

Bow hand or string hand?

String arm. Pretty damn sure that I'm just pulling too much with my arm, which is putting too much stress on my elbow.

[ForgeCorvus]

That sounds like you're right......You getting cramps or pain in that forearm as well?

[KnightoftheRoc]

Muscle pain can simply indicate those muscles getting exercised- I see it all the time in the forearms of students beginning my sword fighting class. In this case, it's using the muscles in combination, or singly, in ways they simply aren't used to yet. Joint pain can indicate that you're doing something you shouldn't be. This can happen even when doing it "right", if there's an underlying joint problem, like say, arthritis or bursitis, or even an old injury there.

Anyone noticing an upswing in archery interest since the movie "Hunger Game" came out?

[ineffableone]

Anyone noticing an upswing in archery interest since the movie "Hunger Game" came out?

I hadn't but I am guessing that movie might have some impact on people getting into archery.

Nothing quite like a big Hollywood movie to help weapon sales

I wonder if there was a surge in archery after the movie Weatherman, Nick Cage walking around with a bow might have encouraged people to take up the sport.

[zenger]

Or hawk eye in avengers

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[KnightoftheRoc]

Or hawk eye in avengers

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Actually, I'm wondering if there's a corresponding upswing based on that, too. Going to see it tomorrow, so I'll be better able to see just how much screen time he gets. Hawkeye's always been sort of a second string Avenger, rarely the focus of a story line, and I'm not seeing anything in the movie ads to think they changed that- time will tell.

[Shiloh]

The Hunger Games has definitely encouraged a new surge in the traditional community. Though at times it seems like a double edged sword. I've seen more and more posts on some trad. forums basically saying "i wantz a metal b0w lik Katniss lol cuz its teh shiznit". Now I understand what the AR community felt like after Modern Warfare came out. On the other hand, some people are genuinely interested in the sport and want to learn, so it's not that bad.

Also, two unrelated questions: One, does anyone have any experience with the medieval arrow bag, and how I might go about making one? The $60 or so I've seen them go for seems a tad excessive for a linen bag and leather spacer. Also, could I get some help with inspiration on a English longbowman impression? I'm going to an SCA event this june and wanted to try and pull something together.

[KnightoftheRoc]

The Hunger Games has definitely encouraged a new surge in the traditional community. Though at times it seems like a double edged sword. I've seen more and more posts on some trad. forums basically saying "i wantz a metal b0w lik Katniss lol cuz its teh shiznit". Now I understand what the AR community felt like after Modern Warfare came out. On the other hand, some people are genuinely interested in the sport and want to learn, so it's not that bad.

Also, two unrelated questions: One, does anyone have any experience with the medieval arrow bag, and how I might go about making one? The $60 or so I've seen them go for seems a tad excessive for a linen bag and leather spacer. Also, could I get some help with inspiration on a English longbowman impression? I'm going to an SCA event this june and wanted to try and pull something together.

I made an arrow bag/quiver from a moccasin my dog had chewed up. Basically, I used the calf portion to make a tapered tube, and sewed in a circle at the bottom, also of leather, from another part of the moc. Can't say how "authentic" it is, but it works, and looks right.

[zenger]

He gets quite a bit of screen time, his shots in the main battle quite epic!

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[Ad'lan]

The Hunger Games has definitely encouraged a new surge in the traditional community. Though at times it seems like a double edged sword. I've seen more and more posts on some trad. forums basically saying "i wantz a metal b0w lik Katniss lol cuz its teh shiznit". Now I understand what the AR community felt like after Modern Warfare came out. On the other hand, some people are genuinely interested in the sport and want to learn, so it's not that bad.

Also, two unrelated questions: One, does anyone have any experience with the medieval arrow bag, and how I might go about making one? The $60 or so I've seen them go for seems a tad excessive for a linen bag and leather spacer. Also, could I get some help with inspiration on a English longbowman impression? I'm going to an SCA event this june and wanted to try and pull something together.

Enter Lecture Mode:

Y/N?

Select time period for English Longbow man; Edward the 1st (Welsh and Scottish Wars), Edward the 3rd (Early 100 Years War, Battle of Crecy) Henry V (Late Hundred Years War, Battle of Agincourt), War of the Roses, Tudor Period (End of Longbows, replacement by firearms).
What sort of Longbow man do you want to be? a Welsh/English Archer working for Malleus Scotorum when the Longbow is just entering the battle field. A member of the first professional armies in western europe since the Romans, breaking the back of French Nobility at Crecy, or Escaping destruction through the power of the bow at Agincourt? The War of the Roses is a struggle between two houses for the throne, and sees bloody slaughter of Englishman by English Man. The Tudor Period is one from which we actually have bows, taken from the mary rose. The Longbow is in decline, as urbanisation means few people have room to practice or the physical build caused by ploughing tough soil.


As for a Medieval Arrowbag, Do you have a sewing machine (or at least sewing skills)? $60 isn't bad. it's £45 over here for the standard design. I've made some in my time, and getting it right is tricky. Now, the arrow bag design works for bodkins and field points, broad heads need a different design.

You can just get by with a Canvas Bag. The leather spacer is used to protect the fletchings from getting crushed. The Traditional design is a conical tube, cut off before it reaches a point, you can do it with just a normal tube of canvas. The Bottom is closed with a draw string or two ties. Some people put a leather cup in to save the canvas, and if you are going to have this bag on your belt it's worth while. But historically, an arrowbag isn't for use as a quiver, it's for transporting arrows which are then doled out read for battle in sheaves per man.

However many arrows you want in your bag (traditionally a Sheaf is 24) is the number of holes you need in the leather. they need to be spaced so your fletchings don't touch. The Leather should be far enough down the bag that there is enough canvas left to completely cover over the rest of the arrows, and then you can attach two more ties or a draw string to shut the top.

Viola, one arrowbag.


Is this for the English D-curve bow you were thinking about making a while back? (sorry I didn't chime in on that one, Last year at Uni). I want to see pics!

I've always wanted to do an English Warbow display at American Renfaires. I might not be able to shoot like Byron Furgerson, but I can rattle off a good lecture.

[Shiloh]

Thanks for the great info Ad'lan! I still consider myself a bit of a medieval history newb, but I'm slowly getting there. I had the idea of goig for an English archer during the reign of Edward the 3rd, mostly because I love the story of Crecy and the Hundred years war. It was beyond entertaining to read about the French killing their own crossbowmen. Maybe I will end up just buying an arrow bag for that kit, though. (I have the sewing skills of a gorilla, so I'd probably just end up ruining it.)

As for the longbow project, it's still in the works. Ice got a piece of red oak I'm going to rip down to the proper dimensions, and I've still got to decide what wood I'm gioing to back it with. It won't be more that 40# or so, but it's mostly just for fun. On the other hand, I've got a friend in the SCA who says he can get me some yew staves this fall.

All spelling mistakes are the fault of my iPod.

[Ad'lan]

Enter Lecture Mode: Y/N?
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Lecture:



This is a reasonably contemporary drawing of the battle (I believe the chronicles is about a Generation or two Later than Crecy).

You could be a yeomans son, the middle class of england at the time. Your father owns his own land, but he works it himself, he is not landed gentry who rents it out to others, but you are reasonably well to do. You might have horse, and be a mounted archer, or if you are poorer, you might be a foot archer. The levies require that each man who has land or rents more than £5 per year must provide one foot arhcer, £10 a mounted archer 20 must be two mounted archers and so forth, in addition to his feudal duty of going to battle. Your father or grandfather may have fought with Edward I in Wales or Scotland, and as archery is the current English passion, he has taught you to shoot since you can remember. You maybe the village champion because there are regular competitions, and you have/are chosen to go with the local nobleman.

Around 6000 Longbow men from Wales and Southern England (Northerners had to provide troops to protect the scottish border) go (200 from Norfolk) on this expedition, thinking they were bound for gascony but instead you make for normandy and thence paris. After you have landed you have orders not to pillage, which may or may not be enforced by your master, and I won't go on, I'm sure you can decide your own snapshot in history to portray, because there are many exciting skirmishes leading up to the famous battle.


You carry some arrows with you, but there are supply wagons to replenish your stocks from, and which will be distributed before battle (The Government supply of Arrows to ensure enough ammunition durng battle is the origin of the 'Standard Arrow' you may have read references too). Your Bow too, might be your own or government issue, but your other arms you'll provide yourself. No doubt you'll have a good knife like everyone, maybe even a sword and buckler, favoured weapons of the english. In addition to Your Doublet and Hose standard costume, you might be well enough off to have an armoured Jack or some mail of various kinds. A Steel Helmet or similar is not uncommon in drawings either, but a hood is always classic. You might wear your local lords livery, or simply a badge or some token to indicate your master and origin.

At this point in time, there is no Armour that can Standup to the Warbow at close range, even at Long range you can split chainmail rings that form most of the enemies armour. The 'Suit of Plates' is nowhere near it's zenith in terms of flexibility, design, weight or quality of steel and it's treatment, and has a long way to go before the 'Blued Steel Armour' Milanese mercenaries will use to ride through waves of english arrows later on in the war.

I look forward to pics, of both the costume and event.

[Shiloh]

Enter Lecture Mode: Y/N?
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Lecture:

-snippy snip snip of the most awesome bit of medieval history I've ever read-


I look forward to pics, of both the costume and event.

Woah. Shouldn't you be doing this stuff for a living?

I promise to bring back pictures after the fact. It's not until June 15th, but I promise lots of pics afterward. Right now my main concern is trying to come up with a decent costume on the fly. One of the gals I know is a good seamstress, and she's making a few basic lace-up tunics with our squad's livery on the back. I just need the pants, which I've considering just butchering out of an old pair of cargo pants.

[Ad'lan]

Enter Lecture Mode: Y/N?
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Lecture Mode Entered: Run Lecture: Y/N

Y

Lecture:

-snippy snip snip of the most awesome bit of medieval history I've ever read-


I look forward to pics, of both the costume and event.

Woah. Shouldn't you be doing this stuff for a living?

I promise to bring back pictures after the fact. It's not until June 15th, but I promise lots of pics afterward. Right now my main concern is trying to come up with a decent costume on the fly. One of the gals I know is a good seamstress, and she's making a few basic lace-up tunics with our squad's livery on the back. I just need the pants, which I've considering just butchering out of an old pair of cargo pants.

I suggest you get a pair of thick woolen tights for your hose, rather than try and modify modern trousers. Though skinny jeans could do in a pinch. Also, shoes are a nice touch. Leather plimsoles or such like, if you can get them.