Something nice on it's way.

[Mack The Knife]

One does not need arms like Arnie to shoot a bow. You could shoot a bow using arm strength only but you would tire faster. The muscles used are located in the upper back but since most people do not use them for day to day work, drawing a bow may prove difficult at first.

Average guys come in all sizes, so it's difficult to answer your question. However, between 30 and 40 # draw weight is what an average guy can handle at first without getting the shakes too early.

Many guys who shoot 100# and over do not have body-builder type physiques. Infact, many of these body-builder type guys may not be able to even draw the bow fully. Whilst on the other hand, children (sub-teens) and ladies who have gradually built up their draw weights can shoot heavy bows. Some ladies in the various warbow socities can and do shoot 100# bows and there are sub-teens shooting 50 and 60# bows. However, one needs to build up to this weight gradually and sensibly.

[Skyman]

The traps and lats come into play rather than the biceps/triceps whilst drawing a bow

[BowMan]

By and large, the composite bow, due to it's design and construction, was found to be more efficient than the English longbow and warbow.

Perhaps and perhaps not. I was reading a thesis on this subject and it concluded that there are no inhering design advantages (shape) of a composite over a longbow. While the composite allows for a much shorter bow which can then be shot on horseback it has certain disadvantages like time and skill needed to make one, cost (even in those days not all warriors could afford this cutting edge technology), weather sensitivity (composites lost a lot of their effectiveness in moist climates). Also their short axel length would make them sensitive and uncomfortable to finger release and perhaps this is why composite achers used a thumb release (but this is just a guess).

The English longbow (or any longbow) was always a peasants weapon (the knights always looked down on it, especially the French) owing to its simplicity of design and construction and it could be fashioned by anyone with some woodworking skill. Interestingly the Greeks also did not particularly look up to Archery and Paris is the only good Archer from Illiad and he is portrayed as somewhat of an coward in that epic. Perhaps this stems from the fact that Greeks primarily engaged in hand to hand combat which was a test of strength and stamina of a diffrent kind.

But as things are Asian Archery is always associated with composites (Mack The Knife you should also pick up one perhaps) and European Archery with longbows (also crossbows but they are not part of this topic).

I think you are refering to Otzi.

I think this was actually from an archeological site of some scythian warrior but it was a really long time back and I am not sure. I will try to get some links/references for this.

A longbow can also be made as a composite bow.

If you are referring to a banboo composite then yes. Koreans and Chinese always did this. Also perhaps the Mughals.

The muscles used are located in the upper back

This is very much true for modern archery Mack but the ancients used a system that was somewhat diffrent. Now there is an old english proverb that says "Lay your body in the bow" and this puts in play almost the entire upper torso. That is exactly the technique one needs to shoot bows like one found on Mary Rose. Here is a video to get an idea of how this is done (some also call it a rolling loose);

[youtube][/youtube]

Should work on a target consisting of massed French cavalry but I am not so sure about point targets.

The English longbowman was trained to loose (archery term for 'fire') 12 to 15 arrows per minute.

This is amazing isnt it. The french must have been greeted by a hail of arrows. I read something similar about Saracen archery. They would make young boys practice letting fly arrows quickly (and on target) till they could reach up to a level of proficiency where one could fire one arrow and before it hit the target loose at least 2 more arrows. So in effect the minimum requirement to be called an Archer was to be able to maintain 3 well aimed arrows in flight at one moment in time!!!

[TC]

Every time I enter this thread it seems I am in medieval England and I am lost inside Sherwood Forest and the people who can show me the way, Robin Hood and Little John are fighting over bows....

Take no offense guys... just trying to have fun from the sidelines and learning a thing or two about bows..



TC

PS: I have a couple of bows too.... handmade by tribals in Jharkhand and Mizoram

[Mack The Knife]

My reading points to composite bows (mainly Turkish) being more efficient than the old English longbow. The English also shot their longbows whilst riding a horse, as did the Japanese with their even longer Yumi bows. The longbow and warbow aren't immune to changes in weather. Leave aside the bow, the first thing that will reduce a bows performance is a damp or wet string. This is why the English kept their bows and strings waxed - to repel water as far as possible. That should be nock-to-nock length, not axle length.

Whilst anyone with woodworking skills could and can make a longbow, of sorts, it requires training and experience to make a proper longbow and warbow. Now I am not sure but I vaguely recall one of the Greek philosophers of the ancient world praising the bow.

If you are referring to a banboo composite then yes. Koreans and Chinese always did this. Also perhaps the Mughals.

The first material man probably used to make a composite bow was sinew. It is still in use. I vaguely recall bone also being used but this I need to check.

This is very much true for modern archery Mack but the ancients used a system that was somewhat diffrent. Now there is an old english proverb that says "Lay your body in the bow" and this puts in play almost the entire upper torso. That is exactly the technique one needs to shoot bows like one found on Mary Rose. Here is a video to get an idea of how this is done (some also call it a rolling loose);

[youtube][/youtube]

Please watch the video you have posted again and pay special attention to the archers back muscles.

Should work on a target consisting of massed French cavalry but I am not so sure about point targets.

It worked very well considering the English shot in volleys whilst the French were still some way off. For targets at shorter distance, the English longbow man used a different form. This can be seen in the video link I posted earlier.

This is amazing isnt it. The french must have been greeted by a hail of arrows. I read something similar about Saracen archery. They would make young boys practice letting fly arrows quickly (and on target) till they could reach up to a level of proficiency where one could fire one arrow and before it hit the target loose at least 2 more arrows. So in effect the minimum requirement to be called an Archer was to be able to maintain 3 well aimed arrows in flight at one moment in time!!!

Any idea how far the Saracens keep their target? There are quite a few cultures that developed a rapid rate of fire.

[Mack The Knife]

TC, I'd rather be Friar Tuck with a joint of venison in my hand.

I would absolutely LOVE to see details and pics of the bows you have.

[TC]

TC, I'd rather be Friar Tuck with a joint of venison in my hand.

I would absolutely LOVE to see details and pics of the bows you have.

Mack The Knife, after this comment I would be scared to show you anything...

Will post pics someday.. they are lost in some loft. Had some spears too. Real scary blades bought from a tribal fair when I was a kid

Cheers
Tc

[surajshuresh]

congrats Mack The Knife...your new bow is really something... I dont know much about bows but looking at this beauty is tempting me to know more...

[Mack The Knife]

Will post pics someday...

None of that 'someday' business. Get up there and get them down.

I am primarily interested in the bows but wouldn't mind seeing the spears as well.

As Eliza Doolittle would have said, "Come on TC, move your bloomin' ar*e!!!"

[Mack The Knife]

I dont know much about bows but looking at this beauty is tempting me to know more...

Give it a try but make sure it does not have pulleys and cables and what not on it.