[Ansteorra-archery] I swear it never ends - questions

[Eadric Anstapa]

Well I write at the moment from my Hotel in Copenhagen.  Today I 
visited the Danish Museum of hunting and forestry. (saw a real 
prehistoric Holmegaard style bow today) Yesterday I visited the 
Royal Armory.  Wed. I visited the Danish National Museum.  Took 
lots of pictures of period an slightly post period crossbows at 
all these places.

Saw some real impressive horn composite prods.  They are huge.  
The prods are about as thick through as the tiller.  I of course 
didn't get to hold any of them in my hands and get up closebut 
from what it looked like the prods were simply backed with horn 
the way you might hickory back your cedar bow today.
I got pictures I'll share when I get back.

I also took pictures of a lot of crossbow mechanisms, sights, 
etc.  Here is waht I noted in the 30 or so crossbows I have seen.

1.  Didn't see ANY period adjustable sights.  All the adjustable 
sights were post period.  Some of them very closely post period  
but post periond. 

2.  All of the bolt retaining clips that I saw where made of 
horn.  I founf that interesting.

3.  Rifle style stocks and more modern triggers seem to show up 
about 50+ years post period.  Right at the very end of period you 
see the butts of stocks starting to be shaped more and being 
clearly right handed but they still aren't rifle shaped and still 
have a long lever style tickler.

4.  Can you say ORNATE.  Obviously a lot of the hows that survive 
are hunting and sporting bows of great noblemen that were well 
cared for and protected.  Whew are they ornate  LOTS of inlay and 
carving.

Regards,

-EA


David Ruff <davidsbox01 at yahoo.com> said:

> 
>  
> I made myself a tillering block. Best few bucks i have ever 
spent. Now from the books and things i am reading the bent bow is 
placed on the block and drawn to the target weight. In this case 
35# at 28"
>  
> I want to over shoot the bow weight target by a few pounds. Now 
in tillering i am seeing, i am supposed the bow look like a piece 
of a perfect circle, so i block it, draw it, mark the dead areas, 
remove it and tiller the limbs. Flex it afew times and put it back 
on the block running it back up to target weight and hopefully 
more inches in draw back. 
>  
> I keep doing this till i hit my target weight and target draw - 
correct? What i am seeing on the cedar/oak backed stave i am 
playing with is starting to resemble a really nice arc when drawn 
and i have it to 24" at 36lbs. VERY unlike the first bow i did 
afew days ago.
>  
> Next question
>  
>  
> Will this same method work using bone, wood and sinew composite 
on staves that are say 30" long and drawing 6 to 8"? I am 
attempting to make my first period composite prod using hide glue 
etc. Target weight is not important to me on this one - 60 to 100# 
will do nicely. But the idea of a period only shoot using pre 
steel method has awoken a monster in me i can't shake :) I am soon 
to learn the art of making steel lathe's. I want to explore making 
a pre 1320's crossbow with a horn/sinew/wood prod pulling 200 to 
400lb. I have never seen one - i want to build, see, hold, and 
fire one.  
>  
>  
> >From what i see the layup is the same as the modern composites 
i make in my press however there is NO written information on 
using period composite materials for xbows other then pictures, 
actual examples and writings of what was used in the prod. So i 
can only assume doing it like the horse bows is near correct - as 
far as the lay up is concerned.... 
>  
>  
> Any thoughts, or referrals to doc's on this from anyone?
>  
>  
>  
> Ulrich
>  
>