[Regia-NA] Bows with linen backing

[J K Siddorn]

I ask from a position of ignorance only - is it really the case that all (or
the great majority) of US bowmakers will only supply wooden bows with a
glued on layer of linen as a stress grabber?

I wasn't aware of this and just find it interesting that it should have come
up in conversation.

As an aside as someone who has made the odd bow or two in his time, adding a
layer of linen and fixing it *under load* with epoxy resin will add
significantly to the cast of the bow and reduce its tendency to follow the
string.


Regards,

Kim Siddorn

I'd rather have a free bottle in front of me
than a free frontal lobotomy!


----- Original Message -----
From: "Wulfhere" <wulfhere@masspostroad.net>
To: <list-regia-na@lig.net>
Sent: Monday, October 27, 2003 6:17 AM
Subject: Re: [Regia-NA] viking bows


Well bud, based on the Britons' response you will have to make your own
bow or buy one and grind off the backing. I don't know of any bowyers
in the states who will sell a wood bow without a stress cover on the
back. If you really want to make one, get a book called "The
Traditional Bowyers Bible Volume 1". It gives you all the basics. It'll
also teach you how to match the arrows. That's very important. A
longbow with arrows that are too stiff or to flexible will drive you
nuts. I had to make a bunch of arrows of different spine (that's
stiffness) and shoot them with no feathers. When they're wrong, they
won't even stick in a target. When they are just right, you don't need
the feathers. You can force a bend by using a heavier head or longer
shaft. Wood longbows are inefficient. A #50 draw bow probably needs a
#30 spine with a 100grain head about 3 inches longer than your draw
length, which will be about 31" if your 6'2". I'm 5'7" and draw just
28" but weigh 185lbs.  I'm looking for a #100 plus bow just to see if I
can shoot the bloody thing.


On Sunday, October 26, 2003, at 11:27 PM, BASENJIS2FOR2@aol.com wrote:

> thank you all for the information but i really wanted to know how to
> make one but this will work and i want to be as real as possible so
> ya no now day stuff even if it is more safe my Mom wont like that lol
> i will not tell her lol OK well just need to get some money to by a
> bow and arrows and have a compound bow and my dad lets me use his 45
> fiberglass bow to so i now a little about bow and what not so thanks
> for the information
> micah the happy one
>