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English longbow

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  • 16-05-2010 8:28pm
    #1
    chem
    Registered Users Posts: 1,230 ✭✭✭


    Hi all,

    After years of wanting one, I bought one today. Its made from ash and was told its 45lbs draw. Im very new to archery, and if anyone has any tips id welcome them. One thing im wondering is, how do i know how long I have to make the string on the bow? Im afraid to break the bow by having the string to tight. Also im short in size. Is there a rule of thumb as to the lenght of a longbow to the hight of a person?

    Any and all answers welcome, Chem.


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    #2
    Panserborn
    Registered Users Posts: 807 ✭✭✭Panserborn


    Hi there,

    Not an awful lot of longbowers here but if you contact the people at www.flybow.de (based in Mayo in spite of the .de address!) they are very helpful in the ways of longbows. 46lbs is quite a draw, be sure to get arrows spined to take such a force. Again, Flybow are the ones to ask about this.

    Have fun!


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    #3
    ivanthehunter
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,284 ✭✭✭ivanthehunter


    Whats your DL (draw length) and what length is the bow when unstrung.(nock2nock)

    The trick is limit the height of the string when measured from the belly of the bow by adjusting the bowyers knot.

    A simple rule of thumb is to adjust this height until it measures a distance know as a fist-meal (i think that its name???) Its the maximum distance that you can make from the tip of your thumb to the main knuckle of the little finger(i.e. thumbs up). If your higher than this then you're "highly strung" and liable to snap and if you too low you wont get the performance because your string is running in too close to the line of the force and your arrow spine will have to be massive..

    Best book i have ever read in relation to bows was "The Archers Craft" and TBH its well worth the 14 euro that amazon was looking for when i checked last..

    Be careful with Ash bows as their not as serviceable as Yew, Lemonwood or Degame. The temperature affects them more IMO.

    Anyway I have a 45lb yew bow and two compounds and i have been involved making them for years! Although i'm not great at it but even a crocked stick can shoot a arrow straight:D

    Make sure that you alway de-string such a bow before storage otherwise you'll be following the string, which means that the bow bends permanently and you lose poundage and cast.

    You're going to pay a pretty penny up at flybow but he knows his stuff. If your anyway hand chem you can knock out your own arrows quite easily TBH its the bow that the hard bit of the build IMO.
    Get your hand on several UK '2 penny' coins as these are ideal for measuring the spine of any arrows that you make..
    Most of my Compound arrows seem to work in fairly well in my longbow TBH and the modern arrows are so much more hardier that they last years IMO.
    The trad arrows have delicate fletching made of goose primary feathers and their made of wood! things of beauty but prone to damage from the get go.


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    #4
    Panserborn
    Registered Users Posts: 807 ✭✭✭Panserborn


    ivanthehunter wrote: »
    Get your hand on several UK '2 penny' coins as these are ideal for measuring the spine of any arrows that you make..

    Out of interest ................ how? :confused:


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    #5
    ivanthehunter
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,284 ✭✭✭ivanthehunter


    Because 4 of them weigh 1oz!

    They're hand little weights for measuring spine and have been a traditional aid in DIY arrow making for years;)

    TBH they are the cheapest set of weights that you can own! Ever..

    On another note: I have seen the above coins used to reinforce 'seems' on quivers and nail bags by simply folding them over the 'seem' and hammering them closed over the two materials!


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