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A Kids Bow

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Eugene:
Steve,

I can't remember where I read this, but elm was one of the standard materials used for the traditional British "self" bow, so if you have access to a decent supply, it would be a pity to let it pass by.

I may have seen it in Robert Hardy's work "Longbow: A Social and Military History" which I heartily recommend. Hardy is an actor who came into an interest in longbows through playing Prince Hal in "An Age of Kings" on BBC TV a long time back. He's now a national authority on the subject being a Trustee of both The National Armouries and The Mary Rose Trust. He measured / estimated the draw weight of some of the bows from The Mary Rose at 180 lbs, so your daughter has a bit of a way to go just yet!

Second hand copies ...... http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?an=Hardy&sts=t&tn=longbow

Eug

Fergus OMore:
Whilst on my holidays, I was given a Bernard Cornwell novel on archery associated with the Hundred Years War, Crecy, the search for St Peters sword etc. There was lots of archery information. I'm interested in this Cathar thing- I'm a --------never mind but it's a good read. my bow was local briar- now yew or whatever and the arrows were willow.

A good read and informed.

Norman

modeldozer:
Very nice bow.   :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow:

Cheers.
Abraham

vtsteam:
Swarf thanks!  :beer: I think it's been used for baskets, etc. a lot. It does shrink so I imagine inlays would use dry material. Be interested to see what you can do with it.

Eugene, I did save and split the elm into staves to make a few bows with, but they will take awhile to dry. The bark was handy to use for this bow. I'll post when I use the elm pieces to try a self bow.

I remember Robert Hardy from the early 70's Masterpiece Theater here (BBC originated) series Elizabeth R. And of course Siegfried in All Creatures Great and Small. Now that you mention it I did hear somewhere that he was an expert in English longbows. I'll have to read that book, thanks for the link!  :beer:

Norman,really interesting to hear about the briar and willow -- always interested in materials for things not commonly seen. Also the interested in the Cathars, Albigensian stuff, etc... :beer:

Abraham, thank you kindly! :beer:

Fergus OMore:
Really, I don't think that we thought about fancy woods when I was a kid.  The willows grew - as willows grew and the briar grew hips which was an important  source of vitamin C in the war. So we used what was there.

Digressing, we were too poor to have Christmas trees and holly was the thing that was decorated. Ironically, we have the largest man made forest in Europe now. It was for locally grown pit props but is now a source of chipboard as there are no coal mines anymore.

Cathars and such.  Our son was a stagiare after finishing his degree in French. Went to live in Montpellier which is Cathar Country but is also near to where the Crusaders sailed from Aigues Mortes which is now miles inland from the River Rhone silting up. There's quite a lot about the Black Madonna and of course, two Popes and Friday the 13th. Avignon and 'Sur le pont d'Avignon- well, I've done 'Sous le pont d'Avignon'. Gypsies making clothes pegs and of course 'the crocodile chained to a palm tree'  at Nimes where 'De Nimes' originated.
Little wonder that there are so many books written.
Digressing further, it's the place where clarinet, saxophone and other reeds are grown. Too much for one scant lifetime!


 

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