MR81A 1607 Slab Bow

[outcaste]

Hi,

Just thought I would share my latest project, a long time in construction but well worth all the effort.





I haven't got any photos of it drawn up but if you click on the link below you will see it being shot. I'm the guy dressed in green/beard/welly boots!


http://s279.photobucket.com/albums/kk123/leafy_bow/agincourt%20shoot%202009/?action=view&current=Movie.flv

The bow is constructed from English yew and has had the sapwood taken down to a single growth ring. The original MR bow has 68 rings per inch, this has 65, so pretty close! The draw weight is 155lbs@32. One thing we have to take into account is this bow is 81ins NTN and the original is 77ins, making it 196lbs@32 or just over 180lbs@30.5ins. It has taken very little set, the stave had a natural deflex for the most part. My aim is to remove the temporary nocks and shorten by an inch or so. 

I would also like to say thanks to Steve Stratton for answering some of the finer points of the original features and dimensions

Cheers,
Alistair

[Ian.]

Fantastic looking bow as all ways, what sort of distance did you manage with it.

[outcaste]

Fantastic looking bow as all ways, what sort of distance did you manage with it.

Hi Ian,

In the awful conditions I managed 220 yards with a 1/4 pound arrow, so hopefully a bit more to come on a better day!

Cheers,
Alistair

[Phil Rees]

Alistair ... Congratulations on constructing a wonderful bow.
For those of us not too familular with the technicalities of Mary Rose bows, would you mind explaining the term "slab sided" and were there any other specific characteristics of MR81A 1607 that attracted you to construct your excellent replica

[outcaste]

Alistair ... Congratulations on constructing a wonderful bow.
For those of us not too familular with the technicalities of Mary Rose bows, would you mind explaining the term "slab sided" and were there any other specific characteristics of MR81A 1607 that attracted you to construct your excellent replica

Thanks for the compliment and apologies for not responding earlier.

The term 'Slab Sided' only really means that there is a definate flat side (edge) to the bow running almost to the nocks themselves, rather than the 'D' section (you can see this in the photo). With regards to being attracted to this bow in particular, then you might remember an earlier posting of a slab sided bow on this forum constructed from Italian yew. As I was interested in what English yew could produce and wanted to make a really heavy bow (this bow is one of the larger bows found on the MR), I thought I would give it a go. I think it is really interesting what has come out from this as an indication of the draw weights of these bows and relative performance. Next step is to shorten to somewhere near the original length. I guess if i take two inches off it would be around 175lbs @ 32 or more bearing in mind it was 155lbs hot of the tiller.

Cheers,
Alistair

[Ian.]

I know you've shot some big draw weights but can you pull 175lb thats a hell of a bow

[Del the cat]

Any pics at full draw?
Del

[outcaste]

Any pics at full draw?
Del

Sorry only the video at the moment. Hopefully when I have a little more time I will put up some stills.

Alistair

[Kviljo]

Woha! That's a nice one!

Quite a character stave too, considering all the small knots. Impressive! I especially like that you will shorten it to the original length.
Brilliant project, and bow! Very interesting result too

(I've been looking into asiatic bows a little recently, and I must say we really shouldn't be surpriced that these longbows also can be 100#+++. They were drawing these weights in the east too. It is perhaps more intriguing that e.g. the Nydam bows seems to have been used in battle, and having been quite limp.)

[Rod]

Be interesting to hear how it feels. I had a slab sided bow that was sweeter and if anything slightly faster when I removed wood by radiussing the belly without changing the essential dimensions.

Rod.

[Yeomanbowman]

Be interesting to hear how it feels. I had a slab sided bow that was sweeter and if anything slightly faster when I removed wood by radiussing the belly without changing the essential dimensions.

Rod.

As has been pointed out the bow it is based on is one of the larger examples found on the Mary Rose.  I assume that the bow you altered was at a far lower stress level and although interesting must been seen in this context.  I'm sure that the Tudor bowyer knew what he was doing and at a very high draw weight, perhaps double what you claim you have been able to shoot, the design comes into its own.

Jeremy 

[markinengland]

Alistair,

A really nice bow that shows what could be done in the past and can still be done now with English yew.

In the video it looks to have a great tiller.

Also looked like Jeremy very nearly drew beyond his arrow!

Mark

[radius]

dude, i like it, i think it's great.  Never worked with english yew, only pacific yew, but on this side of the world that stuff makes good bow wood.  Your bow looks like something from a movie.

[outcaste]

Alistair,

A really nice bow that shows what could be done in the past and can still be done now with English yew.

In the video it looks to have a great tiller.

Also looked like Jeremy very nearly drew beyond his arrow!

Mark

Hi Mark,

Good to hear from you, yes I can always look to Jeremy to pressure test my bows!! Obviously this was a very dense example of English yew, I hope in time to try out these dimensions on a much looser grained stave just to compare. I must also say that after I initially roughed out the dimensions one limb didn't need to be touched throughout the whole tillering process and the other limb was minimal only due to the reflex towards the tip. So I guess the man who made the original knew what he was doing!

All the best,
Alistair

[Del the cat]

Just seen the vid...excellent. Nice touch being able to see you take the string off too.
I do like to see a nice grass quiver too .
Del