Renaissance Style English Longbow, Hickory backed Yew.

[mikaluger (Mick Kay)]

This is my take on Renaissance style D section english longbow.
Hickory backed Pacific Yew with a bamboo core. 69" NtN, 50lb @ 28". Sambar nocks and arrow rest.

[mikaluger (Mick Kay)]

and more....

[blackhawk]

Interesting... not sure I'd call it that,but its your bow n can call it what ya want  

Next time use a splice to join your yew core/billets....that'll prob hold due to the handle overlays n underlays,but it kinda makes me nervous a wee bit...

Should be a smooth pulling accurate shooter tho ...and that's the goal we aim for

[WillS]

Looks nicely made.  I'm intrigued - have you got any images of what you based it on?  Doesn't look like any longbow I've ever seen before! (and I'm English )

Renaissance being 14th to 17thC, longbows still looked like... Longbows during that time I believe?  Not that it takes anything away from your bow - it's beautiful!  I like the shape of the nocks - they look a lot like the one found on the MR.

[IdahoMatt]

Nice work.  I like those tips a lot.

[PatM]

It was apparently the Italians who used what is typically described as this style of bow. Generally it would be described as a long, slightly set back handle bow with very small recurves.
 Chris Boyton makes them in this style with laminations.

[Newindian]

nice bow looks a little like a molly to me

[Wiley]

Like others have been saying, i'm not sure that I would call this an english longbow.

It has a drawn profile like that of a mollegabet but a cross section like that of an English longbow. It's neat looking, and looks well built. How does it shoot?

[Del the cat]

Nice bow, but not what I'd call an English longbow old chap
Del

[toomanyknots]

Whatever the thing is, it's still cool. 

[SuperCracker]

Aren't there somewhat deflexed longbows depicted in some surviving contemporary depictions of bows in the middle ages? I can't remember right off hand where I saw them but I know I have. I'll look it up later on at home where my books are. Also, didn't Ascham make a reference to "Having the tips brought round" on a bow once it's shot in? 

[PatM]

The thought was that the Crusades influenced longbow design when Sarcacen Archery became known to Europeans. The composite design with retrograde tips and a setback handle would have been a fairly obvious design element that could be added without complicating construction.
 If you ever try to make a longbow and add these features the benefit will become immediately apparent.
 
 SuperCracker, I wouldn't put TOO much stock in illustrations. Ascham's recommendation is a reference to whipping the tips slightly,
not the same thing as adding recurves that are rounded in the opposite direction.

[mikaluger (Mick Kay)]

Hi Fella's,

I have a book somewhere, with a plate depicting an English archer from this period using a bow with slightly curved limbs (more at the tips I think) and a rigid handle. This is what I based this bow on. Just a picture. From memory as I cant find the affending mentioned picture....
Im not a historian or renactor, just a carpenter with an interest in making bows and trying different things that come to mind.

It was going to be an ELB, but as the handle is spliced, I could not tiller the bow trough the handle. Hence the rigid riser. I wanted  to have a D section bow as I have never made a D section bow from Yew before, but I wanted some speed so I decided to add some reflex 8 inches from the tips.

In hindsight you are correct, it is NOT and english long bow. I should know, my parents were english and I have made a number of ELB's and warbows.
It is an Australians, beer induced, retrospective thought based, materials I had at hand, impulse built, longbow thingy!!!!!..........but that description wont fit in the title box. :)I apologise for the bum steer.

What type of bow is this then? I am interested to see some comments on this.

Buy the way, the above longbow thingy is a cracker to shoot. It picks up the weight very early and is glossy smooth. The yew is a factor here I think, that and the length. Arrow speed is fantastic.

Mick.


Ps
Below is one of my elb's. Hickory backed red oak. 70" ntn, 55lb at 28"

[WillS]

Very nice. 

If it's any help, you can actually tiller a spliced bow full compass.  Joe Gibbs has made 160# yew bows bending fully through the handle despite a z-splice in the middle.  There's something new to try eh?

[Del the cat]

I like the Elm ELB  nice.
Del