Help me with a bow materials argument

[Mesophilic]

Disclaimer:  the following may contain content not suitable for all viewers. 




I live in Los Alamos, and consequently rub shoulders with very over educated people...ivory tower PhD types.

I was talking with a gentleman about the horn bow I've been working on, materials involved, and the time/patience involved.

He suggested in place of the horn, using fffffffffffffglass instead.  I told him that just wouldn't do.  First, I told him it wouldn't  be very primative and that's my ultimate goal.  Second of all it wouldn't be cool as people already make and sell ffffffffffffglass copies of Asiatic bows for pennies on the dollar compared to a traditional composite bow.  And third it would probably over power the sinew anyway, forcing me to use it on the back as well...and then what's the point?

He mentions that if there were a magical tree or animal with special silica based fibers, would not the Native Americans have pounded,  stripped, processed those materials in to a superior weapon?  They took up steel and even the gun awful quick when they gave advantages.

I'm not the brightest spoon in the drawer so I need some help here.  Do any of you guys have a good argument on why we use horn on a bow belly versus that other stuff?  Maybe something related to compression strength?  I tried searching the web but I'm neither an engineer or educated in material science so alot of it is just mumbojumbo.  Aside from personal tastes, I'm trying to come up with reasons that a materials scientist could understand as to why I would ho through all the trouble of cutting, boiling,  shaping, the lovely aromas...etc.

[EdwardS]

Modulus of elasticity.  The reason the bows are shaped the way they are is due to the materials.  In addition, 'glass and epoxy are not long life materials.  Hide glue will hold for hundreds of years proven.  My 'glass boat is maybe 50 (maybe) and needs complete refinishing, and it doesn't flex intentionally.

Manchu bows made of man-made materials only superficially look like originals and don't perform the same.  If you want it the same, make it that way.

[DC]

Because you want to! You don't need any more explanation than that

[PatM]

He mentions that if there were a magical tree or animal with special silica based fibers, would not the Native Americans have pounded,  stripped, processed those materials in to a superior weapon? 

 Maybe but there is no such tree or animal.

 Bottom line is that by making any sort of bow, even a glass one, you are drawing a line somewhere.  The line for you is just in a different spot.

 Let's face it, the string and glue line is not matched up with the other bow materials for most of us.

[bradsmith2010]

 Because u want to learn an ancient craft

[stuckinthemud]

Environmentally friendly - glass and epoxy are really nasty stuff - hide glue and other animal products are not, also, do you really want to build a bow wearing all that Personal Protection Equipment (minimum of respirator, paper-suit and latex gloves)

[stuckinthemud]

reconstructive archaeology - if you want to see what ancient weapons were capable of you have to build them from authentic materials, if you want to know how ancient societies may have functioned, you need to use authentic techniques

[bradsmith2010]

there are lots of scientist that study ancient archery,, they are not interested in fiberglass,,

[Mesophilic]

Thanks, guys.  Excellent bullet points for my next discussion.

[PEARL DRUMS]

I agree that they used the best of what they had. If FG grew on trees and epoxy could be mined from the creek bottoms you can bet it would have been used.

[bassman]

Osage,yew,sinew , horn are all magical, all natural,and make a superb weapons in the right proportions.He just doesn't understand that.

[HorseApples]

Why not 3D print a bow too while we're at it? Cause the native Americans would have used that technology too if they had it   
I'd say this guy is not worth wasting your breath on.

[Pat B]

Back in the 1700's(I think) a Turkish(I think) prince shot an arrow from his composite horn bow that went over 900 yards(I think, maybe more). I've never heard of any FG bow coming anywhere close to that distance. I think this man's problem is he is afflicted with FG mentality. It affects lots of folks that just can't imagine that folks way back then could be as smart as we are. IMO, they had to be smarter to survive with what they had to work with instead of having someone else do it for them. 

[PatM]

Back in the 1700's(I think) a Turkish(I think) prince shot an arrow from his composite horn bow that went over 900 yards(I think, maybe more). I've never heard of any FG bow coming anywhere close to that distance. I think this man's problem is he is afflicted with FG mentality. It affects lots of folks that just can't imagine that folks way back then could be as smart as we are. IMO, they had to be smarter to survive with what they had to work with instead of having someone else do it for them. 

 Actually the glass record even for the less drastic non- keyhole style is well beyond the old Turkish record.   

 Don Brown's record is over 1200 yards.

[willie]

Disclaimer:  the following may contain content not suitable for all viewers. 
Do any of you guys have a good argument on why we use horn on a bow belly versus that other stuff?  Maybe something related to compression strength? 

other than the fact that he seems to be missing your point, horn (and sinew) can make a horse bow that cannot be made with other primitive materiels.

PS.  Edwards, did you mean superior elasticity rather than MOE?