Hi Jules, welcome!
I'll see if I can help out, until some more experienced guys turn up!
Firstly, in regards to your pics, the first one is known as a Tudor Bodkin, and is the head that must be used to arm the EWBS Livery Arrow, as it is a replication of the arrows found on board the Mary Rose, and the arrowhead is similar to one found at Portchester Castle, dating to the same age.
The second picture is a slightly mangled Type 16, a barbed head with the barbs flattened very close to the socket. This arrow head is usually fitted to the EWBS Standard arrow (also the BL-BS Standard Arrow) along with the Type 10, which is a classic "bodkin" shape, with longer socket and four-sided pointed head.
The third pic I'm not sure about, wouldn't like to say. It looks a bit like a squashed Tudor Bodkin, but could also be a Towton or Type 10. Not sure!
The reason it's tricky is that everybody makes heads differently, as forging is quite a personal skill. The Type 10s I get from Milos Lasky in Europe look like this:
While Hector Cole's Type 10s look like this:
So a fair bit of variation amongst arrowsmiths! Doesn't make life easy, but as long as you get your heads made by a well respected smith who understands the limits and legalities of the class you will be fine.
As for the bow, it is the same as the EWBS bow, but only made from indigenous woods. Here are the specs as listed by the EWBS:
The Bow
The English Warbow was the bow the longbow used in battle by the Plantagenet and Tudor armies of the 14th, 15th and 16th Centuries. The EWBS defines a warbow to be a bow that follows the pattern, profile and tiller of the bows found on the Mary Rose.
The Society imposes a lower limit on bow draw-weight for adult males (70lb at a measured 32” of draw), although there is no lower weight limit for women, juniors and archers over 60. In order to encourage beginners, further allowance is made for a new member’s first year.
Mary Rose Class Self yew bows in the “spirit of the original” MR bows:
- No shorter than the shortest MR bow (74” – to be confirmed);
- May be to any MR bow profile;
- Heat treatment may be used to straighten a stave but not to induce unnatural reflex (an unbraced bow shall not show any artificially induced reflex);
- Be full compass in tiller;
- Within the 5/8, depth/width rule along the length of the bow;
- Has some profile to the belly of the bow (i.e. not flat bellied); and has no handle grip/covering.
Meane Wood
Self bows made of other woods available to the medieval bowyer, such as Ash or Elm. In the absence of reliable historical evidence of the dimensions of meane wood warbows, the MR dimensions above are to be used for this class, except:
- Not less than 72” in length; and
- Heat treatment may be used to straighten a stave or stiffen the belly but not to induce unnatural reflex (the bow must not be reflexed when unbraced).
This specification will be revised if period bows of this type are found.
Hope some of that helps?
