New Traditional Bowyer's Bible

[Matti]

Very nice!
Maybe you could print colour photos in the book. It's ok if the price is a bit higher due to this. And make it thicker

[duffontap]

Sound's good Jim.  How about a very thorough chapter on the English Longbow?  Strunk's chapter is more about the American Yew Longbow so I don't think a chapter on the English Longbow would be redundant. I can't wait to preorder my copy.  Let us know when we can give you our money.

          J. D. Duff

[Dane]

Jim, this is exciting, although it will be tough to wait for it to come out! The article on the Copper Age bow is what caught my eye. I wish there had been a chapter on Middle Eastern archery or other composite bows, maybe even the generic "horse bow" term. Ancient Roman and Greek archery is an interest of mine, as well. Heck, any ancient bow of any origin.

JD, there does look to be a chapter on the War Bow, and isn't that current shorthand for the English bow of war?

 

[Dane]

PS Thanks for including a piece on target shooting. Being able to hit a target is always nice,

[brokennock]

I can't wait. And I too would like a signed 1st addition. If thats not possable I collect advance readers copies of books ( i get them from a friend who works at a bookstore) my latest being Norman Mailer's latest novel.

[duffontap]

It must sound like a silly request to some people Dane.  But I get asked questions all the time about the English Longbow and the Vol. 1-3 just make passing references.  The English Longbow is of paramount importance to understanding the history of bowyery, especially within the Golden Age of Archery in America.  The English Longbow was so influential to our way of thinking that people didn't believe you could make fast shooting bows out of white woods until very recently in the American bow building tradition. 

I think a chapter that cleared up peoples' understanding of 'the English design,' as it is casually (and sometimes wrongly) referred to, and the specific differences between Victorian and War Bow designs would be very helpful to bowyers who desire authentic replication.

I'm pretty convinced that most people believe that the ELB is a more simple design than it is.  The process for tillering an authentic replica is more rigorous than just about any other design and I think the Bowyer's Bibles have the clout to set people's understandings straight, and allow a continuation of that noble tradition. 

         J. D. Duff

[Pat B]

Josh, Have you considered writing a chapter?    Pat

[Dane]

I think, JD, the very most interesting thing about the Bow of War (I like that way of putting it) the English build and used so very well at that period of history is not the design or how it is made, but rather, that it was such a cost-effective way to equip thousands of archers for various unpleasantries with England's enemies. Form follows function? I also think that it may have been the very first foreshadowing to today's totally industrial warfare. Superior firepower often determines outcomes of battles, campaigns, or entire conflicts, though not always. Numbers and superior resources usually win the day in the end.

Also, the plight of the common bowman is not really talked about much. As important as he was in winning those key battles, the bowman was not thought of very highly in the military chain of command in Medieval times, was he? Kind of like today's grunts - you can't win a war without the man on the ground with a rifle, even today.

[NOMADIC PIRATE]

GREAT !! Can't wait

[Dustybaer]

same here.  that table of content looks very promissing.  particularly the design and performance part.  i must have read that chapter in the first volume a hundred times.

[MattE]

put me on the list!

[D. Tiller]

Me too! Can I also get my copy autographed?  But I'm confused on the last section for Bulls on a stick? whats that?

[koan]

Cant wait, gonna have to buy em all. Been gettin mine from the library....Brian

[Minuteman]

 
 Thats good news. Eeyup, I think Marc will add alot to the development of wood bows and their makin'.
 Can't wait for a copy.

[Jim Hamm]

Thanks for the kind and insightful comments. To address some specific questions:

Turtle Bow
At the first Mojam, which initially came about as a way to publicly test bow designs and wood types, I sponsored a tongue-in-cheek challenge for who could make the slowest bow, dubbed the Turtle Bow Contest. So this chapter is about that contest and the first Mojam.

War Bows
Excellent points J.D. We hope to address the English warbow more fully with this chapter, as well as other bows used in warfare throughout history. Not just the battles, which have been written about many times, but the underlying issues of why a particular type of bow was made a certain way. More the "why" than the "when". The heavy-weight English warbows and the Asiatic composite could hardly be more different, yet each was used to dominate their enemies for centuries. We intend to cover a wide range of bows used in battle around the world throughout history.

Bulls on a Stick
The previous volumes have all ended with a hunting-related chapter, a gentle focus for all of the preceeding bowmaking information. This one is about a New Mexico elk hunt with selfbows.

I'm sure any of the contributing authors will be happy to sign copies when they're available. A teenager once asked me to sign his TBB Vol 1. He handed me a dog-eared, glue-smeared, grimy copy of the  book with no dust jacket, a ripped cover, and tattered pages. I told him I was honored to sign a book which had seen so much use.....
Jim