Help with true warbow replica

[Highlandwarrior]

I am looking to make a so called "english" warbow. I want to make just the same as it would have been hundreds of years ago. Some of my ancestors were some of the best welsh bowmen there were and were known for extremely heavy draw weights starting at 120lb. The most famous relative being Richard Strongbow who pulled an estimated 180-200lb. He was possibly the best archer ever as he could shoot this weight extremely acurately, and he still has an arrow head buried in castle door that noone could get out. I obviously won't be pulling this weight, but I'd like to try to get over 100lb. As
I said I want it to be made just like Strongbows would have been, So it would probably be yew around 74-78in. for 80-100lb draw but how wide would it need to be and what about horns knocks? All help is greatly appreciated

[tim-flood]

Go to Paelo planet they are making them all the time.  Some guy has one on there that is about 120 lbs he is tillering it with both hands makeing it out of elm I think

[BrianK]

Get hold of a book called The Great Warbow. One chapter features Tudor bows recovered from wreck of the Mary Rose. Very interesting reading. Replica bows were made for testing etc. some of which were estimated in the 180 to 200lb range. Welsh bows are also featured in the book.

Check out this website, where horn nocks are shown. Good luck and let us have some pics when you get the bow made.

 http://www.maryrose.org/ship/bows1.htm

What weight bow are you shooting now?

[mike g]

Albert....
When ya make the Bow, make sure you put a little cross where the Arrow pass is....

[Highlandwarrior]

BrianK thanks for the info, I can pull 70lb. fairly comfortably right now, so it will be some work, but the current heavy draw record holder mark stretton started at 80 and jumped to 140 on his second bow so I have hope.
Mike g are you afraid it's going to kill me or something?    At least my ancestors would be proud of my death that way! Though my wife may find it stupid

[Tom Leemans]

You can also contact Pip Bickerstaffe for help.
  bickerstaffe  

I pulled on of them heavy boogers at MOJam one year. You won't draw it back like ya think you would. You gotta kinda swing into full draw. I believe the gentleman said that if your a$$ muscles hurt at the end of the day, you're doing it right.  :eek:

[huntsmanlance]

Now this is a bow i would love to see!

[Pat B]

I'm in the process of building a yew war bow now. It is 72" long and so far 1 5/16" at its widest.I have it bending to about 6" and it is at 75# at that draw. I'm shooting for 100# or a little less but even at that weight I will never be able to shoot it.
   We have a few guys on Primitive Archer(probable the same guys on Paleo) that are building war bows, some yew and some elm and other woods. You can do a search on PA and get a good history and build-a-long. JD Duff's bow in particular, has a good build-a-long.   Pat