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A beautiful matched set of bow and

The making Some of Marc’s leather embossing their equipment from a Craft Guild member so they can be sure it is made Marc’s signature of a to the requisite standard and with good pass – reason. abalone shell surrounded by Target Bows buffalo horn a study of a Master Bowyer Although each element of a longbow target archer’s shooting has its own complexities and nuances, it is the longbow which draws most attention. The early history of England has been written with ‘oak gall and The guidance for the rules of what constitutes an is arrow’. In a much more peaceful way Marc Grady, Master Bowyer laid down by the Guild in conjunction with the British Longbow Society. The is still keeping the traditional skill of longbow making alive longbow should be matched to the bow and expansion of fibre on the archer’s ‘draw length’ (developing peak outside, as the string is drawn, places power at the furthest point at which the materials under extraordinary or over ten thousand years, the bowyer have waxed and waned over The Guild like any overseeing body they can pull the string back) but also stress. Furthermore, as the limbs from pre-historic man through a long history of ‘shooting in the bow’. worth the name, requires its newly aligned to the required ‘draw weight’ come forward upon release of the Fto today’s Olympic archers, Whilst the English ‘war bow’ is accomplished members to prove or how much pull they can muster. string, but are then snapped still by bows and arrows have played a part in still made and shot by devotees of to the Guild that they have met the Ladies and gentlemen’s bows will differ the taught string, this sends enormous both military and recreational aspects bows requiring the strength to draw truly exacting standards required to in this regard as will the construction shock waves through the woods; so of societies around the world. At its in excess of 80lbs (bows recovered make , arrows and strings for the purpose for which the archer the way the timber is chosen, the bow height during the medieval period, from the Mary Rose were found to by presenting ‘Master Pieces’ at the intends to use them; indoors, constructed and shaped is critical if the English War bow was the most be drawing 85 to 180lbs!) the meat end of a three-year apprenticeship. outdoors, long distance, ‘field’ or it is to stay the course. Marc creates fearsome and devastating weapon in of today’s longbow makers work is The Craft Guild offers the only official ‘clout’ shooting etc. Competitions can what are termed ‘Victorian style target Europe. When the firearm found its focused on the ‘target bow’ whose qualification in longbow making and require shooting up to 144 arrows in a bows’, made for fast, flat-trajectory ascendance in the 16th century as an draw weight will be anywhere between associated crafts in the UK, possibly day and so the bow must be sweet to shooting of tournament arrows and easier option to train militia, as little 20lbs and up to 80lbs. even, the world. The Worshipful draw, have no perceptible hand shock wherever possible using traditional largely became a sport and pastime of Companies of Bowyers and Fletchers and yet deliver an arrow shooting in methods. The bows are bespoke to the gentry and landed classes. The late Exacting Standards respectively, who are no longer excess of 150ft per second. A decent the customer requirements and made Georgian and Victorian periods saw a Based in Herefordshire, Marc Grady, active craft guilds, nevertheless quality longbow with regular use from the finest hardwoods, beautifully huge uptake in the interest of target a member of a select group of highly give their support and oversight to can give ten years or so of useful life, finished and ‘dressed’ referring to the archery as a social exercise and activity skilled Master Bowyers belonging to the Craft Guild’s activities. Anyone but it comes under incredible strain. decorative fittings and finishings which and many of today’s archery clubs and the Craft Guild of Traditional Bowyers contemplating taking up Unlike any other construction we may make each one unique. Marc also offers societies were founded at this time. and Fletchers, is busy making modern should take care to not only have make from wood, the compression bow kits, arrows, leatherwork, archery A bespoke bow with the word ‘Gramercy’ – Accordingly, the skills and industry of variants of the Victorian target bow. proper instruction but also to purchase of the fibres on the inside of the components and a repair service. ➤ Thank you resting against a target

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MAKING A LONGBOW PARTS OF A LONGBOW Creating a longbow is an eleven-stage process. The selected pieces of timber are Stave planed and assembled together with glue This is the beginning of the longbow’s between them, to form the basic blank or construction and is the basic lump of stave. Next, the stave is marked out to give wood or woods upon which the bow the familiar taper shape running from 1 is marked out and from which the inch above and 3 inches below the middle bow is shaped. This can either be of towards each end. This is then bandsawn a single piece of wood such as yew then planed to the marked lines. After that or ash, leading to the construction the rough shaped blank is spokeshaved of a ‘’ or a combination to give the subtle finished curvature and of woods in a lamination, taking The nock proportion (the depth of each limb is no less advantage of old fashioned Cascamite shaped from 5 than ⁄8 of the width) that produce a longbow. or modern synthetic glues for build Asian water However the most critical part of the process strength. A misconception is that buffalo horn is known as ‘tillering’. The tiller of a bow is a longbow is always formed from the evenness by which it bends. It must form one long section of timber which is an even curve when drawn, if not it may not not always the case. Where suitable work as intended and might possibly snap Shaping the bow handle pieces of woods are found to be too at a weak point. A wall mounted pulley and short they can be skilfully joined block system is used to test the bow and on the tips of the stave. They are bonded in to make up the stave with tightly decide where to remove more wood with the place with two-part epoxy resin and then worked W or Z shaped fishtail joints. spokeshave, there is an art to this, based on shaped in-situ. They have a basic consistency Before the development of suitable experience. in style, with a slot made with a round file for adhesives, it was essential that all One small and attractive detail that is the string to sit in. The nocks are polished military longbows were made from usually added to the longbow is an inlaid on a buffing wheel and after that a finish can yew (Taxus Baccata). This is because piece of abalone or mother of pearl placed be applied to the stave. The remaining job is the soft white sapwood, naturally just above the wrapped grip. This is called adding the textured decorative grip in the bonded to the dark heartwood, is Bespoke detailing for a client Detail of Marc’s signature ‘arrow pass’ the ‘arrow pass’ and is there to prevent the centre of the stave. In total it takes about excellent in expansion and preventing arrows striking and wearing the bow woods. five to six weeks to make a longbow and the fibres running along the back of and bamboo (although this is a grass!) are called the nocks and are the two The next job is to fashion the two horn nock about a week to make the arrows in a batch A ‘stitching pony’ used for holding the bow from breaking. Not all wood All woods used in modern longbow pieces of horn that fit on either end of blanks which have recesses in them to fit of a dozen. leather while hand stitching is suitable to be called a ‘bow wood’ making are ethically sourced in the longbow limbs to hold the string and intense debate continues about accordance with CITES and EU Timber and protect the bow wood from wear. the engineering properties that make Regulations. A typical example of a Longbow makers like Marc hand carve some woods better than others, at not starter bow would have a maple ‘back’, these from Asian water buffalo, cow or only withstanding the stresses involved a lemonwood ‘belly’ and a tapered stag horn. but which are also capable of returning purpleheart core. efficiently all the energy placed in String them when the bow is bent. Examples Limbs A longbow doesn’t work without a of woods that have stood the test of The top limb and the bottom limb are string. In medieval times the best time in bow making are degame or the names given to the bending parts strings were considered to be made lemonwood, greenheart, purpleheart, of the bow with the handle somewhere by ‘Stringers’ on the near continent hickory, maple, and more recently ipe close to the middle. The bow is not and hence a traditional string is made symmetrical and depending upon use using a ‘Flemish inlay’ technique. A is not necessarily designed ‘to come modern variant of this uses the same Cresting the arrow shaft A laminated stave being glued up full compass’ or perfectly semi-circular method but with twisted strands of as there needs to be a stiff mid-section Dacron B50 or a polypropylene type to anchor the base of each limb and material like ‘fastflight’. It is made up to generate the power. The limbs are according to the length of the bow, marked out along with the handle and the speed required of the bow and the then cut from the stave. After shaping, bow’s poundage, which refers to the these limbs are taught to bend through draw weight. The length is important a process called ‘tillering’; carefully because around midway along its bending the bow inch by inch and length it is wrapped or ‘served’ for removing wood from stiff areas to durability and comfort and where create the perfect set of curves, see there is a tiny marker for consistently below. locating for the arrow on the string. Nocks Arrows The word nock is derived from a Dutch While a bow is the ‘projector’ the word identifying the end of a pole or arrow is the ‘projectile’, it is the arrow mast to which something is affixed that does the flying and the scoring. in a notch. The ends of the bow (and A bow is nothing without arrows and The tiller Folding bow stands in sapele Three bespoke target long bows one end of the arrow – see above) a modern target bow requires very ➤

46 www.woodworkersinstitute.com Woodworking Crafts issue 37 47 Community different arrows to those once used Shaft in warfare. Each arrow (sold by the Marc makes perfectly matched bespoke dozen) must be ‘matched’ to not just arrows as well as standard club arrows. the archer’s draw length but also the The shafts aren’t standard dowel, they bow itself. Too weak an arrow shot by are made from Port Orford Cedar a right-handed archer is likely to miss shipped from Oregon and known for its the target to the right or even to break lightness, strength and elasticity. Other upon being ‘loosed’ (never ‘fired’ – this shaft woods are Scots or Norwegian comes from the use of the musket and Pine and Sitka Spruce; each has its own has never been associated with archery characteristics and adherents. Arrow other than by the layman). Too stiff an shafts for target archery are generally 9 5 11 arrow shot by a right-handed archer ⁄32, ⁄16 or ⁄32 of an inch in diameter. A will miss the target going to the left by Victorian skill that it still well regarded a long way. (vice versa for a left-handed and undertaken by Marc is to ‘foot’ the archer!) Therefore, the spine has to be arrows by inserting a wedge of exotic Portrait of a just right. Similarly, critical, the arrows hardwood into the front of the shafts Master Bowyer must all weigh the same as a heavier thereby strengthening the arrow at the “I learnt everything I know from my father arrow will fall sooner than a lighter one point of impact. Arrows can be tapered who was himself, a master bowyer” says and consistent aiming is required to at either or both ends to alter the Marc. “He along with other craftsmen deliver the highest scores. balance point and flight characteristics had to relearn ancient skills that were all of the arrow. A well-matched set of but lost and use them to create modern Point/ Pile arrows will have no greater than 8 recreational bows, which was an interest Gone from regular archery in this grains’ difference between the heaviest in Georgian and Victorian times, but the country are the splayed and the lightest. The arrows shafts are techniques have been updated to use that are impossible to remove from usually decorated with a series of rings modern day materials. My father was a human or animal flesh or diamond or ‘cresting’ to identify them from founder member of the Craft Guild and shaped tips to penetrate chainmail or another archer’s and given several coats while I learnt alongside him, I still had to go armour. Instead a simple brass bullet of durable varnish to seal them from through a lengthy apprenticeship before I shaped point is all that is required either giving or taking up moisture. could be considered a master of my craft”. to penetrate 4 inches of the standard Marc continues “because of people like straw or foam competition target from Nock him and because of the work that I do, we a hundred yards. These will be from An arrow has its own nock which are seeing a huge resurgence in the use 30 grains to 125 grains in weight (15.4 is made of a protective material to of the longbow. While it may have been grains to a gram). Notwithstanding prevent the end of the shaft splitting considered a minority sport thirty or forty the focus upon competition archery it when locating onto the string. years ago to shoot a wooden bow, there is important to remember that these Inserting a sliver or wedge of horn are a good number of archers shooting are still extremely dangerous weapons has been done over the centuries and long bows today. There are 47,000 archers capable of inflicting serious or lethal is still undertaken by Marc but more registered with the governing body within injury. commonly today it is a coloured piece the country and a good quarter of those of plastic which is used. In common will be shooting wooden bows. Nearly with the there are various everyone that comes to me to have a bow colours to choose from and the arrows made is generally a member of the British can be made up in a specific colour Longbow Society. scheme to suit the user.

Fletchings in flight is known as . These Once undertaken by a ‘fletcher’ the fletches or fletchings were traditionally affixing of feathers to stabilise the of goose feathers taken from the movement and flexing of the arrow primaries of the bird. Marc does still cut and fletch using goose feathers but nowadays it is more common to fletch with pre-cut and dyed turkey feathers. These are profiled in shape to assist the arrow flight whilst reducing or increasing drag. ■

A finely matched set of ‘barred’ fletchings If you have an interest in archery visit: made from turkey feathers Marc Grady at: www.longbowemporium.co.uk The Craft Guild of Traditional Bowyers and Fletchers: Victorian style www.bowyersandfletchersguild.org round The British Longbow Society with arrows www.askarts.co.uk/page2.html

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