It is really interesting to think there was probably no counter-measure for these warbows... the light bows of asian and muslim archers I always thought were just as effective (speed kills) but then I read this:
Saladin’s secretary Beha al-Din, had a very different take on the effectiveness of muslim arrows against the crusaders. He writes that "Their infantry, drawn up in front of the horsemen stood as firm as a wall, and every footsoldier wore a thick gambeson [padded jacket] and mail hauberk so thick and strong that our arrows had no effect. I saw soldiers with from one to ten arrows sticking in them still trudging on in the ranks."
If we thought it were possible we would have tried it. you would need a very long limb to keep the angles good, and the reason for that is because of the forward preload needed to keep the bulge on the DFC going.
When you preload a longbow limb you do tend to shorten its DFC but you do increase the preload. kinda good but you get stack at longer draws. So if you went for a longer limb, you can elongate that DFC.
but that comes with mass.
so there is a cross over in mass and energy.
what we find interesting, is that the weight of a single inch of limb for glass is heavier than it is for a carbon limb. So limb mass becomes a smaller player.
so its possible to design a bow with a longer limb extending the preload bulge out. but with less negative effects.
(considering you still need to keep vertical stability and stop it turning into a complete noodle)
Very interesting............... and made more interesting by the quality commentary.
I see that ancient bow and wonder how the discussion went way back when, "Emperor, The archers are ready for battle....would you like the good news or the bad news first"
"Well Emperor these bows are incredibly efficient................but almost 1/2 of our archers are seriously injured while attempting to string them"
Vertical noodling I suppose it would be, not left/right alignment. I have issues with the string curling around one limb or the other on really reflexed limbs, even when the tiller is even.
Vertical noodling I suppose it would be, not left/right alignment. I have issues with the string curling around one limb or the other on really reflexed limbs, even when the tiller is even.
Yup, three piece lonbow. I had luck with lightenning the tips some, as well as shortenning them. Brace height increase worked, but losing too much power stroke seemed like a poor trade off.
Yup, three piece lonbow. I had luck with lightenning the tips some, as well as shortenning them. Brace height increase worked, but losing too much power stroke seemed like a poor trade off.
Ive borrowed a couple of photos from someone else here... but as you can see, we have made thick ILF limb butt at the rockers. to kick the limb forward, making the best of a bad angle. Longbows don't like recurve geom...
With ILF there are two places of contact, under side of the bolt. and the rocker. You either need to wind the bolts in, or push the rocker out... we did the latter.
This reduces the needed BH. without giving you a horrible limb shape needed to get the energy up.
At least that's our thinking.
We don't have any limbs with any glass in them. so the limbs are light, but adding mass at the limb butt isn't a problem...
Long heavily recurved limb that 'unwinds' as you draw???? sounds like the compound bow wheel concept LOL...i guess there really is nothing new under the sun.
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