angles and rivets

I, more or less, am done roughing out the basic stock - the build sequence is totally wrong but I needed to see if there was a stock in the wood before I did any drilling, etc.. I'm actually quite pleased with things at the moment.  Just wanted to check on a few little things, so, the angle for the bow saddle - 5 degrees off vertical for a 9" total draw length?  The rivet that reinforces the 'jaws' - does anyone install these anymore, and is a steel nail OK or should I order in a bronze or copper rivet?  Also, really puzzled about the leaf spring under the tickler, if anyone can shed any light on what these look like, how strong they are and how to install them would be gratefully received.

The prod-socket angle pretty much depends on the actual geometry of your prod, but 5 degrees off vertical is a fair guess.
Rivet reinforcing 'jaws'.  I usually do that with an ordinary hex-head lag bolt, running from bottom of the stock a couple of inches behind the prod-socket, not quite coming out the top.  If your stock is made of a decent hardwood, and not too small, you can probably eliminate the reinforce if you're not pulling more than @ 150 lb.  I have done on a number of bows without problems.
Trigger springs: I have used leaf springs, riveted or screwed into the stock, wherever it looks like the leverage will be sufficient.  On most of my bows (and there have been many) I simply drill a pocket hole into the wood beneath the distal end of the trigger, and drop in a coil spring from the hardware store. (say 1 inch by 3/8 diameter)  It's not period, but nobody's going to see it anyway, and the coil will last forever and be quite efficient.  Questions?  Geezer/DRW/NWA

PS: I suspect most medieval bows never had a trigger spring, any more than they had a bolt clip. Geezer.

Thanks Geezer; one more question, for the time being at least, should there be some form of pillow block between the (wooden) prod and the stock?

A pillow block between orid and socket?  I've seen one used on a Haenish/Harnish sporting crossbow from Dresden (probably 18th century, heavy steel prod) I've never bothered with a wooden pillow block, but I have fitted a thick piece of leather between prod's belly and the wood of the socket.  It makes your bow slightly quieter, and might conceivably reduce recoild a bit.

make that 'between prod and socket'.  I don't now what an orid is.  Geezer.