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Did medieval composite prods used in warfare in the high middle ages have any recurve to them?
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4 posters
profile of medieval composite prods?
fester- Fresh Blood
Doesn't mean
I'm new to crossbows
- Posts : 39
Join date : 2017-08-18
Location : South sheilds, england
Geezer- Master Crossbowyer
- Posts : 1194
Join date : 2010-01-12
Age : 73
Location : Austin, Texas, USA
I have never seen an actual example of horn/sinew composite crossbow prods with recurved ends, but they do show up occasionally in period illustrations. What you see in extant collections is something that looks like a steam-rollered bratwurst. Geezer/DRW/NWA
Geezer- Master Crossbowyer
- Posts : 1194
Join date : 2010-01-12
Age : 73
Location : Austin, Texas, USA
PS: you might get some help from publications by Holger Richter. He seems to be the go-to author for horn/sinew medieval bows. (Holger Richter, "Die Hornbogen Armbrust')
Geezer.
Geezer.
stuckinthemud1- Crossbow Junkie
I live here!
- Posts : 398
Join date : 2014-02-05
Age : 53
Location : south wales valleys
Maybe not recurved exactly but there are examples that appear to be reflexed, (perhaps by the sinew pulling it tight as it cured?)
stuckinthemud1- Crossbow Junkie
I live here!
- Posts : 398
Join date : 2014-02-05
Age : 53
Location : south wales valleys
+1 on the book Geezer recommended, it is very, very, good.
fester- Fresh Blood
Doesn't mean
I'm new to crossbows - Posts : 39
Join date : 2017-08-18
Location : South sheilds, england
I want to build a faux prod but don't want the trouble of dealing with Alchem so a steel prod is out.
Commercially available glass prods are re-curve so buying one is out.
That leaves me with building a base prod to form the flat, D-shaped belly of the bow and padding it with foam/ cork then wrapping it up in leather.
I'm thinking a wood flat bow with fiberglass laminations front and back would be the way to go but I'm open to suggestions.
Any Ideas?
Commercially available glass prods are re-curve so buying one is out.
That leaves me with building a base prod to form the flat, D-shaped belly of the bow and padding it with foam/ cork then wrapping it up in leather.
I'm thinking a wood flat bow with fiberglass laminations front and back would be the way to go but I'm open to suggestions.
Any Ideas?
Armbrustier- Fresh Blood
Doesn't mean
I'm new to crossbows - Posts : 31
Join date : 2012-01-23
Yes, they were recurved in different ways!
The late 14 th c and early 15th c horn bows were built like asian recurves, with stiff ”ears” as nocks.
After that type, before the ”regular” horn bows, maybe around 1410-1430, only the short nocks was recurved a bit. That feature can be seen in paintings quite long after that type probably wasn’t used any more.
Then we have the regular horn bows, and you can still see some recurving in many bows.
Some time in the late 15th c up to the middle of the 16th c, many older used bows was reinforced with a thick piece of wood, usually oak, and the bows seems to be straight again.
The late 14 th c and early 15th c horn bows were built like asian recurves, with stiff ”ears” as nocks.
After that type, before the ”regular” horn bows, maybe around 1410-1430, only the short nocks was recurved a bit. That feature can be seen in paintings quite long after that type probably wasn’t used any more.
Then we have the regular horn bows, and you can still see some recurving in many bows.
Some time in the late 15th c up to the middle of the 16th c, many older used bows was reinforced with a thick piece of wood, usually oak, and the bows seems to be straight again.
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