crossbow prod material/what type of steel

Not sure what steel would be best for a prod. I probibly should be able to give a better answer but not sure off the top of my head.



As for period steel. I don't believe that orginal prod makers really had a "Grade" of steel. I'm sure they had an idea of what worked and what didn't and how to make good prods but they didn't really have access to different grades or the technical details why some would work and some wouldn't. That could be one reason that period steel prods have conservative draw lengths.



as for pictures: Here is one a Spanish crossbow from the 16th century. Sorry I didn't take a better pic of the tips of the prod. But that seems to be pretty represtaive. I believe the nock is forged in to the round shape

Myarmoury.com Gallery : A selection of crossbows from different periods. While there aren't any great pictures of the nocks you can get a feel for different ideas there were out there.



I know there are some better pics out there and if I find them I'll let you know. Thats what I could come up with in teh 5 min I had to look



I know there are some better

5160 carbon steel

Buy a bar of annealed steel. You should be able to pick it up from a local 'old school' spring maker. Shape your prod, then get the spring maker to put in the deflex with his power press, and then get him to quench and temper it. Tell him to temper it on the soft side to reduce the risk of breakage.

I would like to second Kiwijim's recommendation.

5160 is the standard material of automotive leaf springs. It comes in bars, because that is what the auto spring industry wants. It should be about as suitable as you can get.

Mac

5160 would be my first choice as it is a carbon steel with a touch of chromium which make it better in spring applications, (auto leaf springs, large camp knives, bowies swords etc).

1060-1075 should do but you would likely have to be a more precise with your heat treating and tempering. This is what I'm planning to try as I have a several feet of 1/4" (6mm), hot rolled 1075 in the basement.

Has anyone entertained the idea of a prod made from the heavy ( thick) old two man lumber jack type crosscut saw ? Seems it would lend itself to a layered leaf spring type with the front piece the longest, the next about a fourth that long and the inside about a third as long as the second and all would be allowed to "slip" with the flex of the prod and all would be metal strapped together and then leather bound with a belting for some what safety. The crosscut saw I have seems to have a flexible memory to a point.. I haven't started a thing yet....... just thinkin' Of course cutting the pieces might change the properties of the metal .....guess that would depend on the heat generated in the process open for comment

Back in the '80s, there was a crossbow company called "Roberts" that used a two-piece leaf-spring for a prod. They had a standard 90 lb. major spring, and a choice of several inner ones, for different weights (125, 150, 175 lb) They fitted a thin shim of plastic... looked like a polyethelyne, between the inner and outer leaves, and then wrapped the whole thing in clear heat-shrink tubing. The prod was short and fast, and they had a cool sight with peep in rear and a lucite objective in front. Overall a nice bow, if a bit heavy to carry about. Some may have seen combat in Viet Nam. Whatever the case, the two-layer leaf-spring prod with self-lubricated spacers between to prevent galling seemed to work rather well. I've got one of those hanging from my wall, but honestly, I never shot it enough to know if the system had legs. Still you may be onto something. Geezer

Appreciate the tip on self lubrication between the limbs! Wow a lot to ponder! trigger mechanisms and where to locate the release.... in front or behind th trigger maybe the least amount of moving parts for the most leverage for ease of pressure on the trigger etc....etc.

Thanks

Chaz

If u want a reliable prod wich doesnt break u buy old car leafspring.
It already has a bend shape, and u can cut out any shape of prod u want.
I buy it at my local scrap heap, bougt 2 complete springs at a price by weight.
20 kilo's and it cost me 10 dollars(7 euro).
I have enough steel to make 10 or more prods now!
And the thickness of the leaf u can choose depending from the weight of the type of vehicle it whas from.
Saves u a lot of money!

Yes Sir, I have collected various leaf springs from boat trailer springs and light truck leaf springs just still open for various ideas and have yet to come to a comfortable descision. I am going through various considerations for my first build as I collect materials. This first build is a great gear turner and now I realize before my interest in crossbows wains there will be more than more than one build occur.

Thanks,

Chaz

Always good to weigh ur options in advance!
I personally think that if it looks to nice and new it does not represent the time it is supposed to be from.
We in the Netherlands say: there are horses for show and horses for work!
But that is my opinion and we all have different ideas!
Verry curious to see ur first choices for the stock!

Ferdi, I like the horses for show and horses for work statement. I'm very new to crossbows and I know the ideas I'm working on will be a bit different from the " ye old storm the castle crossbow" however, I certainly understand and appreciate what you did and how you achieved it....... very nice and very authentic ! I assure you that my build will not involve being a rubber band or coil spring projectile launcher , however, I even find those very innovative and interesting ( maybe like the zebra).

I respect and enjoy all the different thoughts, ideas, and information shared among the members of this forum. Hopefully I will learn enough and continue to be inspired enough to be somewhat creative on my own without being too bizzare. There will certainly be a prod and there will be wood for the stock, who knows the build may only be worthy of the junk pile. No matter ...... and a good time was had by all ! By the way did anyone make a nut from a cue ball yet?

Chaz

Dear friends

I need your help, if it is possible... Till now, I constructed some slingshot style "medieval" crossbows, but finally I would like to make a crossbow for arrows, using first a bow of 150lb at fiberglass w/string and a pair of tips, but the problem is to find a shop here at Portugal... Please can you send me an address aboard? Later I will try with iron, but I think to get a medieval aspect to my future work dissimulating the bow with a cover...

Thanks a lot


octavio de oliveira

Octavio;

Most folks get the "replacement" fibeglass prods with tips from Ebay.  The 120-150 pound prods cost about $30 USD

Octavio, I know thecrossbowstore.com ships internationally.  Here's their ordering info page: http://www.thecrossbowstore.com/TheCrossbowStore-Shipping-Policy-s/249.htm.  You might save on shipping cost if you look for a UK or Euro website, but I'm not familiar with any of them.

Many thanks to everybody! I will try this last link very soon!
Regards Octávio Oliveira

Octavio, if you decide to buy from them, here's the link to the 150lb. prod:  http://www.thecrossbowstore.com/Limb-for-120LBs-150LBs-Hunting-Crossbows-p/mk-150b.htm.  The string and extra plastic tips are here: http://www.thecrossbowstore.com/String-for-150LBs-Hunting-Crossbow-with-2-Caps-p/mk-150s.htm. 

I'm sure there are other sites that ship internationally, but I've had really good luck ordering stuff from these guys.  They've been very reliable for me. 

Dear Friend
Thank You very much, I ordered today the bow and the item of string and tips! Your help was very useful!
At Portugal to find this material is very complicate and much more expensive...
Best Regards
Octávio Oliveira

You are welcome.  Glad I could help. 

Hi, you can search online or search by the video to how to make a crossbow, if you need some crossbow equipment, then you can buy it online too.