Just got my first Longbow

[SOAR]

I have just got my hands on my first longbow, its made from Hickory is 1m 67 tall 45pound, its stunning I am really chuffed with it, I can't wait to try it out, can anyone offer me any advice on looking after it, I.E how to store it and treat it?. I am going to take it to Middlewood as I think there are a few people taking bows. Not got any pics as yet sorry.

Thanks.

Simon.

 

[Ogri the trog]

Sounds nice Simon,
For storage, don't let it get neither too hot nor too cold, and neither too damp or too dry - doesn't really help I know, but think about the room in which you'll be keeping it.
When you take it out to shoot, flex the limbs for a few minutes before stringing it and then do several dozen draws building slowly up to full draw before nocking an arrow. And never do a "Dry release!"
On cold days, use a woolen rag or the storage bag to "Polish" some warmth into the bow before doing any of the flexing above.
Study it in minute detail regularly, that way you get to notice problems before they become serious - if you do see a problem, get it sorted by a professional bowyer as soon as you can.
Look after your string as well, because if that snaps, so will the bow.
Take you time and learn the sport well - I thoroughly enjoyed my shooting days.

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[deepcmonkey]

I am looking to join my local archery club with the aim to learning how to use a Longbow, cant wait. Let us know how you get on.

 

[SOAR]

What is a dry release? and what would it do?

 

[SOAR]

I am looking to join my local archery club with the aim to learning how to use a Longbow, cant wait. Let us know how you get on.

Will do deepcmonkey, I am looking myself for a club I know theres a few round here.

 

[JonnyP]

What is a dry release? and what would it do?

Dry release is letting go without an arrow in place....

 

[SOAR]

How will this damage the bow? as I have done this by accident got a nice string slap on my arm. Is there anything I should look out for on the bow, damage wise?.

 

[JonnyP]

How will this damage the bow? as I have done this by accident got a nice string slap on my arm. Is there anything I should look out for on the bow, damage wise?.

Not too sure mate, one of the archers here will tell you....I think it has sommit to do with the sudden shock of the dry release can fracture the bow or weaken it. It is designed to have resistance when released...

 

[Ogri the trog]

How will this damage the bow? as I have done this by accident got a nice string slap on my arm. Is there anything I should look out for on the bow, damage wise?.

With manmade bows, theres no great harm in dry releasing as the material has high strength and resilience. A long bow is a little different - being a natural material, it really needs to be doing some work - driving the arrow forward, as bows don't cope well with the stress of coming to such a sudden stop. It can cause stress fractures of the limbs and also puts extra stress on the string, creating mini-breaks within it, shortening its life. Look for tiny cracks in the varnish sometimes mid way along each limb - if you find any, gently polish them out and revarnish - if they crack again, get it looked at by a bowyer.
If a string breaks, theres another danger for the bow, you'll probably have learnt that woods are selected for their resistance to compression - which makes them suitable as bow woods. If your string happens to snap when you're anywhere near full draw, there is no work for the limbs to do, they fly forward much faster than if they were propelling an arrow and, as there is no string to check the forward movement - they flex forward of the handle, thus putting the belly of the bow in tension and in danger of snapping the limbs off.
I once heard a bow break on the shooting line, the archer was left holding about 1 foot of splintered handle and the lower limb had bruised his legs and the top had gone behind him narrowly missing his head - worth noting that his string did not snap, he just overdrew the bow.

Don't be put off by this, just shoot as you normally would but be aware that it can happen.

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[John Fenna]

I was always told that the potential energy stored in a drawn bow needs to go somewhere when the string is released. If there is no arrow to impell down the range, the energy can only go into the bow limbs. This creates a shock that can fracture the bow.
It apears that this was a big problem for steel bows (never see them around now do you?) and glassfibre bows.
I have never seen a bow break on a dry release.
I am not a scientist.
I am only passing on what I was told when learning to shoot a bow.
Hope that helps.

 

[SOAR]

Thanks guys, I will have a good look at it, it wasn't at full draw thankfully, feel a bit daft really, I blame the heavily waxed string and me not being used to its draw weight.

 

[oops56]

Also on a bow never pull it back with out a arrow in it you could go to far and then have a little one to make into a kids bow
here one that i broke you learn as you go no arrow in it

 

[Rob]

You will end up drawing without an arrow, but you just have to make sure that you dont go past your usual anchor point.

Be careful if other people (non-archers) are around and want to have a pull. They may overdraw or dry shoot it, causing damage.

As for storage - all the above advice is good. One thing that I would add is to not store it standing up. Find somewhere where the bow can be stored horizontally. If oyu are looking for extra transit and storage protection, try some 50mm drain pipe.

Keep an eye on your string, as snappiing strings arent good. If in doubt as to what to look for and how to maintain a string, let me know.

Happy shooting.

 

[SOAR]

Also on a bow never pull it back with out a arrow in it you could go to far and then have a little one to make into a kids bow
here one that i broke you learn as you go no arrow in it

That looked like a nice bow, Shame it broke. what wood is it?, thanks for the advice.

Simon.

 

[SOAR]

You will end up drawing without an arrow, but you just have to make sure that you dont go past your usual anchor point.

Be careful if other people (non-archers) are around and want to have a pull. They may overdraw or dry shoot it, causing damage.

As for storage - all the above advice is good. One thing that I would add is to not store it standing up. Find somewhere where the bow can be stored horizontally. If oyu are looking for extra transit and storage protection, try some 50mm drain pipe.

Keep an eye on your string, as snappiing strings arent good. If in doubt as to what to look for and how to maintain a string, let me know.

Happy shooting.

Thanks for the advice Rob, I am finding that at the minute I can just about pull it to its 28 inch draw, so I will keep an eye on what I am doing with it. I am keeping it under the bed at the minute, I plan to get some material over the weekend and make a bag for it. What do I need to look out for as far as string wear? as its new the string is heavily waxed and seems ok, its a flemish twist string, I have a bow stringer that came with it, and I have made a arm brace from 3mm veg tanned leather, rather crude laced up version but will do the trick to stop string slap.

Simon.

 

[Ogri the trog]

What do I need to look out for as far as string wear? as its new the string is heavily waxed and seems ok, its a flemish twist string, I have a bow stringer that came with it, and I have made a arm brace from 3mm veg tanned leather, rather crude laced up version but will do the trick to stop string slap.

Simon.

A new string should be good for a few seasons without worry. As it looses its wax, occasionally unravel a few inches of string and look for broken strands within the string bundle itself.
You'll soon learn to do away with the stringer, I was taught without one and so I find them really difficult to use even on my 70lb bows.
I also learnt to shoot without a bracer - I found that during a tournament, I got tired and relied on the string hitting the bracer as compensation for poor technique. Then I got to realise that one slap on the arm was a message that my form was slipping and to concentrate more, haven't used one for years now.

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[Rob]

Just keep an eye on the general condition of the string. If you see strands starting to look scruffy - especially around the nocks then keep an eye on them.

There are things that can indicate that a string is on the way out, the easiest to check is if there has been any undue lengthening. This will lower the brace height of the bow (the distance between the bow and the string when it is strung.

Try and avoid really snappy arrow nocks - if you are using the plastic ones. They can damage the string underneat the serving and you wont be able to see it.

If you have a new string, you should be fine for ages. Never hurts to have a spare though.

 

[SOAR]

A new string should be good for a few seasons without worry. As it looses its wax, occasionally unravel a few inches of string and look for broken strands within the string bundle itself.
You'll soon learn to do away with the stringer, I was taught without one and so I find them really difficult to use even on my 70lb bows.
I also learnt to shoot without a bracer - I found that during a tournament, I got tired and relied on the string hitting the bracer as compensation for poor technique. Then I got to realise that one slap on the arm was a message that my form was slipping and to concentrate more, haven't used one for years now.

ATB

Ogri the trog

Cheers Orgi, I will keep a check on the string. I had a good look at the bow last night, checking for cracks, I couldn't see any but because its Hickorh it has natural lines in the wood, the grain runs from nock to nock and then lines in the wood cross from side to side like a check pattern, if you know what I mean.

Simon.

 

[Eric_Methven]

Be careful if other people (non-archers) are around and want to have a pull. They may overdraw or dry shoot it, causing damage.

That's exactly what happened to me at an event up in Perthshire last year. I was manning my stall and was really busy when a big bloke asked if he could have a look at my 15 year old yew bow. He picked it up and pulled it to full draw - crack! The upper limb shattered just above the handle and it exploded into five or six pieces (I never did find all the pieces). I stood there looking shocked and he just handed the lower limb back, said 'sorry mate' and walked away with his kids.

All the above advice is good. I would add though, make sure you shoot arrows of a length designed for your bow and it's draw length. If you are going to let other archers shoot it, make sure they shoot your arrows and not their own.

Eric

Eric

 

[SOAR]

Gutted!. So he just overdrew it?.