Stone Age bits and pieces...

[dwardo]

Arrows and quiver looking brilliant John. Also looking good your self there old bean.

 

[John Fenna]

I just need a "Stone Age" bow now! Either a willow one (based on the Star Carr one) or a 6' yew one (based on Otzi's) but both are beyond my skill level!

 

[Mesquite]

I just need a "Stone Age" bow now! Either a willow one (based on the Star Carr one) or a 6' yew one (based on Otzi's) but both are beyond my skill level!

I don't think that's above your skill level John.

You know how to carve with axe and knife as well as use a rasp and it's just whittling a big stick down to have pointy ends and sticking a string on it

Check out Matt Grewock on YT as he demonstrates how to make bows very well. I especially liked his hazel bow series which is another wood you could consider using. I'm sure other folks will suggest other videos for you to watch as well

 

[Broch]

I've experimented with a few 'lithic' era bows now but I'm still not convinced about the Star Carr one - remember this thread:

Archaeologists and Bowyers – Advice please

Archaeologists and Bowyers – Advice please I have recently finished an Ash Longbow, and I’ve made a quite serviceable Holly ‘stick-bow’ that, to the best of my knowledge and surprisingly, has no archaeological evidence of use (I would enjoy being corrected on that). However, as some of you...

bushcraftuk.com

I've started collecting a variety of staves and 'sticks, to carry out experimental archaeology - I'm still struggling to find a decent piece of willow that I can get access to so things are in abeyance at the moment.

 

[TLM]

Bowyers here have apparently tried some willow species and found it wanting as bow wood. Personally I have not tried. Most seem to have an opinion that it would be a childs fast made bow not a real one, because of the length some commented that maybe it is just a work practise bow again not a real one. I don't know but numbers say that it probably would not be a good choice.

 

[Broch]

Bowyers here have apparently tried some willow species and found it wanting as bow wood. Personally I have not tried. Most seem to have an opinion that it would be a childs fast made bow not a real one, because of the length some commented that maybe it is just a work practise bow again not a real one. I don't know but numbers say that it probably would not be a good choice.

I suggest we do not highjack John's great thread repeating the discussion in the thread linked above.

 

[John Fenna]

OK - I have to admit it - it ain't only skill lacking .... when I have previously made bows I have aggravated old injuries and shrink from putting my dodgy shoulder to the test again ... or setting off my Tennis and Golfers elbow either. The repeated actions of shaping a bow seem to get to my poor aging body!
If anyone fancies making a Holmguard (sp?), Star Carr or Otzi bow for me to have then I have some good stuff for trades
No more than 25lb poundage as my shoulder died after a morning shooting a 28lb bow and set it back 6 months of physio work

 

[Tengu]

Oh.

Have you thought about concentrating on the crafts and leaving the hunting bit to the young men of the tribe?

The way you have lost weight recently makes me worry; you clearly have not had much hunting success of late. You need more fat on you for winter.

(It is entirely possible that you are a Shaman fasting on some spirit quest; if that is so, my apologies and I wish you luck in pursuing Transcendence.)

 

[Broch]

This may interest you John:

BBC One - Attenborough and the Mammoth Graveyard

Sir David Attenborough uncovers an Ice Age mammoth mystery on the outskirts of Swindon.

www.bbc.co.uk

and this series of videos by Dr James Dilley

 

[John Fenna]

Cheers for those!

 

[dwardo]

Goat willow will make a capable bow, very capable. The rest of the willows nay chance...

 

[TLM]

Goat willow will make a capable bow, very capable.

Interesting, in what style?

 

[John Fenna]

I struggle telling goat from crack ... man that sounds weird!

 

[Broch]

I struggle telling goat from crack ... man that sounds weird!

Goat (Salix caprea) has ovate leaves; Crack (Salix fragilis) has long more willow-like )) leaves.

It's interesting that the archies at Star Carr couldn't distinguish between willow and poplar from the material they found let alone between willow species! (though they are both from the Salicaceae family).

 

[dwardo]

Interesting, in what style?

Very simple flat bow. Wasnt over wide or long but keep the depth. Ended up mid 40`s and shot well. Certainly a meat winner, wasnt overly quick but was incredibly easy to work. Was from a fast grown tree about 6" across. I only tried it as it were going spare and about to be disposed of.

 

[dwardo]

Goat (Salix caprea) has ovate leaves; Crack (Salix fragilis) has long more willow-like )) leaves.

It's interesting that the archies at Star Carr couldn't distinguish between willow and poplar from the material they found let alone between willow species! (though they are both from the Salicaceae family).

Thats the one. Sweet willow, very different beast timber wise to its brethren.

 

[dwardo]

I struggle telling goat from crack ... man that sounds weird!

Tiny diamonds in its bark

 

[John Fenna]

Not quite Stone Age ... Copper and Iron Ages perhaps...
I added a Bow Drill set to my Fire Bow kit - hand forged drill bits from copper and mild steel (both as nails...) a spare bow string, spare drill bits, spare Limpet shells (for bearing blocks) spare hazel rods, and the bag contains crushed quartz and flint for boring stone.
Then I made a quiver to carry it all....

 

[John Fenna]

A travelling Glue Set
The pouches contain, Pine Resin, Beeswax and crushed charcoal.
The wallet contains ready made hot glue sticks.
The rock is a heat-able stone glue blending- it is hand carved out of slate but I made remake it in sandstone as slate is prone to splitting in the heat....

 

[John Fenna]

My first completed project of 2022 - started in 2021 - a frame rucksack based on Otzi's.
The frame is bent Hazel and a couple of Beech boards (I have no access to Larch at the moment) lashed together with hand twisted natural fiber cord that was then waterproofed with the good old resin/beeswax/charcoal mix. The top rail is leather wrapped as it started to delaminated as it dried....
The bag is hair-on cowskin with veg tanned 3.5mm reinforcing/load bearing and harness leather while the lashing cords/attachment cords are from the same cowskin as the bag but as a cord twisted up from two laces each.
Everything was hand awled and hand sewn using (artificial) sinew
I did use some metal tools but tried to keep materials as close as possible to what might have been available in the British Mesolithic and to use techniques that might have been available at that time as well.
Volume is somewhere about 40l - the bag measures approx 20"x12"x 6" and there is room to lash extra kit under the lid as well as to the frame using the cordage already attached.
The bag will now become my "every day" bag at work, along with my deerskin haversack, carrying my costume equipment and tools for the day - plus my flask of coffee and lunch etc
Sewing so much leather is hard work and my hands, back and shoulder will take a while to recover!