780lb windlass bow -- myArmoury.com

Leo Todeschini · Industry Professional

Hi All,

This is a 780lb early 15thC war bow.

The bow is of fairly standard form and so the stock is ash, the string is waxed linen, the trigger is sprung and the nut is steel. The bow is clamped in place with bow irons and the fore stock is pinned through.

The bow shoots 15" ash bolts with maple vanes and fitted with Hector Cole bodkins. The shaft is 1/2" and tapered down to fit between the fingers of the nut. The vanes are set into curved grooves cut into the shaft, so that they create a wing section and cause the bolt to rotate.

Unusually for me the windlass is not the 6 wheel type, but has only 2 wheels as per the customer request and this really dates it to the earlier part of the 15thC.

What is evident is that it takes a great deal more work to span this bow because of the reduced ratio of the double wheels compared to the 6. That all said, this bow shoots very nicely indeed.

I hope you like it.

Tod

Tyler Jordan · Posted: Wed 09 Sep, 2015 8:01 pm Post subject:

I think I need to see test shots from this thing.

You know, for reasons.

Tom King · Posted: Wed 09 Sep, 2015 10:44 pm Post subject:

Martin Francis · Posted: Thu 10 Sep, 2015 7:26 am Post subject:

Aesthetically pleasing and possessed of authority..... That's the bow Tod, lest you think I was buttering you up.... Big Grin

There are a few people in the modern day who fit the appelation Renaissance Master Craftsman. I can think of no better exemplar than yourself

Martin

Jean Thibodeau · Posted: Thu 10 Sep, 2015 10:50 am Post subject:

Tod as usual very impressive work that looks like your time machine is working very well as you go back in time and buy these and pretend to have made them yourself. Wink

( I'm obviously kidding ).

It would be nice to see some video of this one being used, but maybe you already sent it to it's happy owner ?

The simpler pulley may be physically harder to work, but is it less likely to get it's pulley ropes tangled up ? The time one saves using it at the price of being a lot more tiring to use, maybe ?

Leo Todeschini · Industry Professional

Thanks guys, and I do in fact own a time machine that I made a few years back from a beer can and some jelly.

I am unlikely to get to film this one, but I have a similar bow on you tube and you can find it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEOeZTV9wiA

Jean you are right though harder to span, it makes it faster too, so in fact is a handier weapon in my mind.

I shot it again today - its a nice one.

Tod