Archery 'Glove'

[chuck123wapati]

3 hours ago, Sheilajeanne said:

Cool! And very pretty!  Have yet to meet an archer that uses one, though I have seen archers use a caliper release.

i have a trigger too for my compound bows. they are so short limbed nowadays using your fingers is impossible so using one is a must. they clip onto a string loop installed on the string above and below the knocking point. That and the 80% let off and sights and arrow rests allows for very accurate shooting of heavier weight bows. even i could robin hood an arrow almost every time i shot a round, 10 bucks down the drain lol.  I still love the old recurve the best.

[Doc Reaper]

I’m here in North Carolina and when you enter an archery shop all they have available aRe either the recurve bows or the compound bow. It’s been ages since I’ve seen any type of long bow. The picture that sheilajeanne presented kinda resembles the glove I used 50 years ago. The last bow I had required sights and a trigger that wrapped around the wrist. And I would never use my fat Barney Rubble fingers to stitch a glove,  how would ya sew inside the fingers

[Sheilajeanne]

Well, England being where the longbow was invented, it doesn't surprise me there are more longbow archers there than anywhere else. And Fred, you definitely have knowledge about archery that is not taught anywhere I've been shooting on this side of the pond! Very interesting! I'm the only archer I know that has never used a bow sight  and shoots bare bow (except for the arrow rest). Everyone else seems to have every imaginable gizmo attached to their bow, from kisser buttons to bow stabilizers!

 I just came across this picture on FB. Who are the men in uniform holding longbows, as they stand vigil over the Queen's casket in St. Giles Cathedral? I figured you'd probably know.

 

Edited September 12, 2022 by Sheilajeanne

[fredk]

A. the Welsh invented the Long Bow as we know it now. The long bow goes back into Roman history. The Welsh bow was made of Elm. They drew it only to the tip of their nose. Edward 1st fought the Welsh in the late part of the 1200s. He defeated them. He was so impressed by their archers that he incorporated Welsh Long Bow archers into his army. Gradually the English improved the Long Bow. First by making it of Yew and then, about the same time, drawing it to the back of the ear. That extra 5 inches or so adds about 25lbs to the draw weight. 

The infamous William Wallace, of 'Braveheart' film, was actually a Captain of Archers in Edward 1st's army in roughly 1292 - 1302.

Because Edward 1st defeated the Welsh and killed their clan princes he gave them his new-born son as the first 'Prince of Wales'. The man in the centre of that picture is King Charles III, who until just a few days ago was 'Prince of Wales'. Now his eldest son Prince William has been gifted the title.

2. The four men at the corners of the catafalque, and many others positioned out of sight, are the Kings Royal Body Guard for Scotland, the Royal Company of Archers. They do practice archery but their body guard duties are just ceremonial now. Policemen/women and soldiers with big noisy loud guns do the real protecting now. But not as many as the POTUS needs. King Charles will have at most 3 body guards near him. The late Queen Elizabeth only wanted one PPO

Both the late Queen Elizabeth and King Charles III are experts with the long bow. The late Queen once took part, actually several times, in an old traditional archery competition where you have to shoot at a small bird on top of a Church's spire weather vane. She always hit her mark

And before anyone says it; the famous English two-finger salute is not to show that the archer still has his fingers for drawing a bow. All that is a myth

I knocked up this bracer the other evening. Its for #1 dottir to test. Its just some thinnish 'dragon skin' embossed leather on the outside, some felt padding making that raised portion and some upholstery grade chrome tan on the inside. Just all glued together. With lacing hooks riveted on. Elastic cord to lace criss-cross between the hooks. I posted it to her yesterday. She'll test it out and let me know what has to change for the next ones

 

[Sheilajeanne]

Guess it's way past time for me to dig out Hardy's book and re-read it! 

Wow, never knew that about the Queen! I certainly doubt I could do that, even when I was at my best.

[Sheilajeanne]

Okay, as a result of this thread, I am looking at dusting off my bow, and joining a local archery club! I can't remember the last time I shot. My shooting companion was my husband, and I quickly lost interest in it after he died.   Not a lot of fun doing something like this alone, though for awhile, I was encouraging his older son to shoot with me. 

Fred, you've piqued my interest in learning the traditional longbow style of shooting, but it looks like I will probably have to join the local S.C.A. in order to learn that (Society for Creative Anachronism.) It is a totally different style from what's being taught in schools and archery clubs in N. America.

Hmm...this could get very interesting! 

How are things going with the shooting glove? If you are planning to copy my glove, the biggest challenge is likely going to be finding a piece of elastic wide enough! I guess you could substitute some stretchy thin leather, if you can't find elastic that's the right width.

Edited September 15, 2022 by Sheilajeanne

[chuck123wapati]

On 9/12/2022 at 6:09 PM, fredk said:

A. the Welsh invented the Long Bow as we know it now. The long bow goes back into Roman history. The Welsh bow was made of Elm. They drew it only to the tip of their nose. Edward 1st fought the Welsh in the late part of the 1200s. He defeated them. He was so impressed by their archers that he incorporated Welsh Long Bow archers into his army. Gradually the English improved the Long Bow. First by making it of Yew and then, about the same time, drawing it to the back of the ear. That extra 5 inches or so adds about 25lbs to the draw weight. 

The infamous William Wallace, of 'Braveheart' film, was actually a Captain of Archers in Edward 1st's army in roughly 1292 - 1302.

Because Edward 1st defeated the Welsh and killed their clan princes he gave them his new-born son as the first 'Prince of Wales'. The man in the centre of that picture is King Charles III, who until just a few days ago was 'Prince of Wales'. Now his eldest son Prince William has been gifted the title.

2. The four men at the corners of the catafalque, and many others positioned out of sight, are the Kings Royal Body Guard for Scotland, the Royal Company of Archers. They do practice archery but their body guard duties are just ceremonial now. Policemen/women and soldiers with big noisy loud guns do the real protecting now. But not as many as the POTUS needs. King Charles will have at most 3 body guards near him. The late Queen Elizabeth only wanted one PPO

Both the late Queen Elizabeth and King Charles III are experts with the long bow. The late Queen once took part, actually several times, in an old traditional archery competition where you have to shoot at a small bird on top of a Church's spire weather vane. She always hit her mark

And before anyone says it; the famous English two-finger salute is not to show that the archer still has his fingers for drawing a bow. All that is a myth

I knocked up this bracer the other evening. Its for #1 dottir to test. Its just some thinnish 'dragon skin' embossed leather on the outside, some felt padding making that raised portion and some upholstery grade chrome tan on the inside. Just all glued together. With lacing hooks riveted on. Elastic cord to lace criss-cross between the hooks. I posted it to her yesterday. She'll test it out and let me know what has to change for the next ones

 

they don't need much padding so be careful or you will make so thick it does hit the string every time lol. They just to keep the string away from the sensitive skin and the shirt sleeve out of the way.

53 minutes ago, Sheilajeanne said:

Okay, as a result of this thread, I am looking at dusting off my bow, and joining a local archery club! I can't remember the last time I shot. My shooting companion was my husband, and I quickly lost interest in it after he died.   Not a lot of fun doing something like this alone, though for awhile, I was encouraging his older son to shoot with me. 

Fred, you've piqued my interest in learning the traditional longbow style of shooting, but it looks like I will probably have to join the local S.C.A. in order to learn that (Society for Creative Anachronism.) It is a totally different style from what's being taught in schools and archery clubs in N. America.

Hmm...this could get very interesting! 

How are things going with the shooting glove? If you are planning to copy my glove, the biggest challenge is likely going to be finding a piece of elastic wide enough! I guess you could substitute some stretchy thin leather, if you can't find elastic that's the right width.

thats good !! meet some folks get some exercise and shooting is very relaxing, takes your mind off everything else.

[fredk]

On 9/15/2022 at 7:04 PM, Sheilajeanne said:

How are things going with the shooting glove? If you are planning to copy my glove, the biggest challenge is likely going to be finding a piece of elastic wide enough! I guess you could substitute some stretchy thin leather, if you can't find elastic that's the right width.

Things were suspended due to numerous meetings during the week. Travelling by bus has its downsides; the time wasted whilst waiting on connections or allowing time not to miss one 

I have some 3 inch wide elastic. But I think its too wide so I've ordered some 2 inch wide

On 9/15/2022 at 7:04 PM, Sheilajeanne said:

Fred, you've piqued my interest in learning the traditional longbow style of shooting, but it looks like I will probably have to join the local S.C.A. in order to learn that (Society for Creative Anachronism.) It is a totally different style from what's being taught in schools and archery clubs in N. America.

Hmm...this could get very interesting! 

The SCA are grand but they will not tell you these things; fletch your own arrows, use only real goose feather. Why? because when you trim the goose feather down you'll find it has a bend or twist to the rachis.  Plastic 'feathers' don't  usually or normally have that. Mount the goose feathers on the shaft so that that twist is used. Then the three feathers will give the arrow a spiralling course in flight, just like rifling on a firearm, which gives it a straighter flight. Each wing of the goose has feathers which twist in a certain direction. Match all three feathers to be the same. For competition shooting trim the vanes as short as possible. Long vanes are good for clout, but for closer target, trim the vanes till they are only about 1/2 or 5/8 inch long. Then when you use the stand-off hold the hens will hardly touch the stave, just about eliminating the paradox. When you use thread to tie on the feather, use a fine thread such as silk and have it wrapped around the shaft extended about 1 inch forward of the feather. When its glued down rub in some beeswax and rub that in really well and real smooth. This will help the arrow pass over your hand very smoothly. If you use a glove with a pad on it for the arrow to ride on, use leather and polish it really well

Many times I have heard, even in the SCA, that the fletching feathers should be put on perfectly straight

PS. we now regularly call the feathers the 'fletching' but in medieval times 'fletching' was the making of the whole arrow, the feathers were called . . . . feathers. The local fletcher had the legal rights to all flight feathers from every goose in his/her area. That is, every time a goose was turned into food its wings had to go to the fletcher

Edited September 17, 2022 by fredk

[Sheilajeanne]

Cool! When I first started archery, I remember reading that about the feathers having to come from the same wing of the goose. I think Ernest Thompson Seton's book Two Little Savages goes into quite a bit of detail about how to construct bows and arrows. That might have been where I saw the info. Hmm...still have that book somewhere!

Both my brother and I tried making our own bows and arrows as kids. We weren't old enough to be very successful at it though!  I remember my brother ramming a splinter of wood all the way to the base of his fingernail during a failed attempt to make an arrow. A trip to the hospital followed...

Edited September 17, 2022 by Sheilajeanne