| A longbow is a type of bow that is tall | | | | Longbows are much more stable and quiet |
| (roughly equal to or greater than the | | | | shooting bows than shorter recurves and |
| height of a person), is not recurved and | | | | crossbows. |
| has relatively narrow limbs, that are | | | | Design and construction |
| circular or D-shaped in cross section. | | | | Because the longbow can be made from a |
| The traditional English longbow is made | | | | single piece of wood, it can be crafted |
| so that its thickness is at least 5/8 of | | | | relatively easily and quickly. Amateur |
| its width. If the thickness is less than | | | | bowyers today can craft a longbow in |
| 5/8 of its width then the bow would be | | | | about ten to twenty hours, while highly |
| considered a flatbow. Typically a | | | | skilled bowyers, such as those who |
| longbow is widest at the handle. | | | | produced medieval English Longbows, can |
| Longbows have been used for hunting and | | | | craft wooden longbows in just a few |
| warfare, by many cultures around the | | | | hours. |
| world, a famous example being the | | | | One of the simpler longbow designs is |
| English longbow, during the Middle Ages. | | | | known as the selfbow. By definition, a |
| History | | | | selfbow is made from a single piece of |
| Traditional longbows are made entirely | | | | wood. Truly traditional English longbows |
| from wood and have been used for | | | | are selfbows, made from yew wood. The |
| hundreds or thousands of years, for | | | | bowstave is cut from the radius of the |
| hunting and warfare by, among others, | | | | tree so that the sapwood (on the outside |
| the ancient Nubians, Native American | | | | of the tree) becomes the back and the |
| tribes such as the Cherokee, South | | | | heartwood becomes the belly. Yew sapwood |
| American tribes like the Bari, African | | | | is good only in tension, while the |
| tribes such as the Bassa, Neolithic | | | | heartwood is good in compression. |
| Europeans, and medieval Europeans. As a | | | | However, one must make compromises when |
| hunting weapon, longbows are simple, | | | | making a yew longbow, as it is difficult |
| reliable and capable of taking game as | | | | to find perfect unblemished yew. |
| large as African elephants. As a weapon | | | | Longbows, because of their narrow limbs |
| of war the longbow has been instrumental | | | | and rounded cross-section (which does |
| to several cultures. World wide the | | | | not spread out stress within the wood as |
| average power for bows of all designs is | | | | evenly as a flatbow’s rectangular |
| about 50 pounds (220 newtons) at 28 | | | | cross section), need to be either less |
| inches (70 cm) of draw which is suitable | | | | powerful, longer or of more elastic wood |
| for most hunting applications. Bows for | | | | than an equivalent flatbow. In Europe |
| warfare tend to be much more powerful, | | | | the latter approach was used, with yew |
| with the most powerful bows being the | | | | being the wood of choice, because of its |
| English longbow and the African elephant | | | | high compressive strength, light weight |
| bow, both of which topped the 200-pound | | | | and elasticity. |
| (900 N) mark. It may seem unlikely that, | | | | Hard woods, like elm, oak, ash or maple |
| compared with modern day poundage bows | | | | are good for flatbows but yew is the |
| shot in archery, so many men in medieval | | | | only common European wood that will make |
| warfare were capable of shooting bows | | | | good self longbows. A narrow longbow |
| from 150-200 pounds (670–900 N). | | | | with high draw-weight can be made from |
| However, these men would train often | | | | these woods, but it is likely to take a |
| weekly from a very young age and over | | | | permanent bend (known as "set" or |
| time would be able to shoot such strong | | | | "following the string") and would likely |
| bows. There are modern day examples of | | | | be outshot by an equivalent made of yew. |
| men who are quite capable of shooting | | | | Wooden composite longbows can be made by |
| these bows so we know it is possible. | | | | gluing together two or more different |
| Mark Stretton currently holds the world | | | | pieces of wood. Usually this is done to |
| record for shooting a 200 pound (900 N) | | | | take advantage of the inherent |
| longbow. | | | | properties of different woods: some |
| In ancient Japan, very distinctive | | | | woods can better withstand compression |
| bamboo and wood composite longbows, | | | | while others are better at withstanding |
| known as Yumi, became important to | | | | tension. Examples include hickory and |
| mounted samurai warfare. Modern Japanese | | | | lemonwood or bamboo and yew longbows: |
| archery (called kyudo or kyujutsu) still | | | | hickory or bamboo is used on the back of |
| uses this style of longbow. Modern yumi | | | | the bow (the part facing away from the |
| can be made of fiberglass or | | | | archer when shooting) and so is in |
| carbon-fiber, as well as of the | | | | tension, while the belly (the part |
| traditional wood/bamboo laminate. Yumi | | | | facing the archer when shooting) is made |
| are recurved bows, and have the unique | | | | of lemonwood or yew and undergoes |
| characteristic of being off-center. That | | | | compression (see bending for a further |
| is, the lower arm of the bow is shorter | | | | explanation of stresses in a bending |
| than the upper arm; this is useful when | | | | beam). Traditionally made Japanese Yumi |
| the bow is used from horseback, so that | | | | are also composite longbows, made from |
| the archer can turn without the bottom | | | | laminated strips of wood: the core of |
| of the bow hitting the horse. | | | | the bow is bamboo, the back and belly |
| In the Middle Ages the English were | | | | are bamboo or hardwood and hardwood |
| famous for their very heavy, long-ranged | | | | strips are laminated to the bows sides |
| English longbows, used to great effect | | | | to prevent twisting. |
| against the French in the Hundred Years' | | | | Today, good composite longbows may be |
| War (notably at the battles of Crécy | | | | made of wood or can be purchased |
| (1346), Poitiers (1356) and Agincourt | | | | commercially. Any wooden bow must have |
| (1415)). | | | | gentle treatment and be protected from |
| Although firearms supplanted bows in | | | | excessive damp or dryness. Wooden bows |
| warfare, wooden or fiberglass composite | | | | may shoot as well as fiberglass, but |
| longbows continue to be used by | | | | they are more easily dented or broken by |
| traditional archers and some tribal | | | | abuse. |
| societies, for recreation and hunting. | | | | |