Longbow bracing height

[robtattoo]

It's all somewhat acedemic now. Unfortunately it suffered a terminal split the first time it was fully drawn up.

[Matt Easton]

Sorry to hear about your bow
My longbow is braced to 5 1/2 inches, in case anyone is searching for this kind of info in the future and it's useful.

Matt

[steve58]

I think I read somewhere that a good guide was 1/2" of bracing height for every 6" of bow length? I use fistmele and just hope that I have the right size hand for my bow! I am left wondering what effect a higher/lower bracing height has on a bow? And why is a maximum bracing height marked on my bow? Is it a safety thing?

[Matt Easton]

Yes, if you increased the bracing height then You shorten the string, which means that your 28" draw would effectively increase as far as the bow is concerned, and you'd be overdrawing the bow when you drew it.
A deeper brace height has less angle of deflection around the bow however, so on one hand it is better, but on the other hand the string is pushing the arrow for less distance, so less energy is transfered.

Matt

[provins]

Rob,
Will you be using the remains for knife handles?

[Dante]

Originally Posted by robtattoo

It's all somewhat acedemic now. Unfortunately it suffered a terminal split the first time it was fully drawn up.

Sorry to hear about that

But for anyone interested I tend to brace at 6" - 6.5".

[robtattoo]

Originally Posted by provins

Rob,
Will you be using the remains for knife handles?

You never know!

Now that I can see inside the wood, I'd have to say that it looks very much like Black Palmera (borassus flabellifer) Beautiful to look at but bugger all use as a bow-wood! It's also a proper pigto work with, too. The tough fibres sand & work at amush slower rate than the pith wood, which is very, very soft. I reckon that the only way it'd be of any use as a bow would be to use it short-term, whist it still has a decnt moisture content. Otherwise it's cack!


Tchoh! It seems my perfect grammar & spelling've gone boobies uppermost, too!

[Little Bow Pete]

Originally Posted by gwynn

traditionally it is the fistmele, which is a closed fist with outstretched thumb between the belly and the string - which is about 7" ...

.....and hence the expression "a rule of thumb".

Sorry about the bow, Robtattoo

[Matt Easton]

Sorry, but no. Rule of Thumb comes from the old law that a man was allowed by law to beat his own wife with a cane that was no wider than his thumb.

Matt

[Dante]

Originally Posted by Matt Easton

Sorry, but no. Rule of Thumb comes from the old law that a man was allowed by law to beat his own wife with a cane that was no wider than his thumb.

Matt

Thats one big stick then