This, I just solicited from my brother, Taylor. We have long been interested in archery, much, with the English Long Bow, but with all archery indeed. We've both made a number of bows gathering and learning how from that marvelous line of books - Bowyer's Bibles 1 through 4. Since reading these, we've made a number of excellent bows. After joining the Royal Archer's Society, Taylor built this one.
Should note here, that some years back, we were at a North American Longbow Safari and on one of the vender's tables was an overweight, glass-backed and bellied long bow, a Martin custom made, 110# draw weight, for an outsized fellow. He found it a bit much for day to day shooting.
He noted that if I could draw it back to my normal draw length, which with a longbow was 28", that he'd sell it to me for $100.00. The first attempt and second attempt netted me a couple inches short. I put my all into the third pull, made draw length, but quickly let it down. I then used my left hand to put my right into my pocket and walked away. I'd torn 2 1/2 out of 3 main muscle groups off my right shoulder blade. Guess I should not have given it such an attempt, without building up to it.

Thus:

"Daryl,

The scale bottomed out at 100 pounds at around the same time I got to 32" draw, so it is likely a little more than that. I'll weigh some of the arrows and send along their weights. They are ash, 7/16" diameter, and tapered to 3/8" at both ends, but most of the weight is forward of centre. The points were hand forged by Hector Cole in England. The self nocks are reinforced with buffalo horn inserts. The fletches are lashed with silk pulled from the stole of a Roman Catholic Bishop...well, maybe that's not quite true. The arrows are made to the specifications of the English Warbow Society...fletch length, height above the shaft, spacing of the wraps, overall length and weight.

I should exercise with it this winter and then take it out to the Blackwater this spring, and see what kind of cast the bow has. I've never shot it. I'd like to have some pictures of me shooting it before I get too much too old.

Taylor