Re: bows in the cold?

From: Roderick and Ellen Robertson <rjremr_at_...>
Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2004 10:28:57 -0800

> Does anyone know if wooden bows have problems in deep cold? Either
> tendency to shatter (or that you have to draw shallow so that they
> don't shatter), or reduced power?
>
> I know the inuit used bows, but not having access to wood they made
> theirs out of laminated bone (and quite good bows they were,
> apparently). The steppe nomads in asia must have had to deal with
> deep cold, but I don't know if the necessarily used them much in
> winter (not the best time for war, and much hunting may have been
> done by other means) (ditto goes for the natives of north america.
> Certainly in the woods and streams of eastern north north america
> winter was the time for trapping mostly, I think).

I've not run across any references to this problem.

Wet is normally the big bugaboo with bows - damp bowstrings stretch and lose power; and glues in composite bows sometimes are not suitable for damp climates, so the bow comes apart.

Trees shatter in deep cold because of ice formation inside the living tissue - a dried bow would have little water in it to freeze.

Unless you have people traveling to a location to which they are not accustomed, their weapons should work adequately in the local environmental conditions (otherwise they wouldn't bother to use those weapons...).

>From a quick and cursory web search:

(http://www.ancientarchery.com/Bows.htm)

Bow Woods (for Self Bows)

Osage Orange (Maclura pomifera, Toxylon pomifera) also known as Hedge, Hedge Apple, Bois d'arc is in my opinion the best wood of all for self bows. It is hard, resinous, durable and very elastic and is unaffected by climatic extremes. It is a New World wood, and had it been known in Europe, it probably would have been used more than Yew.

Yew (Taxus baccata, T. brevifolia) closely rivals Osage as a bow wood, but being a conifer it is softer and so more delicate, and it does not take extremes of temperature well. It can break if used in sub freezing temperatures and will lose cast in very hot weather.

Hickory (Carya ovalis) Another 'New World' wood, it is much underrated as a bow wood. If well designed, well tillered and kept dry, a bow of this wood will rival any, and is virtually unbreakable. I prefer using this wood for my Ancient Recurve .

White Ash (Fraxinus americana) A favorite because of its historical use (different species) as a bow wood in Early England.

American Elm (Ulmus americana) Also an historically used bow wood (in the European specie), especially in Wales.

Dagame or Lemonwood (Calycophyllum candidissimum) Not available in the US because of a trade embargo with the country that is its main source, Cuba.

RR
It is by my order and for the good of the state that the bearer of this has done what he has done.
- Richelieu