One that continues to bend toward the belly is said to follow
the string. A lateral deviation is called a cast in the bow.
The proper length of a yew bow should be the height of the man that
shoots it, or a trifle less. Our hunting bows are from five feet six
inches to five feet eight inches in length. The weight of a hunting bow
should be from fifty to eighty pounds. One should start shooting with a
bow not over fifty pounds, and preferably under that. At the end of a
season's shooting he can command a bow of sixty pounds if he is a
strong man. Our average bows pull seventy-five pounds. Though it is
possible for some of us to shoot an eighty-five pound bow, such a
weapon is not under proper control for constant use.
Some pieces of yew will make a stronger bow at given dimensions than
others. The finer the grain and the greater the specific gravity, the
more resilient and active the wood, and stronger the bow.
Taking a yew stave having a dark red color and a layer of white sap
wood about a quarter of an inch thick, covered with a thin
maroon-colored bark, let us make a bow. Counting the rings in the wood
at the upper end of the stave, you will find that they run over forty
to the inch.
Pages:
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91