06-04-2010, 01:35 AM
Hello.
Back to Virilis and Crispus with the compound bows. I have four Grozer bows - the Old Scythian, the base Turkish, the extra Hunnish, and the Magyar base with a C-or squashed V-shape unstrung. The Hunnish bow is beautiful with its light tan horn on the belly of the limbs, the grip, and entirely covering the siyahs. But I actually prefer the Magyar. It is much faster and smoother than the Hun. It is, however, tricky to string. Its shape changes radically when stringing it, and it is very flexible and can twist easily if it is not carefully and smoothly controlled. That is perhaps why Grozer does not generally offer bows with this shape. The C- or V- shape is attested by excavated examples, to judge by the position of the surviving horn components in the burial, but the flatter, slightly curved shape unstrung that Grozer generally uses for his Hunnish, Roman, Avar, and Magyar bows is also supported by archaeological finds. I just like the springy dynamics of the C-shape more. Still, the shape of the Magyar siyahs is a later medieval form; it is longer and different than the siyahs of late Roman times if finds from Roman military sites like Corbridge are any indication. Perhaps if Grozer made the Roman bow in the extra format with horn plates but with the C-shape, we would have a bow that handled really nicely as well one very appropriate for late Roman re-enactment. Anyhow, you guys must be much bigger and tougher than I am. I cannot draw a bow of more than fifty pounds t my ear. I am reminded of the old Hungarian saying that bows of less than seventy five pounds are for old men and girls.
All the best,
David (Rhun)
Back to Virilis and Crispus with the compound bows. I have four Grozer bows - the Old Scythian, the base Turkish, the extra Hunnish, and the Magyar base with a C-or squashed V-shape unstrung. The Hunnish bow is beautiful with its light tan horn on the belly of the limbs, the grip, and entirely covering the siyahs. But I actually prefer the Magyar. It is much faster and smoother than the Hun. It is, however, tricky to string. Its shape changes radically when stringing it, and it is very flexible and can twist easily if it is not carefully and smoothly controlled. That is perhaps why Grozer does not generally offer bows with this shape. The C- or V- shape is attested by excavated examples, to judge by the position of the surviving horn components in the burial, but the flatter, slightly curved shape unstrung that Grozer generally uses for his Hunnish, Roman, Avar, and Magyar bows is also supported by archaeological finds. I just like the springy dynamics of the C-shape more. Still, the shape of the Magyar siyahs is a later medieval form; it is longer and different than the siyahs of late Roman times if finds from Roman military sites like Corbridge are any indication. Perhaps if Grozer made the Roman bow in the extra format with horn plates but with the C-shape, we would have a bow that handled really nicely as well one very appropriate for late Roman re-enactment. Anyhow, you guys must be much bigger and tougher than I am. I cannot draw a bow of more than fifty pounds t my ear. I am reminded of the old Hungarian saying that bows of less than seventy five pounds are for old men and girls.
All the best,
David (Rhun)
David Castriota
