From: SAUNDRSG@qucdn.queensu.ca (Graydon)
Subject: Vittorio's response to my post on William's requiring authenticity.
Organization: The Internet
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 22:11:00 GMT

Greetings!

Firstly, which errors of fact?

Secondly, why assume I'm against authenticity?  That was the off the top
of my head version of my 'to do' list on the subject.

Yes, the period practice was to go buy the stuff.  Ok, from whom?

Yumi can make you what he advertizes as an authentic Turkish recurve;
$1500 - $2500 ($ CDN), and a lead time of a year.  A yew bow, no shelf,
D section or flat in the right proportions (that one will take sending
the bowyer a diagram) costs at least $600, probably more, and also has
a long lead time.  (there's a yew shortage.  Ditto dagame and orangewood.)

So, if you have deep pockets, you're ok on bows.  (quibbles about poundage,
distinctions between hunting and warbow styles, tools used in construction,
and use of modern glues left out for the nonce.)

Ok, arrows - you can get tapered hardwood shafts, they're about $20 each,
and I don't think they're made in the period fashion.   Points you can
also get; the best price I know of is US$ 5 each.  Goose feathers - can be
done.  There is a fellow advertizing tied on fletch recently, too, although
I'm deeply suspcious becuase he's also advertizing statute yard arrows.
Don't know of anyone advertising self nocks.

Wrought iron points are much more expensive; the only source I know of
for those charges #4.50 for each point.  Shipping from the UK and customs
will run that up, too.

Strings - period process silk, linen, or hemp is a do it yourself.
Leather for bracers, etc. - same deal, so far as I know.  (or I might
be able to talk Baldric into it.)

Shooting in a period style - all this will cost you is time and frustration.
Assume you start making strings first, the time to rot and rett linen
happens in parrallel.

So, you're looking at a minimum of 2 years and about 1 500 $CDN; I do
not think it is reasonable to restrict archery contests *or* awards
to people willing to plunk down an equipment outlay of 1 500 $.

This was part of my point to William; the other part of my point was
that 'authenticity' isn't a binary variable.  How the shaft blanks
were cut makes a big difference to the quality of the arrow you get;
what type of glue and what type of fletching jig you use has a big
effect on how the fletching is done, too.  Ditto the difference between
cut and stripped fletch.  Are made by a machine hardwood arrows
'inauthentic'?

I've got leather, points, split out shaft blanks, and the bow,
period-process string materials, and tackle patterns to go, as well
as the over-the-rainbow of getting period process tool steel tools.
If I don't give up, it's going to take me another five years at least.

Meanwhile, some of the people who shoot are getting interested in
doing their own fletching, and I've been passing on what I've learned
about english warbow style to someone else.  It goes slow, but it goes.

Graydon, who is regarded as a stuffy purist in a whole group of stuffy
        purists.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
saundrsg@               "Praise then Darkness and Creation unfinished"
   qucdn.queensu.ca                   - U. K. LeGuin