[English Longbow] Traditional longbow nocks

alanesq

New member
I dont know if horn nocks were to protect the bow tips from the string or just wear and tear from general abuse?
I know I am always sticking my bow tips in the ground and leaning on my bow etc. so they are very handy for this?
I would guess that getting the bow tips wet for prolonged time would soon damage them ?

I dont think there is any need for reenforcement on bows under 100lb as far as the string goes as there is not that much stress on the bow tips

I know when I was tillering my 140lb laminate the string started to damage the hickory backing and so I fitted the "horn" nocks before carrying on

I would be interested to hear from anyone who makes heavy self yew bows as to if they find they like to fit nocks before tillering?
 

Longbow_Gold

New member
I'm not sure these arguments hold water, My bow is about 85lb (75 @28" but currently drawing 31", havn't measure the weight yet) Horn nocks aren't fitted during tillering when the poundage is higher, and from a physics point of view the force at the knock is (I think) mainly just a shear force from the string (on the back side of the nock) with virtually no bending. I'm not trying to say NO bows had nocks, just wondering, maybe not all. I actually have some horn and may get around to puting some on mine, I'm just not convinced of the actual value of 'em.
Del
Del
That's a good point, but in my previous post, I was just stating that it would be more of a preference, than anything else as to what draw poundage bow would be SN's or HN's :)

Willie
 

bogaman

New member
I can't really add a lot to this discussion except to say that I agree with most of what has been said. Nocks (never knocks incidentally) feature on at least some of the medieval Church wall paintings, particularly that at Pickering. I believe that the representation of the Middleton archers in the church window also shows nocks, but don't quote me on that as I can't find the large scale photograph I have somewhere.

I took along an example of a professionally made nock (by Grant of Edinburgh) dating from the mid 18C for the war-bow fraternity to see at a recent shoot and that clearly shows the 'cut through'. Dick Galloway (one of whose bows I also brought) told me that the secret of the side-nock was the tight loop.
 
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