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Author
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Topic: Archers' bracer-- irresponsible military procurement?
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Tim Merritt
Member
Member # 624
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posted 02-03-2005 07:11 PM
   
Got a wild hair and decided to make a “Mary Rose” style bracer from pieces I already had last night. Saw some at the museum at Portsmouth, and several people sell similar items. I used curved bone plate, leather straps, and what is claimed to be a 14th century buckle (odd little forked thing, but in great shape). Only took about an hour, but apparently my brain went on hold, because I didn’t think about how it would actually fit. When I strapped it on, of course it slide to the point of least diameter on my arm—where my watch is worn. This is too low on the arm for catching the string. I decided to try it out anyway today, and it stayed in place further up my arm if I cinched it down hard, sometimes. It also became obvious that when it rotated just a bit, the string could (and did) hit the bone/strap connection. It obviously wouldn’t last long then, and as I believe Roger Ascham said, minimize decoration and protrusions so as not to wear the string. Basically, this design seems to suck. I now find it hard to believe that archers would use these, unless they didn’t know better, but there are several examples and illustrations about showing these. I’ve used a simple sleeve type, laced on, all day with no problems and have had it for years.Does anyone have experience with these? Why would they go through the trouble of making these when the simpler sleeve type works fine? Or am I just odd in that the narrowest part of my arm is not 3 inches above my wrist? -------------------- Tim
Registered: Jun 2004 | IP: Logged
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Woodcrafter
Member
Member # 197
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posted 02-11-2005 09:59 AM
It should be a wrist protection. It would also serve to keep clothing out of the way of the string. Archers are shown a number of times in the Luttrell Psalter, but only once are bracers shown, this on two of a group of archers shooting at the butts.You may want to work on your archer form. If your 'window' (bow, shoulder, string-hand triangle) is very 'closed', you can drag the string the full length of your arm. So if the string is slapping your arm near your elbow, you need to open up this 'window' enough that the string does not strike you. Another trick is to rotate the bottom of your elbow to the left. This will make the inside bend of your elbow point directly to the path of the string and thereby give you more room. Though this may feel strange at first, it quickly becomes natural. I used bracers before, and they slid to my wrist joint. So I compensated (assuming my stance could not be wrong) by making the bracers longer and longer. Finally I had one that reached from my wrist 'joint' to above my elbow. This is when I was finally shown to rotate my elbow and open the window. (I had found an Archery lane to shoot in the winter time, and the staff pointed this out) From what I see in the pics and from surviving examples, bracers were quite small and single strapped. Could it be we in the 21st century have bulkier forearms from holding steering wheels and pushing microwave buttons?  -------------------- Woodcrafter
14th c. Woodworking
Registered: Jul 2001 | IP: Logged
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Tim Merritt
Member
Member # 624
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posted 02-14-2005 04:34 PM
Heard that before, about the arm twist. My son has that problem with his arm at the elbow getting in there, but mine seems to naturally twist out. I've tried to twist it more, but it's just the same. The string really hits in the same place avery time--about where it is when the bow is just held out--about 3-4 inches from the wrist. My "regular" plain leather bracer, with leather laces through holes, is about 5 inches long.Of course, I started messing around with the plate one yesterday, trying to give it more of a curve, and broke it. Coincidentally, last night I saw a History Channel show about the longbow--Weapons That Made Britain, I think. Presenter, Mike Loades (?) does a fine job, in my opinion. Anyway, noticed he had a single leather plate, buckle type, but long, to the wrist, and it occasionally twisted on him. Paid fairely close attention to the gear (as I was assembling a few extra arrows for the competition Sunday and in the gear mode) of the Frat of St George, UK, folks who were doing some shooting for the show, and saw many variations (and yes, a few wonky ones). Guess it's just a matter of fitting the gear to the archer. -------------------- Tim
Registered: Jun 2004 | IP: Logged
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