it’s always great to have authentic artifacts to compare and recreate, the arrow is a treasure that hopefully helped many understand the arrows and non-military archery
Excellent as always, Kevin. Lovely repro from Will Sherman, and the length of those fletchings! I was surprised to see the type 16 head, as I wouldn't have thought this would have been used for shooting pigeons, but then, as the comments down below say, there must have been a few of them knocking about as second hand and I suppose if you weren't shooting them to eat them it wouldn't have mattered.
I visited Westminster Abbey back in 2009; my Wife & I honeymooned in London, Amsterdam & then spent a week and a half in Germany, the Abbey was so beautiful. I absolutely LOVED being in London; not only because I am a Hugh fan of medieval times & knights in amour but also a HUGH W.W.II fanatic. I remember standing on the bridge that goes to the Tower of London & down in the moat area they had set up a little Renaissance encampment and it just amazed me that I was actually standing in an area where the Renaissance actually happened, I was standing in that history. It's very hard to put into words the feeling that I was having being there. I know I am a little late to your channel but, thank you for the content Brother. Ooh rah!
Until I watched your brilliant films on arrows,I honestly didn’t realise the technology,yes technology that went into producing an arrow,forever grateful 🙂
What a lovely gift to receive! I just found this vid! I keep looking for vids I havent seen and lo and behold I found one! Keep up the amazing work! I love your channel!
I so love the outfits or costurmes that you wear while making your videos. Excellent! Your videos are so interesting and I truly am grateful that you upload them. Keep up the great work. Your fan from Eastern Tennessee.
My goodness, the craftsmanship that went into making each one of those arrows at the time is simply amazing! And I just can’t help but picture all the people who went in and out every day and all the things that happened around that little arrow as it rested there for over 300 years.
The nock is so tiny, unlike most reproductions. Reminds me of Ascham praising "handsome and little" nocks for pricking because of their clean release. I've never seen the actual photo before this video so thanks for that!
Very cool! I bet I have a much older point though. Raking behind her house, my late grandmother found an Adena peoples "beaver tail" atlatl spear point, made from Onondaga formation chert, which dates back to our Early Woodland period (1000-200 BCE) While all this is very interesting stuff, it doesn't hold a candle to the best detail- The point took a glancing blow, off a hard object sometime, partially broke away, and was then partly reworked, and used as a scraper/knife. The Onondaga limestone formation, where this chert originated, is at least 75 miles from my grandmothers back yard, and horses had not yet been introduced to North America.
Love your videos, I feel so much peace and comfort watching, I've learned so much from your channel. Keep making videos my school friends love them and my history teacher was impressed.
Kevin, I've just found your videos on You Tube. I find everything that I have seen to be fascinating as history is one of my passions. I'm from Dudley, but I live in Sweden. My late wife and 2 of my kids whete members of the local Archery club using traditional bows. I'm unable to actually use a bow due to Parkinson's but I have used a compound bow many years ago. Coming from Worcs now the West Mids I learned alot about our history with family serving in both WW1 and WW2 and most of the teachers who where in service during the war and in the 50s. I was a small kid when my great grandfather died in 1968 who served in WW1. I look forward to looking at all of your videos. Good luck in Canada My sincere best wishes Peter Black country born Fr Sweden
Hi Peter, thanks so much for tuning in.....yam alright? What took you to Sweden? I moved to Canada to retire, but that hasn't worked out, although I am loving my new YT career 😜
@thehistorysquad There where many reasons I left England. I saw the complete desolation of the industry in the West Midlands, the riots, inner city decay and how our heritage was being destroyed. Not sure which part of Staffordshire you are from, and Dudley was part of Staffordshire but went into Worcestershire..Well it was untill the early 70s. I am a retired sound engineer and producer, have been active in many environmental projects esp emissions control reduction processes. My late wife.. a Red haired viking was an occupational therapist who was a section chief at a clinic for the criminally insane and later started a company for rehab, treatment and assessment, handcraft was an integral part of this and we had access to old forrest on the estate we lived. I understand you where in the Army , I wasn't really army material being 1.63 and 68kg in my youth, lots of my school friends and cousins where in the Royal Signals and 2 para. In the late 90s after an accident I developed a neurological problem finally diagnosed as A typ Parkinsonism in 2018. History has always been my passion, I learn something new from your TH-cam videos which go further and explain what actually happened (Henry V arrow ) is an example, I knew he had be injured in the face, I didn't know how it was treated. I'm soon 64 years old and still have a very young spirit. There where Archery tournaments at Dudley Castle many years ago and Himley Hall.....I suppose England and especially Wales where we have family evoked so many stories, the many castles and estates and the long history of the region. Thank you for your reply I will look at all of the videos in the next few days. Best wishes Peter Växjö Sweden and black country spirit and humour
@@peterjevans8718 Hey Peter, Dudley has a special place in my heart and I've shot at Dudley Castle on many occasions with friends from the area there. I appreciate you sharing some of your history and look forward to seeing you here on the channel again. Best wishes.
Another informative and brilliant video. Love the way you keep to your roots and I would love to see inside your wardrobe as your costumes are amazing.
I find it fascinating that barbing an arrow, isn’t an invention of one culture. But one literally every culture with bows figured out. To hunting animals: “Amazing! It won’t fall out and help bleed out and track the game! To humans: “You’re gonna have to shove it through me, or literally be one of the most precise surgeons of your time…” So, give and take. Beautiful pieces. Thank you for sharing, Kevin!
The barbs are a bit misunderstood. In hunting the bleeding out is mostly overrated and the fact it gets stuck is also not really always preferred. It depends a lot on the type of environment. Sometimes you want the arrow to just pop out nice and fast so you can recover it if the hit was not really effective. Or you risk breaking the arrow if the animal keeps running through forest terrain. In tall grass you want the arrow to stick as if it pops out you are never finding it, some cultures preferred very long arrows without barbs for tall grass or marshes for this very reason. Either way, good hunting arrows were prized a lot and many design features go into arrow recovery more than actual lethality. In warfare barbs make sense as they are light and cannot be pulled out. This time arrow recovery or survival plays no active role in arrowhead/arrow design as it is done after the battle is over. The main purpose is to inflict big wounds on the enemy and horses. Few mention the fact that for horses in particular you need a bigger wound than usually afforded to men to actually incapacitate in the short time of a cavalry charge, as in Bodkins are quite useless for this very purpose. A really complex subject.
Another great one!!!! So interesting………it seems like there would be thousands of Medieval arrows around considering how many were made. Do they exist still? Love the show Kev!!
Fascinating stuff, I remember reading about bird arrow heads being those half moon shaped ones, more chance to hit, less chance to get stuck in the rafters , or trees for that matter I guess. Oh yes, and a french manuscript from 1514 that talked about silk bowstring for target and huntingbows, getting much stronger and faster arrows, they talked about butt shooting which I guess is a sort of target shooting? Hemp was talked about being male or female hemp (no idea, am not a hemp expert really, most dive into that subject), one of those was perfect for warbows, the other worthless, can't recall which one. And the different styles of fletching, fascinating read. On my to do list to try make those described different styles, Also fascinating for those who shot long distance, they used hollow arrow shafts filled with quicksilver or lead to have a higher range. With a high drawweight bow I guess. So much to learn and (re)discover, so little time...
Butt shooting is thought to be shooting at a butte, a meassure of barrel size. So shooting at the base of an old barrel. Butte is incidentally also where the word butler came from. The person in charge of the buttes of ale and wine who brings the drinks to the lord of the manor.
Thanks again for the info Kevin, you always do a great job at keeping up informed n in the know. Hope you n yours are doing well continue to make it happen so I hope that all your loved ones are in a good place n are doing well so take care n howdy from good ol Kansas y’all!
I am not sure I understand things, at 2:33 minute the data in the right said copper based glue, and your replicas used iron oxide ? I am a bit confused ... about the original color ... is it red oxide or green copper ?
Dear mr. Hicks! Thank you for venture into the history! Would you be so kindly to think on a video about the WW1 legend of the Mons ghost archers? Cheers.
Once I overcome my everlasting lazyness I will start building me own Arrows of that kind. 😁 (can't wait to see Will's work getting live in Arrows vs Armour Part II) I have collected all the necessary information, also for the "Verdi gris", the only information missing is the one recipe about self motivation that works... 😅 Thanks for the Vid, Kevin and Julie, esp. Julie for the research!
Interessting video, thank you! 🙂👍 The bowmen must have been a great shooters if they let them shoot the pigeons in Westminster Abbey, still i wonder why they used sharp arrowheads and not blunt birdhunting arrowheads? If a shot fails, the blunts fall right back to the ground and dont stick somewhere high up where they have to be arduously retreated.
bloody pidgeons pooping on the pulpit. this will never do. interesting that the barn arrow was a lost arrow and the westminster arrow a lost arrow also. will is a wonderful craftsman. i had a easy idea how to make a barreled shaft, for instance 3r archery in the states sell tapered shafts in port orford cedar. the biggest are 23 64ths. seeing the end is tapered already to 5/16 we could sand or plane the front down leaving the center full. this could easily give a barreled shaft without much work. enjoyed. thank yew kevin gare.
A simple book to look up is the Osprey, The English Longbowman as it has a great description of the arrows, I don't know of any video links, sorry. The barrelling gives the arrow strength in the middle to carry a heavier head. 👍🏻
Wouldn't a pigeon-killer be a blunt arrow? The last thing you would want is to hit it and have it stuck in the rafters to decompose. When I was a kid and had a crossbow I had blunt vermin bolts.
@@trevinwolverine1904 Blunts for fowling were usually made from lead, or even just a socketed hardwood ball. The main aim was to not pierce the bird because a through-shot would just drive muck into the meat, but blunts would stun the animal or break some bones, and could still kill outright.
Great job. Maybe you can shed some light on a subject that has been bothering me for a while. I watch several historic channels with, say, Tod (workshop), often with Tobias Capwell and Matt Easton and they sometimes have archers and arrows shot at near-authentic armor and these are unable to penetrate plate. And so the conclusion is often that these were shot at close distance and into the armor gaps or open spots (like the face). This, because it’s steel against steel and, on a molecular level, you’d need a tougher material to go through armor. Often the same is said about Japanese Katana cutting through armor. I believe this argument may make sense at first glance but it’s complete nonsense. After all, there several historic records that report that arrows were killing armored knights (going thorough armor) and, in WWII Japan, there were Japanese swords cutting US rifles in half. This may seem ludicrous but it was one of the reasons making katana was banned by the allied military and only allowed again in the 1970s. It’s the the energy you get into the missile/arrow/projectile more than the material. Let’s see: armor went out of use due to gunfire and, if I’m not mistaken, the ammunition was basically led. Led is a lot softer than hardened-steel, yet, the energy it carrys allows it to go through a harder material. So the fact that the striking weapon (sword, arrow, missile) is made of a similar material of the defending plate is no garantee that it won’t penetrate it. It all comes down to the energy a medieval archer could put into launching the missile/arrow and how hardened the tip was (a secret probably lost to time and impossible to replicate today). Take care,
Hi Bruno, I'm looking at this from a different angle now, I'm currently researching arrow wounds and how they were inflicted. Interestingly, the very first thing I came across was a common wound to a fully armoured knight was to his face or voids. As I continue my research, I'll cover it in the future in a video. Armour in the day of course was of so many different qualities, and hand beaten, so in my opinion, there had to be weak spots where arrows might penetrate. Thanks for your comment and watching 👍🏻
Could we have a shooting video soon oh Kevin, after all of these fantastic but I must admit teasing 😉archery videos! Let the archer of warwick castle loose in the Canadian countryside😂
Yes, I'm working on doing some more, but in the meantime, there are a couple from last year in the Archery Playlist if you haven't already seen them. 👍🏻
Thanks Kevin for this video. What a wicked broad head. I can only imagine the two ways to remove such a tipped arrow. If shallow enough. It could be cut out. But Deep hits,that would miss vital things . Were pushed on through. I read somewhere the reverse peace sign the British use to say Up Yours. Is actually a thing the English Long Bowman used to taunt the French across the battle field. Either because a bounty was paid to any French soldier who could produce the Bow mans string fingers. Or I also read another account. That all Bow men captured had their string finger cut off to ruin a trained archer. This sign basically saying Come and take them. Is there truth to one of these? Thanks again Have A Goodun
I like to think there's some truth in it, though many would say not. I did a video with my thoughts on it some months back if you're interested 👍🏻 th-cam.com/video/4TGYKnGZXcM/w-d-xo.html
Not a question about this episode Kevin, in your days as the Warwick Castle bowman, did you ever dress as a knight on a white horse, I only ask as many, many years back I visited the castle and there was the said knight riding the grounds and up til finding you, I didn’t think any more about it 🤘🏹
Yes, I did perform as the knight on the horse 'Drummer' for a couple of seasons to help out 👍🏻. That horse was mental, and even put me in hospital on one occasion!
@@thehistorysquad Thanks Kevin, that must be well over 30 years ago but has stuck in my mind for all that time, have you any pictures in the Hicks archive, would love to be reminded of it? 🤘🏹
Was it originally found with a tightly wrapped parchment just after the bodkin, the inscription reading: ''Leave a Hoggshead of Best Ale at the Seven Piglets Tavern by midnight, and Maid Marion will be returned unharmed. PS-- Don't look inside, or the Deal's off... [signed] Robin the Wolfs Head.'' ?
As I agonize over glue. The glue on the Westminster Arrow is similar but not the same as the Mary Rose arrow glue. The implication is that Verdi Gris was the key component.
Verdigris (which is just copper rust) was confirmed in small amounts in some of the MR arrow glues, but not all of them. The trace amounts that have been found could have been accidentally imparted by mixing in copper pots, or deliberately added for various reasons. The WA arrow glue has never been chemically analysed, and the preservation over the years has changed it quite dramatically. Some of it is the deep red colour that I use on my replicas, but some of it shows variations in colour and type when examined properly.
Great video! ❤ Makes me wonder if people from the past would just be laughing or confused at thier ancestors getting excited over something as mundane (to them) as an arrow 🤣. Not meaning to take anything away from this, I think it’s really neat! But it makes me think of someone 500 years from now finding a car tire or a candy wrapper To us it would be like “..uh… yep, there were tons of those around? 🤣”
I would love to see you and the mrs. visit MANY MORE places of my own history.... My family comes from a few places there- A few of my sides: Wheeler's, Morgan's, Thompson's, Boyd's, MacLellans... Yea, my mom's dad was called Donald Henry Boyd... Yea, we have Danish in our family too....and Norweigian....... My cousin was beheaded at the Tower of London... William Boyd, 4th Earl of Kilmarnock. 1746. Not long before the American Revolution. I'm also a double reed, and single reed maker, for many kinds of bagpipes. Truth. 😁
Haha, you're a Heinz 57 like me, but two of those names are also prominent in my Family Tree, Wheeler (my maternal GF's name) and Morgan through my father's family line. 👍🏻
I was aware of the Westminster Abbey arrow, but knew no details - thanks for enlightening me on a likely reason. I imagine that a falconer could have cleared a few pigeons too, though it might have been rather more messy! I am very impressed with the exact replica, it is so beautifully made. Pure craftsmanship. You're a lucky bloke!
Shooting pigeons. Reminds me of my time in the service. ( animal lovers don’t hate ) some of us were recreationally into paint ball and brought or guns into work and decided we didn’t much care for the numbers of flying rats in the hanger and began taking pot shots. And as any paintballers can tell you each ball is different, paintball guns are not rifled and navy mechanics are not trained in small arms marksmanship, so no pigeons were harmed in the polka dot painting of the hanger ceiling.
@@thehistorysquad if we were as into archery as you Kev’ I suspect we would have gotten in trouble for turning the hanger ceiling into a pin cushion ( Officers like Jack Churchill aren’t made anymore) but since we aren’t you none of the pigeons would have Been harmed anyway.
How does medieval arrow compare to modern arrow? Actual penetration and kill power Modern arrows are razor sharp and slice completely through the animal - animal doesn't even know it has been hit. Medieval arrows are massive (in comparison) and only have sharp edges. But they will deliver a bigger "punch" upon hitting and not penetrate all the way through. So, which is actually better at killing game (people have a tendency to jump when being shot at so they can't voice their opinion). Which brings the game down the best? A big blunt (sharp edges) arrow or 3 knives slicing through and out the other side?
I was thinking that craftsmanship is not dead and then my brain went straight to Monte Python, it happens a lot. th-cam.com/video/Jdf5EXo6I68/w-d-xo.html
What I see is the heading comments then a number now it’s 80. But when I scroll down I can only see 2 or 3. Always thought there was a problem but to the right of the number is a settings icon, three slider bars. It has two options top posts or newest first. Apparently the top posts option filters out most of the comments. I’m using an iPhone and only just noticed it.
I find your clips on medieval weapons fascinating. Thanks Kevin.
You're welcome 👍🏻
it’s always great to have authentic artifacts to compare and recreate, the arrow is a treasure that hopefully helped many understand the arrows and non-military archery
Mind boggling the work that goes in making one arrow, and to think how many were made
I imagine it helps to set up an assembly line. But yeah, lots of work.
Excellent as always, Kevin. Lovely repro from Will Sherman, and the length of those fletchings! I was surprised to see the type 16 head, as I wouldn't have thought this would have been used for shooting pigeons, but then, as the comments down below say, there must have been a few of them knocking about as second hand and I suppose if you weren't shooting them to eat them it wouldn't have mattered.
But you'd think a blunt end would be enough to knock a pigeon down whilst a point would damage the stonework or lodge in any wood beams.
These shows are just so good to watch and learn from,...really enjoy them...thank you Kevin Hicks and crew behind the scenes....
Thanks very much!! There's just the two of us, me and my lovely wife Julie. I'm glad you enjoy the videos as we enjoy making them. 👍🏻
I visited Westminster Abbey back in 2009; my Wife & I honeymooned in London, Amsterdam & then spent a week and a half in Germany, the Abbey was so beautiful. I absolutely LOVED being in London; not only because I am a Hugh fan of medieval times & knights in amour but also a HUGH W.W.II fanatic. I remember standing on the bridge that goes to the Tower of London & down in the moat area they had set up a little Renaissance encampment and it just amazed me that I was actually standing in an area where the Renaissance actually happened, I was standing in that history. It's very hard to put into words the feeling that I was having being there. I know I am a little late to your channel but, thank you for the content Brother. Ooh rah!
Wow! I too have been in some places and touched the walls and amazed myself in being immersed in the history of it 👍🏻
Until I watched your brilliant films on arrows,I honestly didn’t realise the technology,yes technology that went into producing an arrow,forever grateful 🙂
What a lovely gift to receive!
I just found this vid! I keep looking for vids I havent seen and lo and behold I found one!
Keep up the amazing work! I love your channel!
Thank you so much Janet! Maybe work through some of the playlists to find the older ones. 😊
I just have to figure out how! Duh! Lol!
I so love the outfits or costurmes that you wear while making your videos. Excellent! Your videos are so interesting and I truly am grateful that you upload them. Keep up the great work. Your fan from Eastern Tennessee.
Thank you so much Nana! We really love and appreciate your comments 👍
wow what a great piece of art that you have added to your collection - amazing
Hey JD 👍🏻
Superb, once again. Thank you Kevin.
Glad you enjoyed it
My goodness, the craftsmanship that went into making each one of those arrows at the time is simply amazing!
And I just can’t help but picture all the people who went in and out every day and all the things that happened around that little arrow as it rested there for over 300 years.
As a fellow longbowman this is so interesting. Thank you sir.
You're very welcome Gary, thanks for watching 👍🏻
Amazing find and video to boot!
Now my favorite channel. Great work!! So interesting.
Wow, thanks! Welcome 👍🏻
The nock is so tiny, unlike most reproductions. Reminds me of Ascham praising "handsome and little" nocks for pricking because of their clean release. I've never seen the actual photo before this video so thanks for that!
That's arrow will look beautiful on display. Thanks for the content.
The craftsmanship on the replica arrow is beautiful.
Very cool! I bet I have a much older point though. Raking behind her house, my late grandmother found an Adena peoples "beaver tail" atlatl spear point, made from Onondaga formation chert, which dates back to our Early Woodland period (1000-200 BCE) While all this is very interesting stuff, it doesn't hold a candle to the best detail- The point took a glancing blow, off a hard object sometime, partially broke away, and was then partly reworked, and used as a scraper/knife. The Onondaga limestone formation, where this chert originated, is at least 75 miles from my grandmothers back yard, and horses had not yet been introduced to North America.
Love your videos, I feel so much peace and comfort watching, I've learned so much from your channel. Keep making videos my school friends love them and my history teacher was impressed.
Haha, thanks David, I plan to keep making them for some time yet. I'm glad your friends & teachers are enjoying them too. All the best 👍🏻
David,how wonderful that you and your friends are so interested in our history and heritage. Well done. Gary
Love your videos👍
Thank you!
Kevin,
I've just found your videos on You Tube.
I find everything that I have seen to be fascinating as history is one of my passions.
I'm from Dudley, but I live in Sweden.
My late wife and 2 of my kids whete members of the local Archery club using traditional bows.
I'm unable to actually use a bow due to Parkinson's but I have used a compound bow many years ago.
Coming from Worcs now the West Mids I learned alot about our history with family serving in both WW1 and WW2 and most of the teachers who where in service during the war and in the 50s. I was a small kid when my great grandfather died in 1968 who served in WW1.
I look forward to looking at all of your videos.
Good luck in Canada
My sincere best wishes
Peter
Black country born
Fr Sweden
Hi Peter, thanks so much for tuning in.....yam alright?
What took you to Sweden? I moved to Canada to retire, but that hasn't worked out, although I am loving my new YT career 😜
@thehistorysquad
There where many reasons I left England. I saw the complete desolation of the industry in the West Midlands, the riots, inner city decay and how our heritage was being destroyed.
Not sure which part of Staffordshire you are from, and Dudley was part of Staffordshire but went into Worcestershire..Well it was untill the early 70s. I am a retired sound engineer and producer, have been active in many environmental projects esp emissions control reduction processes.
My late wife.. a Red haired viking was an occupational therapist who was a section chief at a clinic for the criminally insane and later started a company for rehab, treatment and assessment, handcraft was an integral part of this and we had access to old forrest on the estate we lived.
I understand you where in the Army , I wasn't really army material being 1.63 and 68kg in my youth, lots of my school friends and cousins where in the Royal Signals and 2 para.
In the late 90s after an accident I developed a neurological problem finally diagnosed as A typ Parkinsonism in 2018.
History has always been my passion, I learn something new from your TH-cam videos which go further and explain what actually happened (Henry V arrow ) is an example, I knew he had be injured in the face, I didn't know how it was treated.
I'm soon 64 years old and still have a very young spirit.
There where Archery tournaments at Dudley Castle many years ago and Himley Hall.....I suppose England and especially Wales where we have family evoked so many stories, the many castles and estates and the long history of the region.
Thank you for your reply
I will look at all of the videos in the next few days.
Best wishes
Peter
Växjö Sweden and black country spirit and humour
@@peterjevans8718 Hey Peter, Dudley has a special place in my heart and I've shot at Dudley Castle on many occasions with friends from the area there.
I appreciate you sharing some of your history and look forward to seeing you here on the channel again. Best wishes.
As always. BRILLIANT!
Thanks again!
That is a peach of an arrow our Kevin ! Good stuff as ever my ode : )
Thanks Kevin for another lesson
No worries 👍🏻
This has been on before..
.though I must say your content is very interesting .learning so much from your expertise
Yes, this is an edited shorter version.
Love your History information 👌
I always enjoy your movies
Another informative and brilliant video. Love the way you keep to your roots and I would love to see inside your wardrobe as your costumes are amazing.
😜. Thanks for watching again Darren 👍🏻
As always very informative.
Hi Kevin, yep I always enjoy your videos
Glad to hear it Henry, thanks.
Have we met? Your name's familiar 👍🏻
There seems to be a lot of science involved in making arrows. More than what people think. Very interesting.
Love your channel I am in Golden Colorado just found this channel. I love it very interesting. MY FRIEND
Cool I've been to Denver & Boulder 👍🏻
Love the Rocky Mountains
@@frankgilb9756 Yes, they were quite stunning. Here in Canada now I visit the Canadian Rockies, which are equally beautiful.
I find it fascinating that barbing an arrow, isn’t an invention of one culture. But one literally every culture with bows figured out.
To hunting animals: “Amazing! It won’t fall out and help bleed out and track the game!
To humans: “You’re gonna have to shove it through me, or literally be one of the most precise surgeons of your time…”
So, give and take.
Beautiful pieces. Thank you for sharing, Kevin!
You're welcome 👍🏻
The barbs are a bit misunderstood.
In hunting the bleeding out is mostly overrated and the fact it gets stuck is also not really always preferred. It depends a lot on the type of environment. Sometimes you want the arrow to just pop out nice and fast so you can recover it if the hit was not really effective. Or you risk breaking the arrow if the animal keeps running through forest terrain. In tall grass you want the arrow to stick as if it pops out you are never finding it, some cultures preferred very long arrows without barbs for tall grass or marshes for this very reason. Either way, good hunting arrows were prized a lot and many design features go into arrow recovery more than actual lethality.
In warfare barbs make sense as they are light and cannot be pulled out. This time arrow recovery or survival plays no active role in arrowhead/arrow design as it is done after the battle is over. The main purpose is to inflict big wounds on the enemy and horses. Few mention the fact that for horses in particular you need a bigger wound than usually afforded to men to actually incapacitate in the short time of a cavalry charge, as in Bodkins are quite useless for this very purpose.
A really complex subject.
Enjoyed your video and I gave it a Thumbs Up
Much appreciated 👍🏻
Another great one!!!! So interesting………it seems like there would be thousands of Medieval arrows around considering how many were made. Do they exist still?
Love the show Kev!!
Old arrows make excellent kindling, so this could simply be one of the reasons there are so few in existence today 👍🏻
Thanks for watching.
Fascinating
Awesome sauce!!
Very nice.
Amazing video
Thanks!
Is this a re-upload or did I dream about watching this exact vid?
You're not dreaming, it's a director's cut, re-upload. 👍🏻
Fascinating stuff, I remember reading about bird arrow heads being those half moon shaped ones, more chance to hit, less chance to get stuck in the rafters , or trees for that matter I guess.
Oh yes, and a french manuscript from 1514 that talked about silk bowstring for target and huntingbows, getting much stronger and faster arrows, they talked about butt shooting which I guess is a sort of target shooting? Hemp was talked about being male or female hemp (no idea, am not a hemp expert really, most dive into that subject), one of those was perfect for warbows, the other worthless, can't recall which one. And the different styles of fletching, fascinating read. On my to do list to try make those described different styles,
Also fascinating for those who shot long distance, they used hollow arrow shafts filled with quicksilver or lead to have a higher range. With a high drawweight bow I guess.
So much to learn and (re)discover, so little time...
As this was believed to have come from a batch of second hand arrows, I imagine they just used what they had to hand 👍🏻
Butt shooting is thought to be shooting at a butte, a meassure of barrel size. So shooting at the base of an old barrel.
Butte is incidentally also where the word butler came from. The person in charge of the buttes of ale and wine who brings the drinks to the lord of the manor.
Thanks again for the info Kevin, you always do a great job at keeping up informed n in the know. Hope you n yours are doing well continue to make it happen so I hope that all your loved ones are in a good place n are doing well so take care n howdy from good ol Kansas y’all!
Cheers buddy 👍🏻
Thank you
You're welcome
I am not sure I understand things, at 2:33 minute the data in the right said copper based glue, and your replicas used iron oxide ? I am a bit confused ... about the original color ... is it red oxide or green copper ?
If I remember and understand correctly, the glue was verdi gris (copper based) and the iron oxide was used for the colour on the fletchings.
Awesome!
Love the videos! Will you do a video about the battle at Sterling Bridge?
Yes, one day for sure 👍🏻
wasnt this already uploaded?
Yes, this is an edited shorter version.
Love it.
Dear mr. Hicks!
Thank you for venture into the history!
Would you be so kindly to think on a video about the WW1 legend of the Mons ghost archers?
Cheers.
Funny you should ask ...... soon
... I... I swear I've seen this video... like a couple weeks ago...
Yes, this is an edited shorter version. 👍🏻
mustache looking epic as always
🤣 Cheers mate 👍🏻
Great video! Is this the same type of arrow Legolas used? 🏹
No, Legolas had elf arrows 😜
a real rib splitter 😵 i enjoy this video 😉
Once I overcome my everlasting lazyness I will start building me own Arrows of that kind. 😁 (can't wait to see Will's work getting live in Arrows vs Armour Part II)
I have collected all the necessary information, also for the "Verdi gris", the only information missing is the one recipe about self motivation that works... 😅
Thanks for the Vid, Kevin and Julie, esp. Julie for the research!
😜 good luck!
Mr Kevin do you still do shows and demonstrations
I do yes, but mostly online now - webinars, and the odd workshop for a local school or the university.
More videos please! :D
P.S There's something strange going on with youtube's comments
Oooh, you're the second to mention an issue with the comments. What exactly were you experiencing? I could take up the issue with YT. Thanks. 👍🏻
@@thehistorysquad it seems to be TH-cam wide, 70% of comments are hidden!
@@ek8710 Hmm, odd. I'll do some digging. Thanks 👍🏻
Am I crazy. Did this video come out a week or two ago
You're not going mad, no, there was some contention with the 2nd medieval arrow found, so we made a directors cut 👍🏻
Im a recurve type of bowyer myself but would like to get into longbow shooting sometime
"Long Bow 🏹 pest control" at your service me'Lady.
"Stickin' Vermin Since 1530"
😂
Great video, I heard all sorts of stories about it from English friends. Other friends from other parts of Great Britain don't know much
Love it, so much engineering in that arrow. What's barreling?
Barrelling is when the middle of the arrow is fatter/wider than the two ends 👍🏻
thanks for the info. good to always know the truth about history.......
You bet 👍🏻
When you see how much time and effort went into making these thing it makes you wonder how they had time for war!!
Interessting video, thank you! 🙂👍
The bowmen must have been a great shooters if they let them shoot the pigeons in Westminster Abbey, still i wonder why they used sharp arrowheads and not blunt birdhunting arrowheads? If a shot fails, the blunts fall right back to the ground and dont stick somewhere high up where they have to be arduously retreated.
They were just second hand, gash arrows. 👍🏻
its like throwing something onto of a kitchen cabinet and coming across it years later
I love the videos! :) But your mic keeps peaking a little so I think you might need to adjust your audio a tinyyyyyyyyy bit 😅
Cheers, it's a work in progress.
Cool!!
bloody pidgeons pooping on the pulpit. this will never do. interesting that the barn arrow was a lost arrow and the westminster arrow a lost arrow also. will is a wonderful craftsman. i had a easy idea how to make a barreled shaft, for instance 3r archery in the states sell tapered shafts in port orford cedar. the biggest are 23 64ths. seeing the end is tapered already to 5/16 we could sand or plane the front down leaving the center full. this could easily give a barreled shaft without much work. enjoyed. thank yew kevin gare.
Excellent, if you ever have a go, let me know how you get on. All the best, Kevin 👍🏻
This was the first time I've heard of barreling on an arrow, could you link me a video to learn more about what it does differently?
A simple book to look up is the Osprey, The English Longbowman as it has a great description of the arrows, I don't know of any video links, sorry. The barrelling gives the arrow strength in the middle to carry a heavier head. 👍🏻
Wouldn't a pigeon-killer be a blunt arrow? The last thing you would want is to hit it and have it stuck in the rafters to decompose. When I was a kid and had a crossbow I had blunt vermin bolts.
Maybe a blunt arrow would risk chipping off a piece of some masons hard work if they missed
As it was repurposed, they probably forgot or didn’t care to blunt it, which is why it stuck after someone missed their shot
Same thoughts on the "blunt".
Makes sense
@@trevinwolverine1904 Blunts for fowling were usually made from lead, or even just a socketed hardwood ball. The main aim was to not pierce the bird because a through-shot would just drive muck into the meat, but blunts would stun the animal or break some bones, and could still kill outright.
Great job. Maybe you can shed some light on a subject that has been bothering me for a while. I watch several historic channels with, say, Tod (workshop), often with Tobias Capwell and Matt Easton and they sometimes have archers and arrows shot at near-authentic armor and these are unable to penetrate plate. And so the conclusion is often that these were shot at close distance and into the armor gaps or open spots (like the face). This, because it’s steel against steel and, on a molecular level, you’d need a tougher material to go through armor.
Often the same is said about Japanese Katana cutting through armor.
I believe this argument may make sense at first glance but it’s complete nonsense.
After all, there several historic records that report that arrows were killing armored knights (going thorough armor) and, in WWII Japan, there were Japanese swords cutting US rifles in half. This may seem ludicrous but it was one of the reasons making katana was banned by the allied military and only allowed again in the 1970s.
It’s the the energy you get into the missile/arrow/projectile more than the material.
Let’s see: armor went out of use due to gunfire and, if I’m not mistaken, the ammunition was basically led. Led is a lot softer than hardened-steel, yet, the energy it carrys allows it to go through a harder material.
So the fact that the striking weapon (sword, arrow, missile) is made of a similar material of the defending plate is no garantee that it won’t penetrate it.
It all comes down to the energy a medieval archer could put into launching the missile/arrow and how hardened the tip was (a secret probably lost to time and impossible to replicate today).
Take care,
Hi Bruno, I'm looking at this from a different angle now, I'm currently researching arrow wounds and how they were inflicted. Interestingly, the very first thing I came across was a common wound to a fully armoured knight was to his face or voids. As I continue my research, I'll cover it in the future in a video.
Armour in the day of course was of so many different qualities, and hand beaten, so in my opinion, there had to be weak spots where arrows might penetrate.
Thanks for your comment and watching 👍🏻
Great vid Mate. I'd have used a sparrow hawk!
Nice 👍🏻
Thank you, and have a great week. PS How are liking Canada, six months now?
Cheers Dennis....it's been three years now and it's all good here. 👍🏻
Could we have a shooting video soon oh Kevin, after all of these fantastic but I must admit teasing 😉archery videos! Let the archer of warwick castle loose in the Canadian countryside😂
Yes, I'm working on doing some more, but in the meantime, there are a couple from last year in the Archery Playlist if you haven't already seen them. 👍🏻
❤️ ❤️
Thanks Kevin for this video. What a wicked broad head. I can only imagine the two ways to remove such a tipped arrow. If shallow enough. It could be cut out. But Deep hits,that would miss vital things . Were pushed on through. I read somewhere the reverse peace sign the British use to say Up Yours. Is actually a thing the English Long Bowman used to taunt the French across the battle field. Either because a bounty was paid to any French soldier who could produce the Bow mans string fingers. Or I also read another account. That all Bow men captured had their string finger cut off to ruin a trained archer. This sign basically saying Come and take them. Is there truth to one of these? Thanks again Have A Goodun
I like to think there's some truth in it, though many would say not. I did a video with my thoughts on it some months back if you're interested 👍🏻 th-cam.com/video/4TGYKnGZXcM/w-d-xo.html
Not a question about this episode Kevin, in your days as the Warwick Castle bowman, did you ever dress as a knight on a white horse, I only ask as many, many years back I visited the castle and there was the said knight riding the grounds and up til finding you, I didn’t think any more about it 🤘🏹
Yes, I did perform as the knight on the horse 'Drummer' for a couple of seasons to help out 👍🏻. That horse was mental, and even put me in hospital on one occasion!
@@thehistorysquad Thanks Kevin, that must be well over 30 years ago but has stuck in my mind for all that time, have you any pictures in the Hicks archive, would love to be reminded of it? 🤘🏹
@@mickusable I'll have a dig for you 👍🏻
@@thehistorysquad thanks 🤘🏹
@@mickusable I did have a look but couldn't find it. I'm pretty sure there's one here somewhere so if I find it, I'll let you know.
You gonna show us how to make copper based animal glue Kevin? How does the copper fit into the chemical process? Did they get that from the Romans?
It's something I'd need to look into, but you might try contacting Will Sherman who I know has done the research 👍🏻
The glue on the Will Sherman arrow doesn't match. I find that puzzling?
Was it originally found with a tightly wrapped parchment just after the bodkin, the inscription reading: ''Leave a Hoggshead of Best Ale at the Seven Piglets Tavern by midnight, and Maid Marion will be returned unharmed. PS-- Don't look inside, or the Deal's off... [signed] Robin the Wolfs Head.'' ?
😜
As I agonize over glue. The glue on the Westminster Arrow is similar but not the same as the Mary Rose arrow glue. The implication is that Verdi Gris was the key component.
Verdigris (which is just copper rust) was confirmed in small amounts in some of the MR arrow glues, but not all of them. The trace amounts that have been found could have been accidentally imparted by mixing in copper pots, or deliberately added for various reasons.
The WA arrow glue has never been chemically analysed, and the preservation over the years has changed it quite dramatically. Some of it is the deep red colour that I use on my replicas, but some of it shows variations in colour and type when examined properly.
Great video! ❤
Makes me wonder if people from the past would just be laughing or confused at thier ancestors getting excited over something as mundane (to them) as an arrow 🤣. Not meaning to take anything away from this, I think it’s really neat! But it makes me think of someone 500 years from now finding a car tire or a candy wrapper
To us it would be like “..uh… yep, there were tons of those around? 🤣”
So true! A great comment 👍🏻
👍🏻
How big were pigeons in those days?
I build my arrows like those and I use forged points for hunting
I would love to see you and the mrs. visit MANY MORE places of my own history.... My family comes from a few places there- A few of my sides: Wheeler's, Morgan's, Thompson's, Boyd's, MacLellans... Yea, my mom's dad was called Donald Henry Boyd... Yea, we have Danish in our family too....and Norweigian....... My cousin was beheaded at the Tower of London... William Boyd, 4th Earl of Kilmarnock. 1746. Not long before the American Revolution.
I'm also a double reed, and single reed maker, for many kinds of bagpipes. Truth. 😁
Haha, you're a Heinz 57 like me, but two of those names are also prominent in my Family Tree, Wheeler (my maternal GF's name) and Morgan through my father's family line. 👍🏻
@@thehistorysquad What a small world...Cuz! 😁
Have I not watched this before? 🤣
Indeed, you'd have watched a full 7 mins previously, but this is a director's cut 👍🏻
It would be interesting on your take on the American Indian arrow compared to the English ones🤔
I do happen to have one, so yes, maybe one day.
Wow they really hated those pigeons 😁
🤣
Imperial measurement is so good.
😜
I was aware of the Westminster Abbey arrow, but knew no details - thanks for enlightening me on a likely reason. I imagine that a falconer could have cleared a few pigeons too, though it might have been rather more messy! I am very impressed with the exact replica, it is so beautifully made. Pure craftsmanship. You're a lucky bloke!
I an indeed 👍🏻
Yee Yee 😎
Shooting pigeons. Reminds me of my time in the service. ( animal lovers don’t hate ) some of us were recreationally into paint ball and brought or guns into work and decided we didn’t much care for the numbers of flying rats in the hanger and began taking pot shots. And as any paintballers can tell you each ball is different, paintball guns are not rifled and navy mechanics are not trained in small arms marksmanship, so no pigeons were harmed in the polka dot painting of the hanger ceiling.
Hahaha, great story Phil, I can just imagine it 🤣
@@thehistorysquad if we were as into archery as you Kev’ I suspect we would have gotten in trouble for turning the hanger ceiling into a pin cushion ( Officers like Jack Churchill aren’t made anymore) but since we aren’t you none of the pigeons would have Been harmed anyway.
English Constable voice: Ol mate, ‘Ave you got a loicense for that arrow? 😂
😜
Respect for the bollock dagger.
😜
How does medieval arrow compare to modern arrow?
Actual penetration and kill power
Modern arrows are razor sharp and slice completely through the animal - animal doesn't even know it has been hit.
Medieval arrows are massive (in comparison) and only have sharp edges. But they will deliver a bigger "punch" upon hitting and not penetrate all the way through.
So, which is actually better at killing game (people have a tendency to jump when being shot at so they can't voice their opinion). Which brings the game down the best?
A big blunt (sharp edges) arrow or 3 knives slicing through and out the other side?
Craftmanship is "Not dead yet" . Some will get it😉
🤔 you've stumped me
Just when I thought Craftsmanship is not dead my brain went Monte Python.
th-cam.com/video/Jdf5EXo6I68/w-d-xo.html
I was thinking that craftsmanship is not dead and then my brain went straight to Monte Python, it happens a lot.
th-cam.com/video/Jdf5EXo6I68/w-d-xo.html
Interesting YT says there’s 40 comments but I can only see 1🤨
Never mind apparently there’s a filter that hides them😳
I had another viewer mention there's an issue with the comments. What exactly were you experiencing? I could take up the issue with YT. Thanks. 👍🏻
What I see is the heading comments then a number now it’s 80. But when I scroll down I can only see 2 or 3.
Always thought there was a problem but to the right of the number is a settings icon, three slider bars.
It has two options top posts or newest first. Apparently the top posts option filters out most of the comments.
I’m using an iPhone and only just noticed it.
Nice bollock dagger😁