How I Make Medieval Style Arrows for my Longbows. DIY Arrows.

How I Make Medieval Style Arrows for my Longbows. DIY Arrows.

The heavy English longbow - sometimes called the warbow. What an evocative word, warbow - no wonder these longbows get so much attention. But it’s the arrow that did the damage - whether a man - or the horse he was mounted upon - the medieval longbow arrow was a killer.

I show how I make medieval style arrows for my longbows including hand forged arrow heads and a version of the verdigris/resin coating famously identified on arrows recovered from the Tudor warship Mary Rose.

I don’t attempt to create replicas - I’ll leave that to others more skilled and better informed than I - but my arrows have echoes of the real thing with long tapered silk-bound fletches, verdigris resin fletching resin plus plate-cutting and barbed heads made by Will Sherman of Medieval Arrows.

They can be tricky to make but with some experience the task gets easier - and even reasonably made medieval style arrows are perfect companions for the famous yew longbow.

Natural Pine Resin: Numerous suppliers on ebay
100% beeswax pellets: Numerous suppliers on eBay
Copper acetate: Numerous suppliers on eBay
Full length feathers: Richard Head Longbows & others
Spined arrow shafts: Richard Head Longbows & others
100wt silk: Numerous suppliers on eBay

With many thanks to Mr Rod Parsons for providing the giant noodle archery target and the fletching feathers.

My Gear:
Panasonic GH5
Panasonic GH4
25mm f1.7 Lumix
14mm-140mm f3.5-f5.6
100mm-400mm f4.0-f6.3
Canon G7X
GoPro Hero
iPhone 7
Bushnell Aggressor Trail Cam
Velbon DV-7000 tripod and fluid head
Mini slider dolly
DJI Mavic Pro drone
Videos edited with Final Cut Pro X
MacBook Pro 15"
iMac 27"
GTech & My Passport Storage

Thank you for watching. Comments, likes, suggestions and subscriptions all very welcome.

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Music by Epidemic Sound
#mickgrewcock #longbow #warbow

[Naviral]

I never cease to be amazed by the ingenuity of our ancestors. Copper in the resin to prevent insects from destroying the arrows in storage...? Wow! Genius.

[adambakas]

That music made this video so much sexier.

[yishaipiano]

An absolute masterpiece...!!!
You are getting better and better Mr. Grewcock.
I look forward to your videos massively...

[Pyxe_ZA]

Very calm narrating tone of voice. Very relaxing and pleasantly satisfying to listen to. Love the devil may cry song lol

[calebswanson]

My brother saw the home depit bow break in the air....last Christmass it was shatering, he felt terible..but i fixed it! It tillers to 35 at 27 at propper 6 inch brace height!! Yeyyy!!! . Your vidios, your comment keep trying on the tiller .caleb..it takes time....was fitting and inspireing the challange!! It was a battle!! I cant thank you enuff i have been trying for this since i was 5..years old...thank you for the vidios! Do i ever see how hard you have worked on this series! Well done! Mick especially to you! Thank you Caleb Swanson .

[DeWolfCIC]

I’m clearly late to this party. But this was great. I love fletching but have been doing more primitive. But now you’ve set a flame in me and now I want to make some of these. Thank you

[LogicJab]

Can we all just pause the discussion about his fletching ability and talk about how unbelievably good this man is as a narrator? You could read me the instructions to building an ikea bookshelf and I’d be riveted

[DaytonaStation]

Mick; Your commentary is beyond awesome.

[mikecaine]

I like this - very easy listening - when I was younger I used to work making jacquard harnesses - I might revive that knowledge and see how it translates to a continuous loop bow-string . Please nobody hold me to that - I've got numerous projects on the go and at my age I'm running out of time to get them all done .

[michaelflaspoehler]

Mit viel Wissen, Geduld und Kreativität ist ein kleines Meisterwerk entstanden! Sehr schön!!! Gruß aus Deutschland. Der Tramp den keiner fängt.!

[calebswanson]

Dear Mick, I made a playdough bobkin!!! I added a pinch of charcole powder to green playdough and rolled it to arrow sise, and hammerd it like i was Will Shermin.👍 i made a bobkin!!!!no heat, just practic shapeing one.To my suprise it hardend to a brottle point and honestly i wouldent wasnt to get hit with it thats for sure.i think 🖑👌oh well i comment therefore i am.Chiers Mick!

[tomasvarnelis]

I am 13 years and this video inspired me to go out in the woods get some wood and start building, THANKS!!!

[ClanGunnBushcraft]

Works of art Mick. They look amazing. Show the intelligence of our ancestors. I need to get myself some of that powdered copper. I'd love to give that a try. The hand forged tips look great to. Your videos have really inspired me to get into traditional bow making. Thanks brotha and take care.

[NerdingNature]

Darn it, I need to stop working so much at my "real" job and go make some arrows.

[EvilDwarf-pppy]

I like hit melt glue for mounting arrowheads. Holds firm, but easily pops off with a touch of flame. Beats trying to scrape broken arrow remnants out when salvaging an arrowhead.

[michaelpthompson]

I love the high tech sardine tin you use to mix the resin! Good video as always.

[charlesdavis]

Thanks for the lesson. Finishing my first hickory ELB, now I need to make arrows.

[paulbarnes]

Really enjoyed this, good taste in music, will be experimenting soon on the start of my arrow making career, well maybe, many thanks

[VRSVLVS]

Fairbow feather cutter. Whatever you think about Magén Klomp... he sure has made an international impression.

[Why]

Very good video inspired me to make some more arrows. Talking of resin, you can make a natural glue by using the pine resin, ground up charcoal, and beeswax. This can be used for fletching the arrows and attaching the point onto the shaft 😀