HOW TO SHOOT THE ENGLISH LONGBOW - INITIAL SET UP

A few of the important bits of info you will need to `set up` and maintain your English longbow, including correct ways to `brace` your bow, checking and correcting the bracing height, a look at how and where to put a nocking point on your string and adjusting the fit of nocks on the string.
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[@Drewsel]

Probably the most useful video on youtube for tuning a bow. I come back to this frequently.

[@longbows]

Brilliant, glad its useful.

[@jerebuck]

Fascinating! So refreshing to have a presentation without the interference of any intrusive music.

[@longbows]

Uh oh, don't watch my other videos then, lol. Thanks for the comment and watching, much appreciated.

[@NaturalBowWoman]

Thanks for these tips, I have found your videos very helpful thankyou.

[@longbows]

NaturalBowWoman No problem, thanks for sharing them.

[@johnf3f810]

I have had my RH longbow for nearly 20 years - still going well! It is easy to draw for a longbow and has a very slow/soft action. Having said that it still casts medium weight arrows to 210/220 yards and war arrows to about 170/180 yards - not bad for an "old" 60lb bow! Very nice piece of kit and excellent value too! Thank you Richard.

[@longbows]

Very glad to hear it is still going.

[@cheshirebowman4465]

Quality information. Excellent videos every time.

[@longbows]

Glad you think so! Much appreciated.

[@SamUrai-gl1cy]

Absolutely excellent tutorials. Thank you very much.

[@longbows]

Glad you like them!

[@jeffreykendall7791]

some of the mot useful information i have found on longbows thanks

[@longbows]

Glad we could help, we are thinking of updating this video, what info would you like to see?

[@jeffreykendall7791]

I wish I good give an answer. The archer's paradox always fascinates me, but the bow I have has an arrow rest on the bow I own, a gift from a friend. I do, however, want to purchase a traditional longbow. I wonder how aiming changes from a bow with an arrow rest and a bow without one. FYI, I am an instinctive archer. I love it and will not shoot any other way. I am assuming that each bow will have its own aim and that I will have to re-adjust my instinctive shooting through practice..@@longbows

[@GunCollector007]

Fantastic tips! Thanks

[@longbows]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jamesy1955]

Brilliant and so straight forward, just like shooting a longbow. 😊😊👍

[@longbows]

Glad you like it, have you seen the website www.howtomakealongbow.co.uk ?

[@tyler7341]

Love your videos. You're a class act. I just got my first yew English Longbow, my other is an orange Osage. Draw on the yew is 110# and the Osage 90#. The difference was really noticable but I find your videos really helpful in understanding almost every aspect of these wonderful powerful beasts of a bow. Every time I let an arrow slip I can hear a Frenchman howl.

[@longbows]

Hi, great to hear from you, glad you are enjoying the vids. Have you seen my bowmaking website www.howtomakealongbow.co.uk

[@Nativesurvival]

Great Vid, nice knots, hot water eh? much better than a flame i see. thanks -Mitch

[@longbows]

NativeSurvival many thanks.

[@ProtossImba]

Master'ish Experience of this bowmaker is priceless! :]

[@longbows]

***** Thanks for commenting, it all helps.

[@CannibalLecter]

Beautiful Bow, wonderful explanation.

[@longbows]

Thanks, maybe check out my bow making website www.howtomakealongbow.co.uk

[@yeoldecastlearmoury9406]

Really well made video, presented in a nice flowing logical progression. Keep up the good work! I always pick up something new that I did not know, or had not thought about, whilst watching your tutorials..... many thanks

[@longbows]

Ye Olde Castle Armoury Thanks.

[@1Caratacus]

Thank you for explaining all this in such a way as even this old dog may understand! (Off down the shed now - with a small restorative - to start again from first principles ...).

[@longbows]

+1Caratacus Welcome, thanks for subscribing.

[@isidroserranogranados6529]

Congratulations friends

[@longbows]

Thanks

[@f1pitpass]

good stuff!

[@longbows]

Glad you liked it!

[@sergeantcrow]

This has been a great help to me... Thank you very much...

[@longbows]

welcome

[@ThreeBlossoms]

Thank you! love the vid!

[@longbows]

Thanks for the kind words, feel free to subscribe if you want to see more, let us know if there is anything specific you want to see.

[@ElizaberthUndEugen]

Very nicely put together video.

[@longbows]

ElizaberthUndEugen Thanks, hope it helps.

[@gabrielsandoval4994]

I didn’t know sean Connery was a Boyer too. Cool.

[@longbows]

Yesh

[@jimmoiscuderiaolive3408]

many thanks !!

[@robertbrunston5406]

Very good video! Thank you so much.

[@longbows]

No problem, glad you liked it, please feel free to help us out by subscribing and sharing, only if you want to. If you need more advice feel free to contact us, friend me on Fb if you want!

[@danielcampoli4370]

Just tried spending an hour and a half on the nock set tying using dental floss, and simply couldn't figure it out. The first half went well but the second bit where you pull it through around 6 times and bring it back onto itself, I'm just not understanding how it's done. Really don't want to use brass sets either. *edit: I've got it! But I had to use sewing thread as it seemed to have more "traction". Got it nice and neat! Thanks for the instructional video!

[@longbows]

Glad you got there in the end

[@loganpollock1689]

Do you make arrows? Know any arrow makers? Appreciate any information you can share.

[@longbows]

yes indeed, link to our website here www.longbowandarrow.co.uk or just Google Richard Head Longbows

[@comesahorseman]

That, sir, is a lovely bow, well done. Helpful tips, also. Subscribed. :)

[@longbows]

Thank you for saying and thanks for the sub. Have you seen my bowmaking website. www.howtomakealongbow.co.uk

[@isidroserranogranados6529]

Biutiful bow Is a longbow Is my dream to Buy one un México they from ash tree

[@longbows]

Great, may your dream become a reality

[@paulapiper65]

Very informative and helpful. Is it desirable to get arrows with self nocks to behave the same way as the adjusted plastic nock in this video? Thanks again.

[@outlawcustombows]

+paulapiper65 yes, Self nocks Should NEVER be a tight fit... a tight fit makes the nock more likely to split on shooting because of the string force on the base of the nock. Too tight and the force from the string becomes side ways, essentially tearing the nock apart.

[@EasyRangoliIndia]

Hi friend Joined with you

[@TheSteelGuru]

Anywhere I could find plans to that work bench you have in this video? Great stuff you post, keep it coming.

[@longbows]

TheSteelGuru Its is a bench I purchased some time ago from a hardware shop online, there is nothing special about it.

[@mattheweskender7781]

That nocking points made out of dental floss from yew longbow and thanks for the Richard Head Longbows suggestions.

[@longbows]

Hi no problem, have seen our new Bow making website www.howtomakealongbow.co.uk

[@rageoftheredphoenix]

How can a person know which is the upper part of the bow and the lower part of the bow. I have one and I can’t tell which side is which side...the top and the bottom. I need to know. I plan to make a grip on it and it has to made correctly. Thanks.

[@longbows]

Hi, depending on the type of bow, there are a few ways, are positive what type of bow it is?

[@Geoh1990]

Loved the video, thank you ! :)

[@longbows]

+Slug Rider No worries, thanks for liking and subscribing.

[@fordman7479]

i just want a hickory, but would settle for maple or oak. the main thing I want one from solid wood not fiber glass or pvc. I've already figured out it needs to be around 68" but no more than 70" and i have a draw length of 28.5" or 29" with a draw weight of 45-50. I've had a compound bow for years with a draw weight of 60 or 70 i can't remember but i just want to get back to the basics. thought i'd love it because Rambo movies and it's okay but i still had more fun with them fiber glass jobs we had as kids

[@longbows]

Gota love Rambo

[@TheAndreeon]

Im getting a longbow made here in Texas but I do not have yew wood available to me .what other woods do you suggest. also great site and info on your site Thanks. The woods available are hickory,pecan,maple,ash, red oak

[@longbows]

Dustin Carver I would give a go with the Ash first, but Maple can also be used.

[@Sei783]

As a fairly new archer, I have grown somewhat accustomed to the arrow nocking snugly so it doesn't fall off the string as I draw. Based on this video, a snug nock is a bad thing?

[@longbows]

Hi, welcome to the world of Archery and to a sport that is full of `opinions` lol! It would be hard to know what snug means exactly, but, suffice to say the nock needs to leave the string without being impeded, the less it `sticks` to the string when you loose the arrow the better BUT when you are a beginner a loose nock can be frustrating as it falls off the string when you are drawing up the bow, so for now I wouldn't worry too much. You will find you can tweak these sorts of things as you gain experience, at the moment just enjoy shooting. Just shout if you need more help.

[@j2112c]

super!

[@longbows]

+j2112c Glad you liked it, thanks for the sub.

[@jakubhanak4223]

But this is not a warbow it´s more a target shooting bow right ? I don´t think an archer in the middle of a battle would knock the arrow on the same spot every time or would he ? So is this historically accurate ? I think it would take far too long or may be he would need to practise a lot. I am asking as an amateur archer with a very very basic knowladge so any answer would be appreciated. I love your work and I very much appreciate your knowladge. I subscribed to your channel looking forward to seeing more videos. Thank you very much.

[@longbows]

+Jakub Hanák Hi, yes, this is about the English Longbow (recreational) and not the English Warbow. This video is about a sporting bow, not a weapon of war, the video is historically accurate as far as Victorian Longbows are concerned. Thanks for subscribing and welcome to the sport.

[@jakubhanak4223]

Richard Head Longbows Thanks for your reply :-)

[@dannenoob]

Has anyone told you that you look a lot like Tywin Lannister from game of thrones? It's like you're his twin!

[@longbows]

dannenoob No, I have never heard that, thanks for pointing it out! and thanks for subscribing.

[@grahamanderson4466]

can hear Curlew in the background!

[@longbows]

Graham Anderson Yes, and damn kids!!!

[@brumalogresteer4124]

I don't think Knocking points are historical are they? because they didn't have handles...

[@longbows]

We make and sell Victorian Longbows, they had nocking points, so yes, they are historical.

[@fordman7479]

right wen you say cheap and from china the video starts freezing and skips the end if i try and skip back. you done pissed em off and got hacked!

[@longbows]

lol

[@SamLFisher]

I am a little surprised that you are using the US standard and not metric.

[@longbows]

SamLFisher Most people grew up with feet and inches, so it is hard to get out of the habit.

[@SamLFisher]

Richard Head Longbows I didnt know that. I thought pretty much the rest on the world was on the metric system, and we were just the weird ones.

[@navigator1383]

The US standard originally was derived from English imperial system. Britain went metric in1965.

[@whowouldchoosesuchastupidl52]

When i string a longbow like at 2:25 is it safe to put the stringer loops on the curved dip of the horn nocks? They look quite thin and I worry they could break but probably a silly worry !

[@whowouldchoosesuchastupidl52]

They are also side nocks and the bow is 55lb.

[@longbows]

We use the method in the video because we design the nocks to be used with a stringer, I can't say the same for the nocks you have on your bow. Can I suggest you contact the bowyer.

[@whowouldchoosesuchastupidl52]

@@longbows thanks for the reply. I had a look on their page and there are plenty of videos of the stringer being used like this. I suppose it is just an irrational fear!

[@longbows]

great, glad you checked. we have certainly never had a problem with our bows, ours are of Victorian design.