Names of arrow guides

Gianrico · Post by **Gianrico** » Thu May 12, 2005 5:58 am

Ok, thanks... I was at work and IE was just blocked, "ending program" was the only solution...

Can you tell me a little more on bows are they shooting in photos? Weight, materials etc.? And is this guide system available easily, or they are "custom" crafted?
I suppose the angle of shooting is for a long distance....

Thanks again

Gianrico

Thomas Duvernay · Post by **Thomas Duvernay** » Thu May 12, 2005 10:28 pm

The bows are mostly the laminated version of the Korean horn bow. You can read more about them at: http://www.koreanarchery.org/model25.html

The guides are easily made (if I can make one, anyone can make one). I used bamboo, about 3/4" in diameter, and cut off the top (about 1/4" deep), making a channel. One end is tapered down to a point; this is the end that will have a loop put on it and is held at the bowstring. The channel is cleaned out and smoothed. As you will notice on the first pictures on my previous post, the point end of the arrow is built up a bit; that is to keep the arrow in the channel, so it doesn't jump out and cause injury. Personally, I didn't build my arrows up like that, but it's probably a good safety consideration.

They are shooting at targets 145m away, just like in regular Korean archery. However, the velocity goes way up when you switch from regular arrows to half-length arrows shot out of a guide; I shot regular carbon arrows (405gr.) at 236fps, but when I switched to half-length (about 200gr.) the speed went up to 283fps. I shot one about 500m, up a ski hill (it crested the hill).

T

Stephen Selby · Post by **Stephen Selby** » Sat May 14, 2005 1:44 pm

These photos are great. But guys, don't try this at home, right?

Thomas Duvernay · Post by **Thomas Duvernay** » Sat May 14, 2005 11:35 pm

Actually, trying it at home is fine--just be careful

If the arrow jumps the groove, it can damage your hand and/or bow. However, if done carefully, and especially if you use the special point arrows, you will be just fine.

T

Samuraiwarrior · Post by **Samuraiwarrior** » Sun May 15, 2005 12:20 am

I have shot my bow using a tong-ah about 10 times. All of them worked well but I lost the tiny arrows that buried themselves in the grass. I wore a glove on my bowhand because I was scared and I don't if I want to shoot without it.

Stephen Selby · Post by **Stephen Selby** » Sun May 15, 2005 4:20 am

My concern is more with those who might take a tong-ah to the club to amuse their friends. Then everyone wants a 'go'. You can really kill someone easily with these things.

Samuraiwarrior · Post by **Samuraiwarrior** » Sun May 15, 2005 4:36 pm

Well Stephen,
I don't go to a club and I understand what you mean. I have been as careful as possible and since I lost all the arrows I haven't shot it much recently.

Gianrico · Post by **Gianrico** » Mon May 16, 2005 4:49 pm

Stephen Selby wrote:These photos are great. But guys, don't try this at home, right?

I think trying this requires to be much careful. Personally I'm interested in this and I think I have not other ways then learn it alone

. Actually I'm training through a subscription to a club (olympic archery), this give me the access at field. My training are very soon in the morning (5.00-7.00), so I am more concentrated and can perhaps try "strange things" without too publicize them

Best regards

Gianrico

Stephen Selby · Post by **Stephen Selby** » Tue May 17, 2005 1:59 am

In Korea, I learned that there is a 'training version' of the tong-ah. The tube wraps around nearly 370 degrees and the arrow is barreled with a bulb so that it cannot escape from the tube except at the end. Thomas can probably add more detail.

I have seen that some woodworkers can get chain-mail steel gloves for use with dangerous power saws. They might be a good investment. Bede can give you grizly details of his first adventures with a tong-ah.

Thomas Duvernay · Post by **Thomas Duvernay** » Tue May 17, 2005 3:24 am

Hmmm... 370 degrees would really be wrapped around

There are pictures in one of my preceding posts which show the slightly bulbous points of the "safety" arrows.

T

Gianrico · Post by **Gianrico** » Tue May 17, 2005 7:43 am

It would be interesting to see some pics of them. I've reed somewhere that they were made of different materials (turtle, ivory etc.) depending on grade (officer or other) of the archer.

If you have pictures, TIA

Best,

Gianrico

Stephen Selby · Post by **Stephen Selby** » Tue May 17, 2005 8:41 am

Hmmm... 370 degrees would really be wrapped around

Ooops..

270 degrees, sorry!

Russ Mitchell · Post by **Russ Mitchell** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 7:19 pm

Speak for yourself, Mr. DuVernay!

I have tried four times and still not managed to make a workable arrow-guide...

::seriously embarrassed look::

(I'm okay as a leatherworker, and use a leather thumbring... but am miserably bad with wood and reed)

But maybe my bamboo was simply too narrow to begin with. I'll swing by the local store for some more and try again, as I'd really like to be able to try my hand at some of the Arab/Persian designs.

Bede, if you do such tests, I would very much like to be included on some of the information. I did some tests for a paper I wrote for De Re Militari (should come out next year) involving regular-sized arrows... very general from the perspective of the specialists here, but enough to convince me that the short arrows need looking at.

West · Post by **West** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 7:43 pm

Frankly, I was scared using a pellet bow. I would be totally afraid of getting shot in the hand by an arrow.... however, these dart guides do seem interesting.

Thomas Duvernay · Post by **Thomas Duvernay** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 9:13 pm

Russ,

The ones I made were out of the taller Martha Stewart boo. I'm terrible when it comes to woodworking (or, in this case, bambooworking), so if I can do it, it's possible that anyone can

T

Names of arrow guides

Turkish arrow guides

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