Indian steel bow

[bigdummy]

anyone know anything about them? Can anyone recommend a good book or online resource on these weapons? They look effective, dangerous. Were they effective or a gimmick?
http://www.ancient-east.com/collection/bow-cls-web.jpg



These two were the only decent, though very short articles I could find:

http://margo.student.utwente.nl/sagi/ar ... elbow.html
http://margo.student.utwente.nl/sagi/ar ... teel2.html

South Asian metalurgy was superlative and it's interesting that they seem to have had this weapon, but it's odd that so little information is available, it makes me wonder if it was partly a myth...?

BD

[Jonathan Waller]

I know little about the Indian ones, I seen a couple they look functional and I see no reason why they did not work.
In the 50s/60s there were steel bows being made and shot in Europe and US, I've shot one, and I was a little tense as I imagined what would happen if it broke.
These later ones shoot fine, feel a little funny in the hand when shot, but do the job..
The thing with a steel bow, like high quality steel/harddend armour is that once you can produce the metal of the suitable quality, then you can also do other good stuff, like make reliable firearms!
Best
JW

[admin]

There are at least two in the Wallace Collection. I should imagine some in the Royal Armouries. I've also seen them come up in auction - I therefore don't think they were that rare.
As to how good they were as bows, I'm afraid I have no idea. The thing to remember is that any material will have a different speed upon release. Just because the bow is steel does not mean it will shoot more efficiently - steel may be faster to reset its shape (shoot), or may be slower than a composite wood/sinew bow... I don't know which (I'm guessing slower).

[bigdummy]

One of the articles I read described testing on some antiques, 18th and 19th Century, which were only 40-60 lb draw with a short range, though they said they shoot 'fast'. Is it likely that the steel would have lost it's temper or springiness in that time period? Or do you think that is how they were originally?

BD

[Jonathan Waller]

I would say that they would be more or less as they were when new though soemthing would have been lost over a long period of time, but not by a huge amount.

Best
JW

[admin]

I don't see any reason why the springiness of the steel would be any different - the bow could remain progressively curved with use, but presumably you'd be able to see if that were the case..

[bigdummy]

Thanks guys. I'll let you know if I can dig anything up more concrete.

BD