Combat Archery Questions

[Katayama Hiromoto]

Greetings all from sunny (and very warm) Caid.

I am considering the addition of combat archery to my bag of martial tricks. However, in an attempt to make sense of the many options out there, I have only managed to confuse myself...

So, if the combat archers on the list don't mind, I have a few questions...

1) What type of bow do you use?!? (I am currently considering using yumi simply because it is period for my persona.)

2) If you use yumi, what material is it made out of?!? Why did you chose that particular bow?!? How do you like it?!? Why?!? What other bows have you used?!?

3) Where did you obtain it?!? (If you don't mind my asking.) What was the approximate cost? (Again, if you don't mind my asking.)

4) Have any of the combat archers on the list heard of the following:
www.woodbows.com
www.woodlandarchery.com

Both offer wooden yumi at a fairly "reasonable" price. Has anybody had any experience with their products (good or bad)?

5) What suggestions/advice would you, as an experienced combat archer, offer to a fighter who is compleatly new to the realm of archery?!?

6) What sources are there for yumi, etc... (Aside from Asahi that is)?!?

I will be the first to admit, I am trying to do this on the cheap. Like many others on the list, I don't particularly fancy the idea of spending $400 on a good quality yumi that is period in appearance, only to have "Lunk the Immovable" ;D stand on it at a war. That is why I was considering one of the yumi from Woodland Archery... Inexpensive, period looking, serviceable...

I have seen the composite yumi available through Asahi, however the Kingdom Combat Handbook specifies that bows (among other things) should look period (Understandable, after all the SCA IS a medieval recreation society.). As such, I would like to use yumi that looks like yumi... ;D

Any thoughts/suggestions/comments/help you may be able to offer is greatly appreciated.

Arigato gozaimasu.

Katayama

[Otagiri Tatsuzou]

www2a.biglobe.ne.jp/~uchi_a/bunka/koshiya.html

[Otagiri Tatsuzou]

I am an infrequent combat archer using a simple ~40lb fiberglass 6' long bow with golf tube/tennis ball arrows.

1) What type of bow do you use?!?[/b]

A simple ~40lb fiberglass 6' long bow

2) If you use yumi, what material is it made out of?!? Why did you chose that particular bow?!? How do you like it?!? Why?!? What other bows have you used?!?

A 4' foot fiberglass ~30lb self bow.

3) Where did you obtain it?!? (If you don't mind my asking.) What was the approximate cost? (Again, if you don't mind my asking.)

6' - ebay (~50$)
4' - local archer (~20$)

4a) Have any of the combat archers on the list heard of the following:
www.woodbows.com
www.woodlandarchery.com

Yes.

4b) Both offer wooden yumi at a fairly "reasonable" price. Has anybody had any experience with their products (good or bad)?

Not really yumi. But okay compromise for CA. Note, however: This bow is designed to be shot off the first knuckle of the bow hand like a regular western style bow.

5) What suggestions/advice would you, as an experienced combat archer, offer to a fighter who is compleatly new to the realm of archery?!?

I'm a newbie too!

6) What sources are there for yumi, etc... (Aside from Asahi that is)?!?

-Jaap Koppedrayer makes han-kyu
-Ken Burch
-I have at least one han-kyu on ebay not made by either of these gentlemen.

Comments: If you are serious and dedicated, don't waste money on gear you will want to replace in a year. Save up and buy what you really want. (I am not a serious archer).

[Katayama Hiromoto]

admin said:

Not really yumi. But okay compromise for CA. Note, however: This bow is designed to be shot off the first knuckle of the bow hand like a regular western style bow.

Comments: If you are serious and dedicated, don't waste money on gear you will want to replace in a year. Save up and buy what you really want. (I am not a serious archer).

Otagiri-dono,

First, thank you for the photographs...Very cool! I will look at the webpage as soon as I can beat my computer into submission so that it will translate the page... ;D

With regards to the wooden "yumi" (yumi-appearing bow perhaps ) I was considering this one...http://www.woodlandarchery.com/ProdYumi.htm
which can supposedly be shot traditional kyudo style. (Though I might consider the other-shot off the knuckle-if worse came to worse.)

As far as saving and getting what I really want, well... I would love a genuine bamboo yumi, but 1) don't have the $$$$$ and 2) don't have the patience... Additionally, I would be overly concerned with other fighters having "accidents" with it... I can very easily see somebody "tripping" over a $500 yumi and rendering it useless... For that matter, CA would be but a sideline in addition to traditional heavy weapons combat.

Again, thank you for the help and insight. Very useful and very much appreciated.

Katayama