Dimensions for a manchu (Quing) Bow?

So far this http://www.atarn.org/chinese/visible_bow/visible.htm is all I have been able to find for dimensions of a period correct bow. Although there is a great amount of information on the page I still don't think it would be enough to construct a working bow. Is there any way of estimating core and horn thickness for such a bow?

Hi Yolo,
I hope you know this site, it is great source on Qing bows and archery in general. I am sure that Peter Dekker can help you with what you are searching for. http://www.manchuarchery.org/
Best regards,

Thank you for the advice, I emailed him today! I have read over his webpage in the past but never thought of mailing the author. I can't wait to see his response, he seems very knowledgeable in the field!

Peter Dekker is expert for Manchu archery :)

After a while of getting oriented with the Asian traditional archery community I have finally managed to reach a bowyer by the name of Wen Cheh Huang. This bowyer crafted the personal Manchu bows of Mr. Dekker based on the The Visable Bow. According to Wen Cheh Huang "At mid limb,4cm wide,5.5mm horn,5.5mm core,4mm sinew, that will be a 60-70 lb bow" I will now start working on the dimensions for the bow I want to construct based on The Visible Bow and Wen Cheh Huang's suggestion. I am aiming for 110 lbs at 28"

Wen Cheh Huang makes extraordinary Qing style bows, you're going in the right direction from the beginning, very glad to see it. I wish you luck!
Best regards

Hello, I am back to ATARN after a few years absence. Its great to see such a treasure of hornbow information here ! And great to see some familiar names as well as all of the new ones. I am in process of collecting material for a couple horn bows, I have sinew(whitetail deer), wood core(ash) and now shopping for horn, water buffalo preferred.

The current issue of Primitive Archer Magazine has an excellent article by Kaye Koppedryer on Chinese Archery with photos in use of some reproductions by 'Mariner'. Its a very good overview of Chinese Archery.

I googled Cinnabar, mentioned in the article and came up with Justin Ma's website with links to Mariners site. On his website are dimensions for his reproduction bows of the different dynastys.

Its great to see all of the input by the subscribers, and great to be back !

The information on core, horn and sinew thickness in relation to the width is very useful. According to "Manchu Archery" such a bow, with 72#, outperformed an English longbow with 120#.
The "Visible Bow", seems to me, provides really good details. The limb length is similar to the minimum length Peter Dekker mentions. According to him the horn should be 55 cm at a minimum. The "Visible Bow" is an inch or so longer, if I'm right (please correct me if not). I looks like only the horn is tapered.
I also intend to give it a try some when soon. The only things about dimension I'm not sure about is the grip length, the angle of siyah/limb and the length of the "knee". For the angle, 60 degree looks appropriate to me. The grip length, if I look at the "Visible Bow", could be about 25 cm including the fading out. Any suggestions?

By the way, there is a very nice Qing bow to see in our forum. It's made by our member Bianliang in 2012.

http://atarn.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2422

I'm curious about the exact dimensions of his bow.

Peters site has more information on Manchu Archery then any other. I have started two cores, based on his information there, 169 cm, hard maple cores. I have roughed out some siyahs but want lighter wood then the maple, they were just for practice.

His website, and Adams book can guide anyone through their first composite bow.

Hi Jake,

Would be nice if you post some progress when getting on with it.
What will be the limb/Siyah angle and the dimensions of the knee?

It looks like I can not start a new bow project before February next year but will definitely get back then to this thread.

I have changed the siyahs twice now, actually just made several new ones so havent come up with the actual ones to use. I have been actively searching out information on Peters Facebook forum as well as his personal website. There are a number of Youtube videos that are very informative, on both Manchu and Mongolian archery, its them that I changed the siyahs from. Justin Ma's Facebook forum is also very informative. Between the two sites is much of the available information on both old Manchu Bow construction and on the few bowyers left in China and Mongolian making horn bows.

There are quite a few replica reproductions made of glass and backing but only a handful of real hornbow builders.

I will be posting here what I actually wind up putting on my maple cores. Next week I am ordering the horn for two cores.

Its slow and easy and steady on this. There is a wealth more information on the Mid East and Ottoman flight and war bows then on the Manchu and Mongolian bows. It will be,there are a lot of informed folks on these two Facebook forums.

There is definitely a lot of detailed information on the forum.
Here is some more on dimensions of Manchu bow in the threat from 2005 with a drawing provided by Stephen Selby.

http://atarn.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=306

Thanks, I found similar information, and have started several Manchu, most lighter weights then here, my widths are 1.5" or less , and core thicknesses just a but under 9mm. I am shaving and shaping horn pcs now for two of them, and one Mongol bow. All in all have 10 cores in various stages. The widest are 1.5". and range down to 1". Lengths from 120cm to 172cm. The siyahs for the mongol are shortest, with 3.5" splices and 6-7" of ear at 45 degrees, the Manchu lower, and longer and flatter, several different variations. All the wood is hard maple. The splices for the Manchu just under 4".

A couple of them are going to be heavy draw, on purpose , the majority I hope lighter.

These are all a learning exerience, working my way up and over the learning curve. Its fun, and I am enjoying it.