Taper of Manchu arrows
When looking at Manchu arrows, e.g. on Manchu Archery.org, I see a taper to the tip. All I look up about tapered arrows is a taper to the nock, to balance the arrow in flight.
Are the photographs deceiving or are these arrows balanced by heavy points?
Thanks for any comment.
Are the photographs deceiving or are these arrows balanced by heavy points?
Thanks for any comment.
Manchu arrows are all barrelled to some degree. It is standard to taper towards the nock. The degree of taper towards the point varies. Arrows with tanged arrowheads, rather than whistles, have at minimum a taper matching the length of the tang. Many in the imperial collection have tapers that are much longer. When the tip was wrapped with sinew to reinforce the tang insert, it was normal to taper the shaft down to the level of the hole where the tang was inserted and then build up the shaft with sinew to the diameter of the base of the arrowhead.
Since the arrows were made with planes, it was just as easy to make tapers as it was to make parallel shafts. The predominance in modern archery of parallel sided shafts in the result of modern manufacturing using dowelling machines rather than a reflection of traditional practices. Tapering at both ends makes sense for several reasons. Firstly, it reduces the weight where it will not affect the stiffness of the shaft. Secondly, the rear taper reduces damage to the leading edges of the feathers as they pass the hand and the side of the bow. Thirdly, tapering at the tip may improve penetration. Experiments with untapered shafts showed the resultant higher binding slowed down penetration.
Shafts that were made with shoots or canes, like Native American and Asian bamboo arrows were exceptions, though there was a tendency to choose the shaft so that it tapered to the nock. Tapering these kinds of shafts at each end was quite difficult in the case of hollow shoots and bamboo so that it we rarely done without a composite construction.
Since the arrows were made with planes, it was just as easy to make tapers as it was to make parallel shafts. The predominance in modern archery of parallel sided shafts in the result of modern manufacturing using dowelling machines rather than a reflection of traditional practices. Tapering at both ends makes sense for several reasons. Firstly, it reduces the weight where it will not affect the stiffness of the shaft. Secondly, the rear taper reduces damage to the leading edges of the feathers as they pass the hand and the side of the bow. Thirdly, tapering at the tip may improve penetration. Experiments with untapered shafts showed the resultant higher binding slowed down penetration.
Shafts that were made with shoots or canes, like Native American and Asian bamboo arrows were exceptions, though there was a tendency to choose the shaft so that it tapered to the nock. Tapering these kinds of shafts at each end was quite difficult in the case of hollow shoots and bamboo so that it we rarely done without a composite construction.
Perfect!
Thanks Bede
Thanks Bede
Bede, your answers are priceless, your knowledge is like an encyclopaedia!