Question about sinew-wrapping...and little bit about horn.
Source of the first photo: http://www.nonsanmuseum.net/sangse_img.asp?kk=O10400319
(Texts in Korean)
Source of the second photo: http://anthromuseum.missouri.edu/grayso ... 2-bow.shtm
The crossbow prods of the first photo are exhibited in Yonsei university
museum of South Korea, and are sinew-wrapped. These are from late
Chosun dynasty(1392~1910).
The bow in the second picture is also sinew wrapped,
with sinew-bascking. The pisture is from Dr. Grayson's archery collections.
(Also from Chosun dynasty)
What functions does the sinew-wrapping perform? And does it affect on
the bow's performance?
About the "...and little bit about horn", I was about to ask if
a bow with no sinew-backing, but with only with horn-belly could perform
well. Some of the old Korean accounts tell about the "Gyo-Ja" bow
which is conjectured to be a type of composite bow of Korean cattle's
horn, wood, bamboo, and particularly sinew-wrapping.
(Of course, I haven't figured all of them out. Many are figured out by the
military researchers. I know only few accounts about it.)
However, many accounts do not mention sinew-backing, although it
might be more probable to say the process was omitted because it was
much of a "common sense" in bow-making.
Nevertheless, if the bow has only horn-belly, wil how will it perform?
And wrapping it with sinew would do any help?
(Texts in Korean)
Source of the second photo: http://anthromuseum.missouri.edu/grayso ... 2-bow.shtm
The crossbow prods of the first photo are exhibited in Yonsei university
museum of South Korea, and are sinew-wrapped. These are from late
Chosun dynasty(1392~1910).
The bow in the second picture is also sinew wrapped,
with sinew-bascking. The pisture is from Dr. Grayson's archery collections.
(Also from Chosun dynasty)
What functions does the sinew-wrapping perform? And does it affect on
the bow's performance?
About the "...and little bit about horn", I was about to ask if
a bow with no sinew-backing, but with only with horn-belly could perform
well. Some of the old Korean accounts tell about the "Gyo-Ja" bow
which is conjectured to be a type of composite bow of Korean cattle's
horn, wood, bamboo, and particularly sinew-wrapping.
(Of course, I haven't figured all of them out. Many are figured out by the
military researchers. I know only few accounts about it.)
However, many accounts do not mention sinew-backing, although it
might be more probable to say the process was omitted because it was
much of a "common sense" in bow-making.
Nevertheless, if the bow has only horn-belly, wil how will it perform?
And wrapping it with sinew would do any help?
I have examined the bow in the Grayson Collection several times. It and a similar one seem to have sinew backs, a bamboo core and a hardwood belly. Spiral sinew wrapping is applied all the way around the bows and the whole is covered in black lacquer.
It is possible that the sinew wrapping shrunk as it dried and put the whole of the bow under compression. This might have affected the way the belly performed. I don't know anyone who has tried this. There are other bows in the Grayson Collection from Korea with wooden bellies, but they are almost as big as Qing Dynasty Chinese bows and would not have been under as much stress.
It is possible that the sinew wrapping shrunk as it dried and put the whole of the bow under compression. This might have affected the way the belly performed. I don't know anyone who has tried this. There are other bows in the Grayson Collection from Korea with wooden bellies, but they are almost as big as Qing Dynasty Chinese bows and would not have been under as much stress.
Thank you for answering, Mr. Bede.
About the sinew-wrapping, is the sinew glued to the bow
as it was wrapped?
About the sinew-wrapping, is the sinew glued to the bow
as it was wrapped?
The sinew is glued down and covered with black lacquer. Due to damage to one of the hand bows, you could see the belly and part of the core. I think it is reasonable to assume that the back of the bow was covered first in sinew longitudinally then the spiral wrapping was put on.