For the spanning of the heavy gothic crossbow (see text here below) the use of a cranequin was and is a must. After some delivery time now the cranequin, that was manufactured by the crossbow expert Ingo Lison, finally can be used. All mechanical parts were produced by Ingo Lison, only the pommel and the cord loop where made by BINSY. With that cranequin the bow can easily be spanned!

Contact to Ingo Lison and his Crossbow Manufactory: http://www.armbrust-manufaktur.de/

Photos (click to enlarge):

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The by far most expensive trial in the field of experimental archaeology by now was the test of the usability of medieval shooting slits with bow and crossbow. The trials from the years 2008 - 2011 were published in several  scientific magazines and books. Some of the articles are available here on BINSY's side.

For more information click on the picture above....

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After the production of a small series of bolts for crossbows it became necessary to build an authentic quiver for these bolts. The choice for a real existing example was made for the quiver exhibited in the armoury of the Churburg castle in Schluderns in South Tyrol.

As a pattern some pictures taken by Phillip Baron von Hohenbühel, president of the Südtiroler Burgeninstitut, were used. Many thanks for this!

The report of the production can be read here (click on the photo)

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BINSY tried to produce authentic sword scabbards as well. The result can be seen here.

Photo1 - Photo2 - Photo3 - Photo4 - Photo5

(Fotos by Leon Bernges)

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As a last replica at the moment an early crossbow with recurve bow

Length overall: 90cm

Length of the bow (width): 88cm

Total weight: 2076 g

Distance of string: 10cm

Drawing length: 14cm

Body of oak, shooting track of bone (camel), nut of elk horn, bow of wood from ashe, curved multiple times over steam.

String made of Dacron B50 (synthetic fibre), covered with linen thread (for a better look)

Drawing strength (estimated): 132 lbs

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Length overall: 87cm

Length of the bow (width): 72cm

Total weight: 4,7 kg

Distance of string: 11cm

Drawing length: 14cm

Body of oak, shooting track of elk horn, all mechanical parts (nut, trigger, etc.) of tool steel (browning), bow of tool steel as well, but hardened and annealed.

String made of Dacron B50 (synthetic fibre), covered with linen thread (for a better look)

Drawing strength: 327 kg = 721 lbs

In addition the bow is covered by a safety cord of leather and hemp for the protection from flying parts in case of a break of the bow

* Hints for manufacturing in case of justifiable interest can be asked from BINSY

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At the Schönburg castle in Oberwesel close to the river Rhine there was a shelling of breast harness with replicas of historic weapons where the efficiency of three different weapons should be tested: a longbow, a crossbow and an arquebus.

The test and the video with a highspeed camera was organized by Menno Mennenga from the Reunion Company. The scientific part was managed by Dr. Joachim Zeune (Photo 1).

Rüdiger Bernges did the shots with the crossbow (Photo 2).

The results were as expected: the longbow caused only small damages to the harness and even the crossbow perforated the harness only a little. But the arquebus left a major hole in the iron plate. The armed one would not had a real chance for surviving.

You can watch the highspeed video - as well presented in the Altenstein castle museum - here on BINSY's: Video...

(with friendly permission from BIZ Altenstein and Deutscher Burgenwinkel)

BINSY built a lever device related to a drawing of Konrad Kyeser.

More Information here .....

and additional information can be read in that magazine here:

Schnell gespannt! Verwendung eines Spannbocks im Mittelalter, in: Jahrblatt der Interessengemeinschaft Historische Armbrust 2012, Hrsg. Jens Sensfelder, can be ordered e.g. at Amazon

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(no english translation due to the fact that the seminar will take place only in Germany)

Seminar Historischer Bogenbau. Martin Schupp bietet regelmäßig ein Seminar zum historischen Bogenbau an. Unter anderen zu vereinbarenden Locations findet der Kurs auch an zwei Tagen im wunderschönen Ambiente des WPZ in Wuppertal (siehe Foto oben linke Seite) statt. Die Teilnehmer können sich in reiner Handarbeit aus einem Rohling einen Langbogen nach historischem Vorbild bauen. Teilnahmegebühr inkl. Material 150 Euro. Nähere Infos zu Terminen und Anmeldung direkt über Martin Schupp ==> mailto: cmc-schupp@gmx.de bzw. Handy: 0173-6576519

Erlebnisbericht von einem der letzten Seminare hier...

Medieval long bow for sale.
Hand crafted from a maple timber. 180 cm (70") length, ca. 40lbs draw force. Handle of leather, wreathed.
Price 295 Euro.
Contact BINSY via Email.

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