Sorry, I still haven't found the flight feather markings.

Hmmm ...

Think you may have to be more specific Techno. English longbow archers put the arrow to the inside, Japanese to the outside - as Gwydion states.

One hates to ask, but is that pad worn on the ladies' chests to avoid what one may call the Amazon problem?

 

Just to be contrary...
"Fire" a bow has usage as early as the 14th century.

There is a guy on YouTube who does shorts about using a bow, and he has examples of having the arrow on both sides.

QuoteJust to be contrary...
"Fire" a bow has usage as early as the 14th century.

Clearly:

FSN , basically, yes.

Now, where is Nik with pictures of Kiera as an archer.

Quote from: Last Hussar on 02 January 2025, 08:17:01 PMJust to be contrary...
"Fire" a bow has usage as early as the 14th century.

Really? I'd love to see some evidence.
Vintners were using the word 'loose' (rather than fire or even shoot) to instruct bodies of english archers to shoot arrows in the C15th.

Somewhat related comment.....

Remember watching an episode of "Dogfights" many years ago about Phantoms (F-4's that is  ) in Vietnam and one of the aircrew saying something very similar...."when you are engaging other aircraft you never say "fire" in a plane.....its always "shoot".".

I too would be interested in evidence for use of the word 'fire' being used in the sense of shooting an arrow from a bow prior to the idea of 'giving fire' to ignite the gunpowder in a projectile weapon.

(Actually I'd be quite interested to know of the first use of the term crossing over from firearms to bows-  Ascham in his Toxophilus: The School of Shooting, 1545, mentions shooting a bow a lot (and talks of the loose)- he does use the word fire but only in relation to not letting your bow get near a fire, or setting the ends on fire to set fire to something shot at.

If there are mentions (not modern mistranslations) of medieval archers using the term 'fire a bow' in contemporary works let us know!

QuoteJust to be contrary...
"Fire" a bow has usage as early as the 14th century.

Source, please? I've tried in vain to find one, and I'm rather interested.

From memory it was always "knock, draw, loose" when I did field archery.

QuoteFSN , basically, yes.

Now, where is Nik with pictures of Kiera as an archer.

Here we go ...

Quote from: Steve J on 03 January 2025, 07:30:28 AMFrom memory it was always "knock, draw, loose" when I did field archery.

Nock, I'd guess.

Always thought the term fire was an abreivated version "Give Fire" used with the Hackbus etc.

I thought the term "fire" for sending a missile at the enemy was derived form putting fire to the primer or fuse of a gunpowder weapon. Prior to this why would you use "Fire" for bows, slings or spears.

QuoteNock, I'd guess.

You're right Alexander !