Well, tbh, crossbow technogy is still being improved today. Just look at all the interesting compound crossbows in the market nowadays. They would've seemed like alien technology to late medieval people.
@gre8 Swords are also sold today. Your argument says nothing about relevancy in warfare. Heavy crossbow is specialized for defeating full plate harness. But guns do the same job so much better that made obsolete both - heavy crosbows and full plate armor.
The distance test was really interesting cause it demonstrated a piece of historical fact from the battle of Crecy. The English archers feared the Geonesse crossbowmen because their crossbows outdistanced the average warbow. However, on the day of battle it rained in the morning. The archers could unstring their bows and keep the strings dry. The crossbows on the other hand couldn't be unstrung so their strings got wet, which affected the performance of the crossbows. So the wet strings forced the crossbowmen inside the range of the archers, which along with the fact that the Geonesse lacked their pavises played a major part in the English victory. Was fun to see that the crossbow really did outdistance the longbow, when dry.
When it rained the Arbelest was hidden under the pavis for protection. Also lost with the pavis's on the French baggage train was the special tools for changing the string....bad day at Black rock.
This is not outdistancing a warbow. Maximum distance an English longbow could shoot with the lighter Mary Rose arrows was well over 250 yards. As an example, Joe Gibbs has shot >300 yards with a 170# longbow. It was even more one-sided if (as I believe was the case at Crecy) the archers had an elevation advantage.
Actually the 80yrs war took so long because Spain was financed by American silver (which it spent before it arrived) and the Dutch were financed by spectacular expansion in trade , and during the entire period the Spanish and Dutch continued to trade with each other : the Dutch buying wool and salt from Spain and the Spanish buying finished merchandise/manufactures from the Dutch.
@@Wildwestwrangler , I'm a bit of an expert on the 80yrs war if you're welcome to cast a critical eye over one of my videos :- "30yrs war Spain's swan song" (The 30yr war is the conclusion of the 80yrs war) ruclips.net/video/t3wy7XbYkvA/видео.html
10:17 Because of air resistance, the perfect shooting range is not at an angle of 45°, but at a lower angle of 30°-ish, meaning: if you shoot at a 30°-ish angle, you can shoot even further.
It's definitely not 30 degrees for most projectiles. I was a firm believer in 45 not being optimal with air resistance accounted for, but in most cases it either still is or is close enough.
@@angrydragonslayer I've checked using air resistance calculators, and for arrow-type drag profile projectiles, 45 degrees is still optimal, while virtually the same distance can be achieved with 40 or so. But I obviously haven't done anything scientifically rigorous. Still, 30 degrees is definitely not conducive to shooting the furthest.
@OneBadMonkee Huh, interesting, I would have expected a 1000 lb draw crossbow to really eff things up for the armor guy but apparently not even that suffices.
@@cr0ft-2k It's a combination of draw weight and draw distance. Crossbows have significantly higher draw weights, but comparatively short draw distances, compared to warbows.
Beastly crossbow! I love the fact that you kept the power stroke at the historical length (or as close as you could) rather than simply making it as strong as you could.
@@SevenPr1me The joke here is that people would assume the "heavy" and "1250lbs" together means the bow itself is 1250lbs. Not that the draw weight is 1250lbs.
Me too, there's one "test" on youtube made by some guys in their backyard and the 1000lbs crossbow seemed pretty effective, but a lot of things with the "test" didn't look very good.
Tod Todeschini...which kind of crossbow are the ones used in Gubbio and in other central Italy cities for the famous Palio della Balestra? Which part of Italy your family is coming from?
Mine eyes see thy thoughts. Thou dost wonder, didst he loose six bolts, or merely five? Truth before God, in all of this excitement, I have lost the count myself. Verily, the question thou must ask thyself is thus: does fate favor me? Well, rapscallion, does it?
I shot an arrow in the air: It fell to earth, I knew not where: But, strangely, at my journey's end, I found it again in the neck of a friend. (Remembered from somewhere or other)
The couch arrived in two boxes four days early, which was great because we'd just moved into a new house and needed places to sit. My son and I put it together pretty quickly ruclips.net/user/postUgkxitRzxya-XugamYgLwa_2G1gxPg4MCJHa . Another reviewer suggested inserting the seat into the side and I'm glad they did as the instructions weren't clear on that matter. It's incredibly light and slides easily across the wood floor, making it easy to move. It's firm, but comfortable. It will even be great to nap on. I got the gray, which definitely has strong blue undertones, but I'm okay with that.
I love how he says that it's "1250 pounds... In draw weight." as if we were all sitting here thinking he was holding a wooden stick that weighed 1250 pounds in his one arm.
First video I watched from this guy and I loved it.... well done sir , well done .... you know what are you talking about and it was a very pleasant experience to me... Well done
I was surprised to see the nut spinning during the slow mo shot...but I guess it would be a lot more strenuous on the components if it just snapped forward and had to dissipate that energy another way
Seeing as one bolt deviated so far off course it went over a road, imagine if it had gone through a windscreen, I would have shot the arrows and bolts into the field as far away from the roadway as possible.
i love seeing people make these ancient weapons. your a true craftsman, and the bow looks great and works amazingly! i took up blacksmithing 4 months ago now, and what a deep respect for the smiths or any craftsman of days long ago. what a blessing to be able to live in such a place that’s so rich in history! your truly lucky! keep the great work coming.
You know, it's funny, but I never realized that the windlass was actually removable before seeing you and Skallagrim's videos? I thought you had to fire with that huge clunky thing on your cheek.
Heavy slower firing weapons like this where ideal on castle defense etc though. Clunky handles not matter when you can duck out, sit down or pass to a loader and have a ale or pop to a new loophole. longbow has more range, but this you can take your time, shoot and move easily, compact so only have to use a small hole, and this a lower odds to hit, and stronger walls. might be harder to use on the field though!
@@Zorro9129 You take them off before you fire the heavy crossbows or the crank is a one way crank. It's meant to draw the weapon back only and can free gear one way. There more of a crew served weapon so to say than a one man weapon.. Its a better design than some older heavy Asian ones that required you to use sheer man power and strengh to do it pulling from knees and up.
This compares to a longbow of about 160 pounds not even because of the short draw length plus other inefficiencies of the medieval crossbow like friction etc
@Samuel Prince the friction is not the same. I shoot my bows almost every day. Listen to what Tod says. Look at the side of a medieval crossbow and you'll see how much tension is pulling down on the string. And a longer draw is always better. The string has more time to push the arrow adding momentum. Its obvious. You sir have never shot a bow. Drawing a little and drawing a lot there is a huge difference.
It probably wond be very impressive, even poor steel plating would gurantee the bolt wont penetrate your body. However the shock after the impact can render wearer of that armor to a condition where he can't continue fighting- cracked ribs, bruised lungs and concussion if bolt manage to hit head are very likely.
Short answer: The contemporary armor and shields might suffer dents, but the person underneath would be fine. Because bolts and arrows were exactly the things armor was protection from. If it wasn't effective it wouldn't be worn
I would have guessed it would have flown further than this based on the draw weight..Must be the heavy bolts? I suspect a modern 150-175lb draw crossbow would propel a lighter modern bolt twice as far..?
@@takeoischi4156 For how long? Until next week? Don't you get it? "Maybe we can't have fully automatic guns but at least we can have semiautomatic ones." "Maybe we can't have guns but at least we can have knives." "Maybe we can't have fixed blades but at least we can have folding knives." "Maybe we can't have folding knives but at least we can have butter knives." "Maybe we can't have butter knives but at least we can have crossbows."
Fake they planted it 11:44 slow it down it's 2 ft to the left of the tree when they pan over to it but 2 seconds before that tree was in frame plus the dude behind it on the Rd but no bolt sticking straight up out of the ground... Sucks liked this dude Wonder what else was faked
Now repeat your wonderful 'arrow versus breastplate' test with this beast! Imagine being a knight, with countless arrows glancing from your armor, watching a bolt like this hit you almost anywhere!
The reason i looked this up is because I was watching “Vinland Saga” and these guys throw up their shields to block a projectile and it pierced their shields. Then one yells “THEY GOT CROSSBOWS!” which prompted the question, in the early 1000s were crossbows strong enough to pierce shields? The answer? Idk, i’m still unsure.
I put together a 120 pound ash/sinew crossbow with a 31 1/2" power stroke that can fling heavy oak shaft bolts over 360 yards. Now maybe over 400 since the sinew is fully cured. It really demonstrates how important the length of push is.
It is heavy when you have to carry it around all day while hiking with an addition 20-60lbs on your back in food and water. Most hunting rifles fully loaded with optics weight less then 12lbs.
I was told by my vet that my average size cat is about a pound heavy (she was 10 pounds). He was more concerned for over feeding though. But of course it depends on the breed. The way he looked at it was feeling her belly and I suppose she was a bit pudgy.
ruclips.net/video/XMT6hjwY8NQ/видео.html This one is a bit weaker, but ultimately the answer is if it was Plated Armor on a direct hit. Nothing really, a bit of denting in the armor, but the person wearing it would be just fine.
@@ls200076 Eh, it'd leave you winded at worst, and not even feeling it in the best case scenario. Because you can't forget, Plate isn't worn against the skin. There's the Chainmail Hauberk and the Gambeson. The latter would be the thing that cushions most blows. So it'd really just vary from suit to suit as well as personal toughness.
I realise its comparing apples and pears with so many variables but would you give a very rough ballpark figure in terms of foot poundage for that crossbow??? As compared to 150 or so ftlb for a .22 long rifle cartridge. Thank you. Great channel.
I just think its crazy how, despite not having gunpowder really humans still managed to invent something like this that, by stopping power atleast, I'd say is comparable to a musket.
Well... depends on the armor... 16th century Plate Armor? ruclips.net/video/XMT6hjwY8NQ/видео.html (I know that this technically isn't a piece from actual Full Plate. But it's still plated armor.) Not much of a chance there. Shooting the horse, definitely. The human's a bit more of a luck game.
I was worried the windlass was going to hit the trigger while you were taking it off. Would they traditionally use a wedge or anything to block the trigger from moving and preventing an accidental firing of the bow while loading? Seems like it would be easy to bump that big protruding trigger.
He's firing a deadly weapon on an unsecured range with people close by, and ignoring safe handling practices in the process. The alcoholic beverage isn't helping his image. OP is right to question it.
I wouldn't say that. Dry firing any type of bow system is stressful as hell on the bow structure. Sorry, but no way in hell would i want half a ton of kinetic energy bouncing around with barely any way out in my hands. At best it would hurt your hands and arms like hell, at worst the structure would shatter and you'd be full of shrapnel.
People look at this and they go "1250lbs? .. no way! Even the best Modern Crossbows even have "only" 400lbs!" Yeah, the thing is: This is mechanically vastly inferior to a modern crossbow. Even just the draw length as a multiplier is inferior and if you include a compound cam system it's really no competition. (Basically its like "1250 x 1 x 1=1250" vs "400 x 2.3 x 3.8=3496")
Thank you for clarifying that a Medieval crossbow isn't as effective as a modern crossbow, I'm sure we are many who really appreciate that. Just to show you my gratitude, allow me to explain that a 1722 Brown Bess musket, ain't got jack shit on a CheyTac M200 Intervention, you're welcome.
He wasn't in service during WW2. He was only in service for when the soviets tried to attack his homeland during the winter war, I believe. He killed 800 or so of them.
jondonwayne wayne The bomb was dropped on industrial cities, and it wasn't for testing purposes, it was to stop the possible millions of deaths that would be caused by invading Japan. Learn your history before babbling like an idiot.
You mentioned the power stroke is short because of safety precautions....with better quality materials and maybe firing it mounted on a machine or something...I'm curious how much more power that thing can put out?
From what is known in history this was never done (Shooting straight up, whatever that is called. Tiiiiired.), bows were mostly short to mid ranged weaponry and were shot straight forwards, except if the target was above or below you, obviously. At such a range even padded clothing would protect you completely. I mean, you might plop it in the guys eye but it's very unlikely, and expensive. Arrows and the such were not made by machinery and were quite expensive. At shorter ranges you can aim very accurately, think of it as a spear you cannot dodge.
no... you dont need a lot to have a table flight, and the lenght of the arrow is not so much of a factor. also, crossbow bolts could be even heavyer than arrows, as they are way thicker (lenght affects weight linearly, but diameter affects weight exponentially). The main advantage of bows over crossbows is that, as you saw, the cadence of a crossbow is just too slow compared to a bow of the same power level. Now, the crossbow is less physically demanding, almost to the point anyone could operate and shoot one (talking about windlass), and shoot it accurately with A LOT less training. So, the bow is only really superior when you have expert archers.
Out of curiosity, With your skills and modern tools, will you ever try to make the most effective crossbow possible with medieval material and technology (technology notnessecary as in tools but rather material and in ways it was used)? For example longer draw, or possibly another bow material such as a composite while still trying to maximize the power output of the bow.
Not at all difficult to believe. Think of how much a small trailer/caravan spring pack can support with just two small leaf springs, that together, are smaller than the steel of this crossbow. 2000+ pounds per spring pack.
sorry friend, the spring pack resist all this cause is complete (the individual resists add togeter), its impossible than one spring, thin and alone give a resistence over the half o the entire pack, is fake
It looks like a great finishing on the hardware, I like the simplicity of it all, and yet it has power that no armor then would withstand. Getting impaled with a bolt from this weapon, in your steel armor is a scary thing to imagine.
Because in the minute he needs to shoot 2 of them, they could make ihm to an hedgehog. a decent archer can place 12 arrows in a minute. The only reason crossbows changed warfare was because it does not require the huge amount of training like a warbow to be accurate and deadly on mid and long range.
12 shots in a minute sure, but none of them will go through a steel cuirass. that's what a crossbow is for. target practice is all well and good but these tools were made for killing things. and there's a reason they kept using nock and arrow bows for hunting even after crossbows became the standard for war. A stag doesn't wear metal armour.
I did some physics calcultaions on crossbows. I assumed that a crossbow is essentially a spring and did the calculations that way. Somone on a forum wondered about making a really small "assasin" crosbow. If you wanted a crossbow with a tiny power stroke of 10 mm to have the same "muzzle" enegry as a low end 9mm parabellum round you would need a draw weight of 100 metric tonnes. If you instead had a 1 m power stroke you would only need a draw weight of 100 kg. Length of power stroke makes a huge impact on what draw weight you need. Which is why crossbows have a much higher draw weight then normal bows for the same power. Interesting that they needed to make such short power strokes because of metalurgical constraints, would have been much easier to make powerfull crossbows if they could have managed longer power strokes.
I would think so. He said he "wasn't gonna race it" and it was just him without years of experience with that weapon. I would think 3/min would be a good measure. Otherwise, why not just stick w/ the longbow?
Has the energy imparted by an average bolt, shot by this crossbow, been stated anywhere within the 2,411 comments? Regardless of the previous note, thank you very much for the video, and congratulations for the amazing bowyer skills you developed, fine gent.
And 2 of 3 pigeons would be left unharmed by his toy bow with about-as-much-as-rubber-band draw weight. This is real issue designed to fight armored men, not styrofoam blocks.
Ivo Wilson he was not moving at a military standard rate either. And I kind of think this weapon had a battery of 40 to 60 weapons with a piece crew of three men. Ammo, cocker, and gunner with a support crew of forward observers and team equivalent to a FIRE DIRECTIONAL staff much like the artillery and mortars which replaced this.
I really hope you have an apprentice as passionate as you in this field because it would be a shame for an art like this not to be passed on and carried on so I might show my kids this one day.
This is incredible work Mr. Todeschini! Congratulations on the authentic results! Would a historical longbow, with a draw weight of ~ 150 lbs, shoot at a similar distance? Do you suppose a trained archer could have fired with as much accuracy as the crossbow?
Danny Danko that's only up to a degree. No matter how strong you are, after you exceed a draw weight of 120-130 lbs you'll start have a much harder time drawing the bow, resulting in a technique which doesn't optimize accuracy.
Hi Jon, I have a Bickerstaff longbow of only 65lb and can loose arrows to a distance of over 230yards, many at the club can do better, but at that distance, I am happy for a six foot grouping.
A heavy longbow would probably have 4 to 5 times the draw length but 8 to 10 times less draw weight, so this crossbow should put roughly twice as much energy into the bolt as the longbow would into an arrow. Of course, that's a very rough estimate. Distance would depend on drag - it looks to me as though the distance is about the same. The main advantage of the crossbow is that the greater kinetic energy gives it greater penetration against armour.
First of all, there are yarn strings that roll out for miles, secondly yeah it could slow it down but i was also thinking instead of yarn or heavy textile he could use sewing thread.......
Great video. I agree w/ your assessment of why the power strokes where shorter. Another thing would be the repeated stressing then dynamic unloading of launching a bolt would cause rapid degradation of the material, so the shorter power stroke would help the longevity of the bow.
Use a crossbow, they said. You are gonna be stealthy, they said.
"My ear is ringing"
Interestingly they are still used by special forces , as they won't set off (peaceful religion) suicide vests
As it turns out, bows are far from silent too. Not nearly as loud as a suppressed AR-cartridge rifle, but loud enough to turn heads in the dark.
Temenos Lykourgos yeah bows make a good “bong” noise. I put fur string silencers on mine which helped a little
@@TemenosL That's bullshit, you must be talking about recurve bows take a longbow or a compound bow and you won't have any problem
@@BigMikeTH3V1K1NG Either use Bow Limbs Dampener or get a longbow
The most interesting feats of technology are the ones developed to perfection right before the next big breakthrough comes along
that is certainly true !
Well, tbh, crossbow technogy is still being improved today. Just look at all the interesting compound crossbows in the market nowadays. They would've seemed like alien technology to late medieval people.
@gre8 Swords are also sold today. Your argument says nothing about relevancy in warfare.
Heavy crossbow is specialized for defeating full plate harness. But guns do the same job so much better that made obsolete both - heavy crosbows and full plate armor.
@echoplots8058 Like superprop airplaines at the end of WW2 :-)
The distance test was really interesting cause it demonstrated a piece of historical fact from the battle of Crecy. The English archers feared the Geonesse crossbowmen because their crossbows outdistanced the average warbow. However, on the day of battle it rained in the morning. The archers could unstring their bows and keep the strings dry. The crossbows on the other hand couldn't be unstrung so their strings got wet, which affected the performance of the crossbows. So the wet strings forced the crossbowmen inside the range of the archers, which along with the fact that the Geonesse lacked their pavises played a major part in the English victory.
Was fun to see that the crossbow really did outdistance the longbow, when dry.
When it rained the Arbelest was hidden under the pavis for protection. Also lost with the pavis's on the French baggage train was the special tools for changing the string....bad day at Black rock.
This is not outdistancing a warbow. Maximum distance an English longbow could shoot with the lighter Mary Rose arrows was well over 250 yards. As an example, Joe Gibbs has shot >300 yards with a 170# longbow. It was even more one-sided if (as I believe was the case at Crecy) the archers had an elevation advantage.
This is what Dirty Harry would have been rockin' with in medieval times. "Doth thou feelest favored, Knave?!"
Oh very drole !!!!
There's always one, smh. 👆👆👆
@MichaelKingsfordGray: Love how you're trying to one-up him and his fantastic comment by springboarding off of it. What a tool you are.
Well? Dos't thou?
what thou must ask of thyself is, fired he but once or err.. once?
Now I understand why the Eighty Years' War took so long....
Actually the 80yrs war took so long because Spain was financed by American silver (which it spent before it arrived) and the Dutch were financed by spectacular expansion in trade , and during the entire period the Spanish and Dutch continued to trade with each other : the Dutch buying wool and salt from Spain and the Spanish buying finished merchandise/manufactures from the Dutch.
r/woooosh
@@vinm300 it was a joke you jerkoff
@@vinm300 Find a bridge.
@@Wildwestwrangler , I'm a bit of an expert on the 80yrs war if you're welcome to cast a critical eye over one of my videos :-
"30yrs war Spain's swan song"
(The 30yr war is the conclusion of the 80yrs war)
ruclips.net/video/t3wy7XbYkvA/видео.html
"bro cover me while I reload"
I was looking for this... thank you.
More like “Reload me while i shoot the first one” :P
There is a reason they were used in teams, when possible. One reloads, one fires. The same discipline that led to musket volleys later.
More like "good thing for me I have this here bigass and thick pavise, think I'll just step into cover while I reload..."
While me reload, ye archers cover me please...
I can only blame Joerg Sprave for why this popped up in my recommended.
Somewhere in Germany, a fat and jolly laugh is echoing through the trees at your expense.
I wonder if he could make a 1250 lb crossbow...
Yep
"Let me show you it's features!"
Same!!
235 yards = 214 metres for us metric folk.
ty
Rest of the World.
@GluttonousDragon nope
@GluttonousDragon nah
@GluttonousDragon Go back to watching Vox
10:17 Because of air resistance, the perfect shooting range is not at an angle of 45°, but at a lower angle of 30°-ish, meaning: if you shoot at a 30°-ish angle, you can shoot even further.
thanks man - I have no knowledge of this subject, but I was wondering that myself
From what i remember, a bullet shape is at 21 while an arrow is at 31 and a bolt at 27
It's definitely not 30 degrees for most projectiles. I was a firm believer in 45 not being optimal with air resistance accounted for, but in most cases it either still is or is close enough.
@@MegaAdeny air drag/resistance will effectively remove 1/pi of your energy at 45 degrees
@@angrydragonslayer I've checked using air resistance calculators, and for arrow-type drag profile projectiles, 45 degrees is still optimal, while virtually the same distance can be achieved with 40 or so. But I obviously haven't done anything scientifically rigorous. Still, 30 degrees is definitely not conducive to shooting the furthest.
This guy is like that one history teacher everyone likes
Tod:"let's do a range test!"
The family having a picnic in the next field:"huh, what's that bolt shaped thing coming this way?"
Thank you for settling an argument in my D&D session.
what argument
Pls don't keep us hanging
WHAT ARGUMENT
What argument?!
What argument jesus dont blueball us like that.
Would a crossbow like this shoot through the French steel chest plate you guys were shooting with the 160lb bow?
@OneBadMonkee Huh, interesting, I would have expected a 1000 lb draw crossbow to really eff things up for the armor guy but apparently not even that suffices.
Croft it’s typically the draw length that matters more and not the poundage
@@cr0ft-2k It's a combination of draw weight and draw distance. Crossbows have significantly higher draw weights, but comparatively short draw distances, compared to warbows.
@@cr0ft-2k there's a reason why breast plates survived well into the gun age.
A ballista can go through that
It is the medieval version of a 50 bmg rifle
Enrico what was the argument
No that was the ballista
@@theaniahlator7954 handheld
@@vladimirputin2449 fair enough. I actually have a homemade ballista
@@theaniahlator7954 that is really cool, what are the dimensions?
"Like any craftsman, I doubt what I do, a little bit." Absolutly agree :D
*Rhodoks start sweating*
Less tawking! Moar raiding!
*King Harlaus informs you that the Lords of Swadia are gathering for a feast in Praven*
@@Swedishmafia101MemeCorporation While the Vaegirs take Dhirim and Nords attack Suno
You gotta love swadia for their sense of duty
@@Swedishmafia101MemeCorporation *Butterlord
@@BuddhaBen93 omfg the butter. I was promised a sequel and received only endless caches of butter.
Beastly crossbow! I love the fact that you kept the power stroke at the historical length (or as close as you could) rather than simply making it as strong as you could.
Wow, dude's holding 1250 lbs. like nothing.
"in draw weight"
oh
Nice
(referring to the 69 likes)
You must be new to bows and what weight means when used in the context of bows
@@SevenPr1me The joke here is that people would assume the "heavy" and "1250lbs" together means the bow itself is 1250lbs. Not that the draw weight is 1250lbs.
@@pupper9474 "joke"
@@SevenPr1me I don't think you understand how jokes work, man.
I'd love to see it tested against 1mm, 2mm and 3mm mild steel plates
Me too, there's one "test" on youtube made by some guys in their backyard and the 1000lbs crossbow seemed pretty effective, but a lot of things with the "test" didn't look very good.
Knoloaify yeah, you would have to get the right steal, probably something soft underneath and so on.
Tod Todeschini...which kind of crossbow are the ones used in Gubbio and in other central Italy cities for the famous Palio della Balestra? Which part of Italy your family is coming from?
Why mild though?
Same
"A god fearing man needith to ponder thou limitations putith before him" Sir Harry The Dirty
Art thou deeds worthy of justice knave? wouldest thou enter the next world in peace or in torment? thou hast nine seconds to comply.....
Mine eyes see thy thoughts. Thou dost wonder, didst he loose six bolts, or merely five? Truth before God, in all of this excitement, I have lost the count myself. Verily, the question thou must ask thyself is thus: does fate favor me? Well, rapscallion, does it?
@@bubbleheadft Meself understandeth not this form of thou English language
*Sir Harold the Sullied.* GET IT RIGHT!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣👍
Interesting, historical and well-presented. 10/10, both for contructing the bow, and your factual demonstration.
I shot an arrow in the air:
It fell to earth, I knew not where:
But, strangely, at my journey's end,
I found it again in the neck of a friend.
(Remembered from somewhere or other)
Funny, thanks!
I shot an arrow in the air; she fell to earth in Berkeley Square. - Alec Guinness in Kind Hearts and Coronets. 😀
Nick, it was Dennis Price, hero/villain, who shot down Lady Agatha in the balloon.
I felt that I should salute him too,
So I had a can and went to the loo.
Did a friend become a zombie ??
As an archery enthusiast, this was a very fun video to watch. One of those times Im glad the RUclips recommendations were on point.
Thank you for addressing the short power stroke. It's a reason I've suspected, but wondered about often and it's very nice to hear you clarify it.
The couch arrived in two boxes four days early, which was great because we'd just moved into a new house and needed places to sit. My son and I put it together pretty quickly ruclips.net/user/postUgkxitRzxya-XugamYgLwa_2G1gxPg4MCJHa . Another reviewer suggested inserting the seat into the side and I'm glad they did as the instructions weren't clear on that matter. It's incredibly light and slides easily across the wood floor, making it easy to move. It's firm, but comfortable. It will even be great to nap on. I got the gray, which definitely has strong blue undertones, but I'm okay with that.
OK but this is a crossbow video not a tutorial to move to another house budy why are you talking about a couch on a crosbow video??????
I love how he says that it's "1250 pounds... In draw weight." as if we were all sitting here thinking he was holding a wooden stick that weighed 1250 pounds in his one arm.
Kur (aptly named) some people are better off letting people wonder if they are idiots .....rather than opening their mouth and removing all doubt..
Ako si Wokkawokka well I guess now we all know who can't take a joke around here...
Ako si Wokkawokka Hahaha
Could be the price though :)
Was just about to comment how was he holding 566kgs lmao
When you absolutely have to staple your adversaries armour to their chest...
This would deflect off the armour like the arrows did.
@Samuel Prince look at Skallagrim on RUclips test out this crossbow and watch it bounce off the armour maybe causing a bruise
daylon boender To be fair, that armor is made VERY well.
@@samuelbrice3699 not skallagrims armour. This armour is average. You can make the same armour they had.
9:36 footage of an Englishman performing surgery on a Frenchman 1455 AD.
I imagined he'd be screeching orders like the crossbowman in Stronghold.
Atten-CHAWN!
wot? ol'dat way?.
PitchiiiiIIIIIiiiiing SHOT!
At teh' daubawl!
First video I watched from this guy and I loved it.... well done sir , well done .... you know what are you talking about and it was a very pleasant experience to me...
Well done
I was surprised to see the nut spinning during the slow mo shot...but I guess it would be a lot more strenuous on the components if it just snapped forward and had to dissipate that energy another way
The power stroke is very short on that thing. The bolt just does not accelerate much
Sorry, do what?
I noticed that too, really cool!
Imagine a wider bow would enable a longer power stroke. Be good for hunting politicians. :)
@@dannygjk even a big stick or piece of rock is good for hunting politicians
Seeing as one bolt deviated so far off course it went over a road, imagine if it had gone through a windscreen, I would have shot the arrows and bolts into the field as far away from the roadway as possible.
Spotters plus not a public road reduced the risk enough for me and I'm annoying as hell when it comes to firearms safety.
Ah, well, tough titty for the windscreen guy. Walmart Hu Akhbar!
They were slamming home some cheap cider too, seemed like a wild day out.
And this is why you are you and he is he.
Any guy who spends his free time making crossbows is cool in my book
i love seeing people make these ancient weapons. your a true craftsman, and the bow looks great and works amazingly! i took up blacksmithing 4 months ago now, and what a deep respect for the smiths or any craftsman of days long ago. what a blessing to be able to live in such a place that’s so rich in history! your truly lucky! keep the great work coming.
You're*
Not thàt ancient. The windlass is from the Renaissance, just 500 years ago
You know, it's funny, but I never realized that the windlass was actually removable before seeing you and Skallagrim's videos? I thought you had to fire with that huge clunky thing on your cheek.
Same tbh. I was surprised when he just clipped it off and shot. Then he just put it casually back on.
Heavy slower firing weapons like this where ideal on castle defense etc though.
Clunky handles not matter when you can duck out, sit down or pass to a loader and have a ale or pop to a new loophole.
longbow has more range, but this you can take your time, shoot and move easily, compact so only have to use a small hole, and this a lower odds to hit, and stronger walls.
might be harder to use on the field though!
You have to, they would reduce the power drastically if they were left on, and they are in the way.
Wouldn't the handles spin and buffet your face?
@@Zorro9129
You take them off before you fire the heavy crossbows or the crank is a one way crank. It's meant to draw the weapon back only and can free gear one way. There more of a crew served weapon so to say than a one man weapon..
Its a better design than some older heavy Asian ones that required you to use sheer man power and strengh to do it pulling from knees and up.
He shoots it at 7:45
No, he shoots it at a shirt
Captain Wealthy Penis no, he shoots it WHILE at a field
No, he fires it.
He fires a bolt AT the crossbow?
1250 lbs pull? are you trying to pierce castle walls with it?
No, just the people on top of the walls.
@@KikinCh1kin And the guy behind that person. Also the 2 walls behind him.
Gabriele Di Carlo And your forces on the other side
This compares to a longbow of about 160 pounds not even because of the short draw length plus other inefficiencies of the medieval crossbow like friction etc
@Samuel Prince the friction is not the same. I shoot my bows almost every day. Listen to what Tod says. Look at the side of a medieval crossbow and you'll see how much tension is pulling down on the string. And a longer draw is always better. The string has more time to push the arrow adding momentum. Its obvious. You sir have never shot a bow. Drawing a little and drawing a lot there is a huge difference.
"OI! You got a licence for that?"
@@tods_workshop i think you got wooshed bro
@Habz Brah he said wooshed, not r/wooshed
you'll never take me alive
bump stock assault crossbows
You’ll never take me alive!
I would love to see that bow's results with contemporary armor and shields, that would be an amazing video
Good to hear, I have a feeling it'll be worth the wait.
It probably wond be very impressive, even poor steel plating would gurantee the bolt wont penetrate your body. However the shock after the impact can render wearer of that armor to a condition where he can't continue fighting- cracked ribs, bruised lungs and concussion if bolt manage to hit head are very likely.
My guess is the shaft explodes into a million pieces if it were to hit something like the armor in a modern tank
@@steirqwe7956 Put some meat and bone under the armour and see what happens to it.
Short answer: The contemporary armor and shields might suffer dents, but the person underneath would be fine. Because bolts and arrows were exactly the things armor was protection from. If it wasn't effective it wouldn't be worn
Wow...thats great crossbow must be recomended for everyone. I loved your crossbow...Sir.
227 yards ，about 200 metres
Green tangle thank you!
That bolt wanted 2 fly in metric
Some conversions and stats added to description
tod todeschini Draw weight is in yds? That is frustrating for sure. lol
I would have guessed it would have flown further than this based on the draw weight..Must be the heavy bolts? I suspect a modern 150-175lb draw crossbow would propel a lighter modern bolt twice as far..?
7:51 The sound of the bolt hitting is crazy.
Like on movies and anime
With the UK police seizing butter knives in the name of public safety i'm surprised you can even own that thing
That's the great thing about crossbows in the UK. Totally legal to own one, no matter how powerful it is.
@@takeoischi4156 For how long? Until next week? Don't you get it?
"Maybe we can't have fully automatic guns but at least we can have semiautomatic ones."
"Maybe we can't have guns but at least we can have knives."
"Maybe we can't have fixed blades but at least we can have folding knives."
"Maybe we can't have folding knives but at least we can have butter knives."
"Maybe we can't have butter knives but at least we can have crossbows."
USA! USA! USA! @@westsenkovec
They took a spoon too!
@@takeoischi4156 For how long though, brother?
7:09 Tod, it's good to see your grounding cord attached. After all, these medieval instruments are very sensitive for electrostatic discharges ;-)
I'm assuming that that's a mic cord, no?
6:40 Just from that sound, I buy that this draws in the area of 1250lbs. I'd probably use ear protection as with a gun if I was shooting one of these!
You know, I'm surprised you didn't paint the bolts, red, or neon orange, or tie red strings, or something to
them so you could find them easier...
They had like 5 guys out there lol
@@Daylon91 but no burgers or fries that I saw.
@@chaisemaurice8150 they're British right?
@@wafiqnasna4638 I think so. His bio on the website says Oxfordshire. Why?
Fake they planted it 11:44 slow it down it's 2 ft to the left of the tree when they pan over to it but 2 seconds before that tree was in frame plus the dude behind it on the Rd but no bolt sticking straight up out of the ground... Sucks liked this dude Wonder what else was faked
I don't really have a lot to add, just wanted to say, really interesting and informative video, great job :)
+tod todeschini very interesting I loves anything medieval I carve. medieval spoons I subscribed to you 🐺👌🐾
didnt know what draw weight was so i was looking at this guy like Hercules
Gorgeous piece of craftsmanship. I'd love to have one!
8:22, oof,,, the string got tangled on the trigger.
Now repeat your wonderful 'arrow versus breastplate' test with this beast! Imagine being a knight, with countless arrows glancing from your armor, watching a bolt like this hit you almost anywhere!
The reason i looked this up is because I was watching “Vinland Saga” and these guys throw up their shields to block a projectile and it pierced their shields. Then one yells “THEY GOT CROSSBOWS!” which prompted the question, in the early 1000s were crossbows strong enough to pierce shields? The answer? Idk, i’m still unsure.
shooting like that next to a picnic area might give you some data about scull penetration as well. nice plan
00:10 So this particular one is 1,250 pounds...... O__O....
.... In draw weight.
I put together a 120 pound ash/sinew crossbow with a 31 1/2" power stroke that can fling heavy oak shaft bolts over 360 yards. Now maybe over 400 since the sinew is fully cured. It really demonstrates how important the length of push is.
12 pounds is heavy? (Looks at cat)
12 pounds for a cat is pretty heavy. Depending on the breed of course
@@DennisRash It's a Cat-dog.
It is heavy when you have to carry it around all day while hiking with an addition 20-60lbs on your back in food and water. Most hunting rifles fully loaded with optics weight less then 12lbs.
@@DennisRash i thought 10-12 pounds was the average for a cat
I was told by my vet that my average size cat is about a pound heavy (she was 10 pounds). He was more concerned for over feeding though. But of course it depends on the breed. The way he looked at it was feeling her belly and I suppose she was a bit pudgy.
What a beast! I'm curious what that crossbow would do against armour at short range.
ruclips.net/video/XMT6hjwY8NQ/видео.html
This one is a bit weaker, but ultimately the answer is if it was Plated Armor on a direct hit. Nothing really, a bit of denting in the armor, but the person wearing it would be just fine.
@@LeviathanTamer31 that dent still hurts..
@@ls200076 Eh, it'd leave you winded at worst, and not even feeling it in the best case scenario. Because you can't forget, Plate isn't worn against the skin. There's the Chainmail Hauberk and the Gambeson.
The latter would be the thing that cushions most blows. So it'd really just vary from suit to suit as well as personal toughness.
@@ls200076 just as Kylee said, I think the wearer would be just fine. The shooter, on the other hand, would be about to have a bad time.
@Tod's Workshop People like you are the reason I disable my YT ad blocker. Splendid work!
I want to get one (windless included) and a pavise shield to go along with it. It's the perfect shield for a crossbow.
I realise its comparing apples and pears with so many variables but would you give a very rough ballpark figure in terms of foot poundage for that crossbow??? As compared to 150 or so ftlb for a .22 long rifle cartridge.
Thank you.
Great channel.
depends on the efficiency of the bow and string but 1250 lb x 6.5/12 ft = 677 ft.lb. For comparison, 160 lb @ 30 inches longbow = 470 ft.lb
120 J or 88.5 ft⋅lb
ruclips.net/video/MMoL_SBD6gw/видео.html&lc=UgyJHcWT-oWsPn46XG14AaABAg.96PNv1MII3D96QeFi3zKAV
Would be neat if you chronograph and get the velocity of the bolts.
I just think its crazy how, despite not having gunpowder really humans still managed to invent something like this that, by stopping power atleast, I'd say is comparable to a musket.
Burnblast277 easily so, I mean it can literally punch straight through a car door, it was truly the anti tank weapon of the late medieval era.
@@Dell-ol6hb Tank meaning, in medeival times, an armored knight on his horse. Right on! But the reload time limited effectiveness.
@@harrymoto6951 Same with a musket funny enough
Well... depends on the armor... 16th century Plate Armor?
ruclips.net/video/XMT6hjwY8NQ/видео.html (I know that this technically isn't a piece from actual Full Plate. But it's still plated armor.)
Not much of a chance there. Shooting the horse, definitely. The human's a bit more of a luck game.
@@Dell-ol6hb It woudnt penetrate full plate armour buddy
I was worried the windlass was going to hit the trigger while you were taking it off. Would they traditionally use a wedge or anything to block the trigger from moving and preventing an accidental firing of the bow while loading? Seems like it would be easy to bump that big protruding trigger.
Are you okay Danny Boy? You seem a tad angry.
He's firing a deadly weapon on an unsecured range with people close by, and ignoring safe handling practices in the process. The alcoholic beverage isn't helping his image. OP is right to question it.
When he's cranking it, the bow isn't loaded. If it gets triggered, it's at most a few seconds wasted.
I wouldn't say that. Dry firing any type of bow system is stressful as hell on the bow structure. Sorry, but no way in hell would i want half a ton of kinetic energy bouncing around with barely any way out in my hands. At best it would hurt your hands and arms like hell, at worst the structure would shatter and you'd be full of shrapnel.
It's made of steel and solid wood. I honestly doubt it would shatter, it seems very sturdy. Besides, mildly hurting himself=/= being a danger.
Man, all of your videos start PERFECTLY. i freakin' love your content Tod, it's fascinating as hell to get an insight to medieval weaponry like this!
Wow, thanks!
People look at this and they go "1250lbs? .. no way! Even the best Modern Crossbows even have "only" 400lbs!" Yeah, the thing is: This is mechanically vastly inferior to a modern crossbow. Even just the draw length as a multiplier is inferior and if you include a compound cam system it's really no competition. (Basically its like "1250 x 1 x 1=1250" vs "400 x 2.3 x 3.8=3496")
Could you elaborate on your maths at the end? I'm not big into the workings of bows and crossbows, the shooting is my thing
@Hahhah0 This is also why bows can have much lower pundage but still shoot with as much energy
@Hahhah0 much more power and considerably easier to draw back between shots
Thank you for clarifying that a Medieval crossbow isn't as effective as a modern crossbow, I'm sure we are many who really appreciate that. Just to show you my gratitude, allow me to explain that a 1722 Brown Bess musket, ain't got jack shit on a CheyTac M200 Intervention, you're welcome.
Damn near dry fired it at 8:22
That's quite an impressive piece of kit!
suprisingly accurate for that it has no optics, can see how this would have been a game changer
One of the most successful snipers in WW2 did not use optics. Search for White Death.
He wasn't in service during WW2. He was only in service for when the soviets tried to attack his homeland during the winter war, I believe. He killed 800 or so of them.
The winter war was 1939-1940.
jondonwayne wayne The bomb was dropped on industrial cities, and it wasn't for testing purposes, it was to stop the possible millions of deaths that would be caused by invading Japan. Learn your history before babbling like an idiot.
I would think a lighter draw weight x bow or bow with a much longer power stoke would deliver
more KE down range.
By the definition of missile, a crossbow is a missile launcher
Kinda wonder at the effectiveness of the bolt at that range.
At long range, bows are superior, as arrows are longer (=flight is more stable) and heavier (=more energy delivered to the target)
You mentioned the power stroke is short because of safety precautions....with better quality materials and maybe firing it mounted on a machine or something...I'm curious how much more power that thing can put out?
anomaly P It'd be interesting, but compound crossbows would likely still be more powerful.
From what is known in history this was never done (Shooting straight up, whatever that is called. Tiiiiired.), bows were mostly short to mid ranged weaponry and were shot straight forwards, except if the target was above or below you, obviously. At such a range even padded clothing would protect you completely.
I mean, you might plop it in the guys eye but it's very unlikely, and expensive. Arrows and the such were not made by machinery and were quite expensive.
At shorter ranges you can aim very accurately, think of it as a spear you cannot dodge.
no... you dont need a lot to have a table flight, and the lenght of the arrow is not so much of a factor. also, crossbow bolts could be even heavyer than arrows, as they are way thicker (lenght affects weight linearly, but diameter affects weight exponentially).
The main advantage of bows over crossbows is that, as you saw, the cadence of a crossbow is just too slow compared to a bow of the same power level. Now, the crossbow is less physically demanding, almost to the point anyone could operate and shoot one (talking about windlass), and shoot it accurately with A LOT less training.
So, the bow is only really superior when you have expert archers.
Would love to see one of these, go through a shield 🛡 metal breast plate, or the very least ballistics gel
I've always wondered why the stroke was so short. Thank you for the explanation.
Oh, here you are hiding, Mr Jobs. And making yourself some fancy medieval windlass crossbows.
Shorter stroke smaller bolt: just as deadly. Smaller bolt more ammo per log, more sustained fire. Great for sieges where the range is fixed etc.
Out of curiosity, With your skills and modern tools, will you ever try to make the most effective crossbow possible with medieval material and technology (technology notnessecary as in tools but rather material and in ways it was used)? For example longer draw, or possibly another bow material such as a composite while still trying to maximize the power output of the bow.
Not at all difficult to believe. Think of how much a small trailer/caravan spring pack can support with just two small leaf springs, that together, are smaller than the steel of this crossbow. 2000+ pounds per spring pack.
I agree .. I use 3/8 rebar for bolts , using double leaf-springs.
Was going to comment something similar. That bow is 2/3 leaf springs stacked at least.
sorry friend, the spring pack resist all this cause is complete (the individual resists add togeter), its impossible than one spring, thin and alone give a resistence over the half o the entire pack, is fake
Pablo Arrigonni, do some research on spring steel. Talk to an metallurgical engineer. You'll quickly learn how possible it is. :)
It looks like a great finishing on the hardware, I like the simplicity of it all, and yet it has power that no armor then would withstand. Getting impaled with a bolt from this weapon, in your steel armor is a scary thing to imagine.
Super video - thanks loads for that. 13 minutes, and I learnt more about crossbows than in my entire schooling... :)
11 Archers disliked this video.
Because in the minute he needs to shoot 2 of them, they could make ihm to an hedgehog. a decent archer can place 12 arrows in a minute.
The only reason crossbows changed warfare was because it does not require the huge amount of training like a warbow to be accurate and deadly on mid and long range.
They can also shoot twice the distance, granted that's with flight arrows, but some of the guys shooting warbow's are pushing 400 yard's these days
You can make easier shots with crossbows
12 shots in a minute sure, but none of them will go through a steel cuirass.
that's what a crossbow is for.
target practice is all well and good but these tools were made for killing things.
and there's a reason they kept using nock and arrow bows for hunting even after crossbows became the standard for war.
A stag doesn't wear metal armour.
Ebon Hawk Some fuck huge war bows would pierce some armor.
Yes, finally a distance test!
I did some physics calcultaions on crossbows. I assumed that a crossbow is essentially a spring and did the calculations that way. Somone on a forum wondered about making a really small "assasin" crosbow. If you wanted a crossbow with a tiny power stroke of 10 mm to have the same "muzzle" enegry as a low end 9mm parabellum round you would need a draw weight of 100 metric tonnes. If you instead had a 1 m power stroke you would only need a draw weight of 100 kg. Length of power stroke makes a huge impact on what draw weight you need. Which is why crossbows have a much higher draw weight then normal bows for the same power.
Interesting that they needed to make such short power strokes because of metalurgical constraints, would have been much easier to make powerfull crossbows if they could have managed longer power strokes.
would it have been possible for them to do 3 shots a minute ? when using the whole team of aid en shooter?
I would think so. He said he "wasn't gonna race it" and it was just him without years of experience with that weapon. I would think 3/min would be a good measure. Otherwise, why not just stick w/ the longbow?
Has the energy imparted by an average bolt, shot by this crossbow, been stated anywhere within the 2,411 comments?
Regardless of the previous note, thank you very much for the video, and congratulations for the amazing bowyer skills you developed, fine gent.
Yes, it has
I would love to know the weight of the bolt AND what speed it goes. A chronograph would be a handy tool for you to have.
Would it be normal for a soldier who is in a fortress or dug in to have multiple bows every time he turns another one is loaded?
Depending on the situation, yes, there were "support teams" for the shooter to reload several crossbows to switch between.
Roughly two minutes, three shots, that's pretty good, specially for that power.
Lars could do that in 3 seconds while jumping
And 2 of 3 pigeons would be left unharmed by his toy bow with about-as-much-as-rubber-band draw weight. This is real issue designed to fight armored men, not styrofoam blocks.
i wouldnt say unharmed, im sure he could blind a pigon from 1 meter away
Ivo Wilson a skilled crossbowmen could take down just about anything from the time period with that beast. lol. its like the artillery of the time.
Ivo Wilson he was not moving at a military standard rate either. And I kind of think this weapon had a battery of 40 to 60 weapons with a piece crew of three men.
Ammo, cocker, and gunner with a support crew of forward observers and team equivalent to a FIRE DIRECTIONAL staff much like the artillery and mortars which replaced this.
It's like a medieval gun with slow reload time
This is by far the most British thing I've ever seen.
And then putting malt vinegar on it?
Nah, not enough Longbow
+Birdnose Did the British invent the windlass?
You don't get out much
+Andrew Robertson. Probably gets out a couple of times a week under the supervision of a handler.
I didn't watch anything beside you shooting but how does a modern compound bow set at 70 or 80lbs shoot a 500gr arrow faster than your 1250lb bow can?
Alot of wasted energy.
500gr isn't the same as 90grams.
I really hope you have an apprentice as passionate as you in this field because it would be a shame for an art like this not to be passed on and carried on so I might show my kids this one day.
Everyone: neat
Dwight: Hmm... more of an arbalest.
This is incredible work Mr. Todeschini! Congratulations on the authentic results! Would a historical longbow, with a draw weight of ~ 150 lbs, shoot at a similar distance? Do you suppose a trained archer could have fired with as much accuracy as the crossbow?
One thing to keep in mind with bows is - the higher the draw weight the harder to aim. In that regard the Crossbow is superior
Danny Danko that's only up to a degree. No matter how strong you are, after you exceed a draw weight of 120-130 lbs you'll start have a much harder time drawing the bow, resulting in a technique which doesn't optimize accuracy.
Hi Jon, I have a Bickerstaff longbow of only 65lb and can loose arrows to a distance of over 230yards, many at the club can do better, but at that distance, I am happy for a six foot grouping.
if you are measuring power in foot-pounds crossbow wins. crossbows were designed to go through Knight's armor because arrows couldn't.
A heavy longbow would probably have 4 to 5 times the draw length but 8 to 10 times less draw weight, so this crossbow should put roughly twice as much energy into the bolt as the longbow would into an arrow. Of course, that's a very rough estimate. Distance would depend on drag - it looks to me as though the distance is about the same. The main advantage of the crossbow is that the greater kinetic energy gives it greater penetration against armour.
Kinda like a 50 CAL from back in the day. Wonder what it would pierce with a tungsten tip?
That would rival the power of gods. An unstoppable force
thats illegal man, wtf
Love this Video, I am wondering why the medieval engineers didn't use recurve on this crossbow, though?
mostly because the pickup trucks they were stealing these springs from weren't designed that way.
@@leloodallasmultipass LOL
@@tods_workshop It would be more expensive and time consuming to manufacture recurve bows anyway.
-This is my BOOM stick!
-And this is my BOOM cross!
Omg the effort of pulling the bolts out of the boss... whoa. Great video!
In hindsight you could have tied a loosened yarn string on the arrow to find it when you shot it? 🤔
it would slow it down, too.
First of all, there are yarn strings that roll out for miles, secondly yeah it could slow it down but i was also thinking instead of yarn or heavy textile he could use sewing thread.......
Were there any hand held crossbows with heavier draw weight?
Aldor i guess this here is kinda the maximum
what's the heaviest you've dared to build, so far?
@@tods_workshop Why am I not surprised that the German's had heavier bows. :D
Great video. I agree w/ your assessment of why the power strokes where shorter. Another thing would be the repeated stressing then dynamic unloading of launching a bolt would cause rapid degradation of the material, so the shorter power stroke would help the longevity of the bow.
The kick what does it feel like?
That's probably caused by the design of the stock rather than the actual force of the kick
tod todeschini put a leather padding
@Its Rumble Remember the recoil mechanics of that xbow is not the same as a rifle.