re Jim Parsons’ comments on the English war bow. I have seen various slo-mo on war arrow strikes and seen the mixed results. However, at the Taupo Joust (I am a re-eactor, bowman, 100 Years War) English War Bow were using 120lb war bows to put short bodkin head war arrows into mild steel breast plates at 50 yards with few ‘bounces’. My observation of slo-mo with arrow heads crumpling was due to them using long bodkin heads, which are better used against mail. I suspect the 14th C complaints was caused by the up grading of armour used by the nobility from iron to steel.

Geoff Boxell