Harp Song - Spring 2016 - Shire of Glyn Dwfn

A Publication of the Shire of Glyn Dwfn
Spring 2016—A.S. 50
Principality of the Summits—Kingdom of An Tir
Inside this issue:
From The Seneschal
3
Moot Points—April 2016
3
Oyez! Oyez!
4
Hocktide Emprise
5
Tain Bo is Coming!
7
Fletching: Basic Steps to Craft Wooden Arrows
8
Introduction to the At’latl
12
SCA Permission Forms
14
Coming in the Next Issue
15
Glyn Dwfn Regnum
16
Art credits:
Cover: “Archers and crossbowmen, 1312”, Full Color Knights and Armor, Dover Pictura, © 2007
Photographs on pp 8-11 courtesy of Jay the Silent
Sketches on p 12 courtesy of Felipa of Fenwald
Photograph on p 13 © Trustees of the British Museum and used
by permission.
Celtic Design, Dover Pictura, © 2007
Owen Jones Decorative Borders, Dover Pictura, © 2012
Medieval Designs, Dover Pictura, © 2007
Medieval Life and People, Dover Publications, © 2007
The Harp Song is a quarterly publication of the Shire of Glyn Dwfn, a branch of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc.
(SCA, Inc.), and is published as a service to the members of the Shire. The Harp Song is available free by request from the
Chronicler, Scianna Augustine, at P O Box 774, Shady Cove OR 97539, or via email to [email protected]. The Harp Song
is not a corporate publication of the SCA, Inc., and it does not delineate SCA, Inc. policies. Copyright © 2016 Society for
Creative Anachronism, Inc. For information on reprinting photographs, articles, or artwork from this publication, please contact
the Chronicler, who will assist you in contacting the original creator of the piece. Please respect the legal rights of our
contributors.
2
The Harp Song—Spring 2016
Hello Glyn Dwfn!
With Hocktide just a few short
weeks away, I want to again
reminder our populace to
NOMINATE for Awards! We have
a lot of really great things going
on in our Shire, from thriving and
robust Rapier, Cut & Thrust,
Thrown Weapons, and Archery
Practices to amazing artisans
creating the most beautiful
pieces. We also have a lot of
members who work their tail off
to keep this Shire going and to
make the game we play enjoyable
and seamless.
To submit a Principality Award,
please visit: http://
summits.antir.sca.org/
recommendations.php.
If you are unsure of what awards
there are, please visit: http://
summits.antir.sca.org/
awards.php
To submit a Kingdom Award
(their Majesties will be at Egil's),
please visit: http://antir.sca.org/
recommendations.php.
The list of Kingdom awards (most
of them anyways), is here:
http://www.sca.org/awards/
antir.html
Finally, I want to thank you all
SO very much! I have just six
short months left as your
Seneschal, and it has been such
a rewarding experience to see this
Shire grow and prosper! I
especially want to thank my
Event Stewards; it is NOT an easy
job putting on an event and you
all have done amazing things! I
also want to thank my Officers
who have done an amazing job
being inclusive and really growing
this branch's program!
Until next time!
HL Piaras mac
Toirdhealbhaigh
3
The Shire Moot was held on Tuesday 4/19/2016 , with 23 folk in
attendance.
New Members: Welcome Florence
(Erin) to moot.
Officer Reports:
Seneschal – Glyn Dwfn was the
only shire to fully report to Principality before the deadline of April
15th – I’m very proud of us. Kathren of Carnforth is our new deputy
seneschal.
Exchequer – Current bank balance is $4,811.30. We got our Q1
report in early; Laura, Kathren,
Piaras all helped with this. Laura,
as the new deputy exchequer,
completed the report in order to
learn it.
(We still need largesse; recent donations included jewelry, paternosters, bookmarks, bath salts –
but we need more.)
Herald – nothing to report
Web Minister – I’m checking usability of Word Press on the server,
but we need more file space.
Chatelain – Again this year, Siskiyou School has requested rapier
fighters for their medieval dinner
on the 21st. The demo starts at
7:40. We have several fighters confirmed and a marshal.
Chronicler – The Spring issue of
the Harp Song is focused on archery and ranged weapons. It is in
progress now, and will come out
next week. Please sign up to have
the issue emailed directly to you
via MailChimp. Also, please get all
event updates to me by April 25.
Marshal – We’re still maintaining
double digits attendance at fighter
practice. No new authorizations in
the last month. We’re trying to organize a steel symposium in MyrEvent Updates:
tle Holt for this weekend to get
some people authorized at CT and Hocktide: New details confirmed
encourage new rapier marshals. If by Jana and Blackthorne:
anyone wants to come, we’ll be at
Horse boarding will be $10 per
Riverside Park, Grants Pass, 10am
stall per night.
Archery – Around 6-12 people are
Next work party is Saturday,
coming out per practice – we’re
4/30. Penny said stall area
also working on improvements to
needs to be done with ridthe range. This Sunday, start time
ing mower. If we want othchanges to 3pm for summer
er areas mowed, that’s up
hours. In February, we held our
to us. She’s very happy
2nd quarterly championship – Dawith idea of mowing horse
vid won.
stalls.
Firepits – left message for fire
A&S Minister – Florence is the
marshal to confirm safety;
new A&S deputy. We were conPenny’s okay with fire pits
tacted by the Tanist and Tanista,
if they are.
who want their garb for this reign
Horse owners should bring wamade by people in different reter troughs and food buckgions of the Summits. For Glyn
ets. There will be hoses,
Dwfn, they want us to make them
rakes, muck buckets, and
“surprise garb”. A&S next week
wheelbarrows in the stall
will be focused around that. We
area.
want to get a lot of people – the
No charge for LQs.
whole shire – making this. They
We have access to the whole
specifically requested late period.
(Continued on page 4)
The Harp Song—Spring 2016
Moot Points
(Continued from page 3)
property, except the “offlimits” areas.
Proposed youth activities include swordmaking, archery, and gorget-making
classes, as well as a tournament. (Piaras will check
to see if Aja/Bobby have
valid background certificates so youth activities
can be “official”)
Fundraising: Bring items for
SCA yard sale to the work
party at Farwood on April
30; bring baked goods for
sale to the event on Fri/Sat
(along with ingredients list).
Samhain 2016: (Bid correction).
Address corrected on paperwork,
and cost changed to reflect new
site charge. Florence has agreed to
be feastocrat; volunteers for cooking, food storage, and other assistance will be needed. Possibly we
might schedule a shire social for
taste testing of recipes. All present
approve corrected bid.
Tain Bo 2016: Hrothric has
stepped up to co-autocrat with Piaras. We want to keep the momentum going with this event; we
found a good site and have good
people to help out. Sugar Pine
Campground near Howard Prairie
holds 150, but parking is tight (30
vehicles maybe). We’re working on
an overflow/shuttle plan, possibly
to nearby campgrounds.
Site is secluded, with two pit toilets, lots of places for camping near
the lake, potable water, and access
to showers. We’d need to bring
wagons, carts, etc. to haul tents
and supplies from the parking lot
to peoples’ camps. We can do archery there, and we will be allowed
to use fire pits, most likely, even in
August.
Proposed dates are Aug 12-15 (FriMon) for a four-day event – Adiantum is not using those dates this
year, so we can swap. The site cost
is high – $550 – but there’s no
need to rent biffies or water buffalo. A pot luck feast is planned,
along with similar activities as last
year’s event. Regarding the lake:
People can get a 1-day fishing permit, but we can’t do “SCA” fishing.
We will need lots of help with setup; we can’t get on site until 2pm,
and gate will open at 5. Going to
push pre-registration. All present
approve bid.
Baronial Goals: Last year, we set
some goals if we were going to consider becoming a barony. Those
were: to have all required offices
filled; the major offices to have otherwise uncommitted deputies;
$7000 balance in the bank, with
an average balance of $6000 over 6
months. We also need to bid on
Kingdom events. Piaras is working
with local hotels to see about hosting a major event such as 12th
Night or Kingdom A&S.
Office Changeovers: Aife inghean
ui Muiridaig is the new chatelaine.
Thanks to Alric for his devoted service.
Oyez! Oyez!
Congratulations to members of the Shire who have
received recognition in the Summits this winter:
Felipa of Fenwald – Order of the Jewel of the Summits
Iurii Belogorski – Ringtail Cat (Myrtle Holt Rapier
Champion)
Feradach Mac Tralin Mec Demongairt – Order of the
Tiger’s Claw
Taran mac Tarla – Myrtle Holt Cut & Thrust
Champion
4
The Harp Song—Spring 2016
Hocktide Emprise
May 13-15, 2016
Location: Farwood Horse Park,
4780 Dodge Rd., White City, OR
97503
Fees: $20 for adult non-members,
$15 for members. Children and
youth under age 18 are admitted
free. Horse stalls can be reserved
at $10/horse/night.
Sword and buckler, and Sword
and Cloak.
3–4:30pm: Plank Rapier Battle
5:30–7pm: Court
7pm: Potluck Feast (Shire of Glyn
Dwfn will be supplying slow
BBQ roast beef)
Hocktide Saturday Potluck
contributions by first letter of
Preliminary Schedule:
mundane last name:
Friday:
A – D: Meat or Entree
12 noon: Gate opens. Equestrians E – L: Salads, fresh fruits &
who are travelling and
veggies, or vegetable dish
merchants contact the event
M – R: Potatoes, pasta, breads,
chips, etc.
stewards for early entrance if
needed. Equestrian practice
S – Z: Desserts or fresh fruit
time Friday when EQ Marshal is
in attendance
Sunday:
3-5pm: Rapier Prize Tournament Blue Steel War Practice
(awesome prize, details tba) $5
Site closes at 3pm
buy in, all proceeds go to
Summits General Fund.
Restricted to people who have
not won a Summits or Kingdom
level tournament or title.
5-7pm: Equestrian Ground Crew
Class
7-9pm: Meet & Greet in
Equestrian Camp
Time TBD at Meet & Greet:
MANDATORY Rider’s
Equestrian Meeting
Saturday:
9am: Heavy Armor Inspection
9am: Outrider Equestrian
Tournament (tbd if other
Equestrian activities will be
simultaneous or separate. We
WILL have mounted gaming and
what looks like a fun mounted
archery activity.)
10am – noon: Glyn Dwfn Heavy
Defender Tournament (using
multiple weapons)
Noon – 1pm: Lunch Break
1pm – 3pm: Cut & Thrust
Competition--Double round
Robin, with rotating off hands,
rotating between Single Sword
(which does include longsword),
5
Other planned activities: A & S
classes and arts activities; an SCA
yard sale and bake sale to benefit
the Shire; youth activities
Event Stewards: Jana DeLong,
[email protected], 541621-7513. Blackthorn (David
Zobrisky), 541-664-1037. For A&S
info, contact HL Taran Destingr
Mac Tarl'a at 541-944-3897.
Merchants:
Coyote Creek Manufacturing
Goblins Grotto
hanging wood
The Light House
(There will also be a leather
merchant.)
(Continued on page 6)
The Harp Song—Spring 2016
Hocktide Emprise
Martial Course
Obstacles for the equestrian
martial course at Hocktide:
(Continued from page 5)
 Quintain with quintain lance
Glyn Dwfn Heavy Defender
 Other object to hit with
Championship
quintain lance
The tournament will be fought with  Rings with ring lance
the traditional Hocktide rules. A
 Tent Pegging (Pig sticking with
strike to the head or body is
smaller target)
considered a defeat. Two strikes to  Javelin throw
a limb or one strikes to a limb
 Regular heads run
follows by a strike to the body is a  Heads in a keyhole
defeat. After each landed blow, the  Maneuver around things
fighters will reset until a fighter
without knocking them over
has landed a killing bow or two
(slalom)
limb strikes.
 Waterfall
 In and out (backing out
There will be six rounds to the
without hitting poles)
tournament:
 Gate
 Single Sword
 "Squire Buster" (The medieval
 Mass Weapon and Shield (I.e.
version of Mythbusters. Yes, he
Axe or Mace)
has a red belt)
 Sword and Shield
Other possible obstacles: Pedestal,
 Two Weapons
objects to walk over (bottles or
 Great Weapon (i.e. Twotarp), side pass over poles,
Handed Sword or Great Axe)
cavaletti to jump/step over.
 Pole Weapon
These rounds will appear in
The order of the obstacles will be
random order.
shared at site on Friday evening at
Traditionally each fighter starts
with 3 Ribbons, or points. Having
a mostly period kit is worth an
additional point. Heraldic Display
is worth an additional point
(banners, surcoat or painted
shield). A herald to announce the
fighter is also worth an additional
point. After six rounds the
maximum ribbons a fighter can
have is 12.
Outrider of the Summits
Championship Competition
Rumors of War abound in the
southern most end of the great
Kingdom of An Tir. A spy has
informed our great Praetor and
Praetora of a courier carrying war
plans for the dread Kingdom of the
West. Their Royal Highnesses send
their finest mounted warriors in
search of the courier and those
plans. The riders must battle their
way through Knights and footmen,
maneuver past obstacles and
treacherous trails to wrest away
the plans and return with them.
6
the riders meeting. We will do a
walk through of the course to
answer any questions.
Weapons will be stationed on the
course. If a rider needs to be
handed a weapon, he/she must
designate the Senior ground crew
prior to the run. The rider must
come to a halt before the
ground crew can hand the
weapon.
The course is timed.
Missed obstacles incur
a time penalty of 5
seconds.
Presentation
Entrants must
introduce
themselves
and their
noble steed
to the
royalty. If
they are
riding in
honor of
someone, this
The Harp Song—Spring 2016
would be a nice addition to their
introduction. A rider may choose
to have a herald to do the
introductions for them.
You will have approximately two
minutes to show off your horse's
training and abilities, your
barding, your costuming, and your
riding skills. You may include
music if you would like. We have
an outdoor speaker set up that
allows for a device to be plugged in
(so please bring your own music
player - your phone works ;))
The winner of this part of the
competition will be able to walk,
trot, and canter their horses on
both leads, as well as impress the
royal judges.
Scores from both portions will be
combined to choose the winner of
the Outrider competition.
A reminder to riders: you must be
a member and reside within the
Principality to be the equestrian
champion. Please bring your
membership card (and your rider
card!) if you wish to participate in
the Outrider competition. For
those of you who would just
like to ride this course,
please come play!!
Táin Bó is Coming!
The Shire of Glyn Dwfn hereby issues a formal challenge to all branches
of the Society – Do you have what it takes to best all other branches and
become this year’s Táin Bó Champion?!
Nestled in a beautiful group campground 45 minutes outside of Ashland,
Oregon and alongside Howard Prairie Lake, Táin Bó will once again see
branches vie to show they have the best warriors, artisans, and devoted
servants around! For those who have not yet joined us for this event,
Táin Bó is a branch war where all 3 pillars of the Society are equally
rewarded and encouraged! The more you do, the more battle points your
branch wins!
For those martially inclined, we will have tons of Rapier, Cut & Thrust,
Heavy, Archery, and Thrown Weapons activities to keep you busy! We will
also determine our 2nd annual Glyn Dwfn Archery Champion! Archery
events will include Royal Rounds and IKAC shoots, as well as a zombie
shoot, a “cattle defense” shoot, and more.
For our artisans and scholars, vie to prove your skill in our A&S
competitions, brewing competitions, bardic performances and many other
activities! We have a lot of fun ideas planned so stay tuned!
For those who devote their time to helping others, we will need town
criers, parking attendants, marshals, list ministers, water bearers, and
many other volunteers! Remember, 1/3 of all battle points are awarded to
the amazing people who keep our game running! Lots more information
will be coming shortly, so please consider joining us for this fun and
engaging event!
Event Stewards: HL Hrothric of Fenwald & HL
Piaras mac Toirdhealbhaigh
Fees: Adult Member Registration $15, Adult Non-Member Registration
- $20
Hours: Gate opens Friday, August 12
at 5:00pm. Site closes on Monday,
August 15 at 12:00pm SHARP.
Site: Sugar Pine County Group
Campground, Ashland, OR
7
The Harp Song—Spring 2016
F
letching: Basic Steps to
Craft Wooden Arrows
by Jay the Silent
The first item needed for making arrows is the shafts.
The main factor with shafts is cost vs. time and energy requirements.
For handmade shafts, our first
option is bamboo garden stakes which are cheap, but
straightening them is very, very difficult. Another
option is wooden dowels from a hardware store.
These run about $1 each and if you take the time to
go through the store’s stock, you can find some that
won’t require hours of work to straighten. I have only been able to find wooden dowels locally in 5/16”
diameters, whereas bamboo stakes could be any diameter, making it hard to attach tips and nocks.
The final option is to order shafts from an archery
shop. Though this is the most expensive, the purchased shafts will be the straightest and need the
least amount of work. Also, shafts from archery
shops can be purchased specifically to match the
poundage of one’s bow. This is called the “spine” of
the shaft and is a measurement of how flexible the
arrow will be. Additionally, archery store shafts will
most likely be weight matched, meaning all the
shafts will be nearly the same weight. These may not
be huge concerns for beginner archers or those using
lower poundage bows, but both affect accuracy and
Tools for making arrows
consistency when shooting. Lastly, shafts from an
archery store come in the three standard diameter
sizes: 5/16”, 11/32”, and 23/64”.
For traditional self nocks, chose one end of the shaft
and secure it in a vise with only an inch or so stickThe type of wood used for shafts is a matter of per- ing above the top of the vise. If one end has any
sonal preference. Port Orford Cedar is the most com- blemishes, use the other end for the nock as the
mon, but most other types of wood are used as well. blemishes can be removed when we size the arrow.
Each has its own unique qualities in regards to durability, ease of straightening, how well it holds stains, Using a hacksaw or similar thin cutting instrument,
etc.
cut down into the end of the shaft against
(perpendicular to) the grain of the wood. Only cut
After obtaining your shafts (you will want at least about 1/4” and no more than 3/8” deep. To help
six), the next decision is if you want to do traditional with this cutting, you may want to wrap the end of
self nocks or use modern nocks.
the shaft with masking tape and make a 1/4” long
mark as a guide. When this cut is done, remove any
tape. Then, using small files and sandpaper, enlarge
and smooth the nock to the width of your bow string.
(I have found that two hacksaw blades taped together
makes the cut almost wide enough for a typical bow
string and will reduce the amount of filing and sanding needed.)
Hardware store dowels can be used for shafts
For modern nocks, you will need to taper one end of
the shaft to an 11° point. The easiest way to do this
(Continued on page 9)
8
The Harp Song—Spring 2016
for nocks and points, lightly sand them using 0000
steel wool. Don’t overdo the sanding, and be sure to
turn the shaft as you run it through the steel wool to
prevent creating any flat spots.
Next check the shafts for straightness, and straighten any slight curves as best as you can. There are
several ways to test a shaft; the two simplest ones are
(1) rolling the shaft over a flat surface, and (2) sighting down the length of the shaft. For the rolling
method, you need a very flat surface. Lay the shaft
Dowels marked for nocking
down and roll it until you see where it bows upwards.
For the sighting method, simply hold the shaft up to
accurately is with a tapering tool, which can be your eye and sight down the length, slowly turning it
picked up anywhere you can get archery supplies. If until you see where it is not straight.
you are only planning on making one set of arrows
and don’t foresee lots of repairs/replacements, the To straighten the shaft using the sight method, turn
simple “pencil sharpener” style tool will work great the shaft until the outside bend of the shaft is facing
for you and is not very expensive. Just be sure to get your palm. Place the heel of your palm at the apex of
the one that matches the diameter of your shafts ex- the bend while still holding the shaft with your finactly.
gers. Then gently but firmly flex the shaft against the
heel of your palm and hold it for several seconds.
Place the tool on the end of the shaft and twist with Gently let the shaft un-flex, then recheck its straightboth hands until no more shavings come off. (I be- ness. Repeat these steps until the shaft is straight or
lieve this style of tool has a stopping point and won’t as close to straight as you believe you can get it.
continue sharpening forever.) If you think you will
make many arrows, I recommend the Tru-Center V2 If you are rolling the shafts on a flat surface, once
Taper Tool from 3 Rivers Archery. It is a bit more you have found when the shaft bends, locate the
expensive (about $30) but comes with attachments apex of the bend. With the heel of your palm, press
for all three shaft diameters and the blades are re- the shaft completely flat against your work surface
placeable. You will need to purchase nocks, making and with a small amount of pressure rub the shaft
sure to get ones that exactly match the diameter of along the length of the bend. This will generate a
your shafts. You will glue these on later in the pro- moderate amount of heat, so be careful not to give
cess, and if the taper is not accurate, that will cause yourself a rug burn. Let up on the shaft and recheck
issues with the flight of the finished arrow.
for straightness. Repeat as necessary and you may
notice that the apex will move up or down the shaft.
The next step is cutting the shafts to the correct There are several tools that can be used if you find it
length. This is a fairly simple and straight forward too difficult to use the palm of your hand.
step, but an important one. Cut the shaft too long,
and it will affect your accuracy and aiming. If cut too Once your shafts are straight, they can be stained
short, it can lead to serious and painful injury. You and sealed. Both are optional steps, but sealing is
will need to know your personal draw length and recommended. You can use any type of stain that
then add 0.5” – 1” for the point. Beginning archers you would normally use on wood; allow to completely
should probably increase this extra length to 1.5” – dry before sealing. As for sealing, if you want to stick
2” as a safety margin. Also, if attaching a broad head with a traditional look and feel, you can use wax or
point, an extra inch or two may be needed.
oil (a couple of coats of linseed oil or beeswax is recommended). If you are making mundane arrows or
Measure the length from the nock groove and place a
mark on the shaft. (For modern nocks slip one on
the taper during the measurement and then put it
away until later.) Cut the shafts at the marks; to
prevent splitting or jagged ends, slowly rotate the
shaft 360° while cutting. A cut-off wheel works better than a saw for this step.
After cutting the shaft, create the point taper on the
end you just cut. This will be a 5° taper and uses the
other opening on the taper tool used before.
Partially completed nock
Now that your shafts are cut to length and prepared
9
The Harp Song—Spring 2016
(Continued on page 10)
(Continued from page 9)
will be gluing the feathers on, clear polyurethane
works well. You will want three thin coats, allowing
each one to dry completely before the next. Also, if
you plan on cresting your arrows (artistically painting
patterns of rings around the shaft for the purposes of
identifying your arrows from the next person’s), you
will want to do this between the second and third
coats. Make sure the paint is completely dry before
applying the last coat of sealant. Once this last coat
is dry, once again run the steel wool lightly over the
shafts.
amount of reinforcement by tightly wrapping the base
of the nock with thread. Start by making a loop with
the thread and lay it along the shaft with the looped
end sticking out past the end of the nock. Begin
wrapping the thread around the shaft over your loop,
approximately 1/4” below the bottom of the nock,
laying each wrap right next to the previous one and
pulling the thread as tight as possible without breaking it. Continue wrapping up towards the nock until
the wraps line up with the bottom of the nock. Cut
your thread, leaving an inch or two. Run the excess
through the loop, then pull the other end, drawing
the loop back under the wrappings and trapping the
remaining tails. You can additionally secure the
thread by soaking it with glue or wax and wiping it
smooth.
Time to attach the feathers to the shaft. The process
for this will again depend on if you want to do a traditional style, or go with the simplicity of modern
techniques.
Modern arrows require the use of a fletching jig. This
can either be purchased or built. Start by placing
the shaft into the jig. Alight the shaft so that you
start with the nock feather (the one that will be perpendicular to the nock’s orientation). Place your first
feather in the clamp; if using two different colors of
feathers, this will be the single differently colored
one. Place the clamp on the jig and make sure the
feather sits properly on the shaft with the back of the
feather 1½” to 2” from the bottom of the nock (you
only need to do this for the first feather).
Take the clamp back off, apply your adhesive to the
bottom of the feather, making sure to not use too
much and glue the feather to the clamp. Return the
clamp to the jig and press down gently but firmly
where the feather makes contact with the shaft. Allow this to dry for 5 – 10 minutes before releasing the
feather from the clamp and pulling the clamp from
the jig. Turn the jig’s dial, rotating the shaft, and
repeat the process with the other two feathers. This
will space the feathers exactly 120° from each other.
Repeat the full process for all of your shafts.
A fletching gig is used for modern arrows
For traditional style arrows, the feathers are attached
by wrapping them with thread or sinew. First, mark
the places on the shafts where the feathers are going
to go. If you have a fletching jig, you can use this so
that your marks are 120° apart. You can use any
other method to space the feathers exactly 120° or
even just eyeball it. Be sure to mark both the back
and front of where the feather will sit. The marks for
the nock feather need to be aligned with the nock’s
orientation. Prep the feathers by stripping off about a
1/4” of the vanes from the spine of the feather both
For arrows with traditional self nocks, first use a from the front and back for all 18 feathers.
small file or sandpaper to make sure there’s no sealant left inside. Then you want to provide a small Start by laying the tail of the thread along the shaft
The next step is to finish up the nocks. For modern
arrows, this is as simple as gluing the nock onto the
smaller tapered end of the shaft. However, make
sure to align it correctly. You want the gap of the
nock to be perpendicular to the grain of the shaft.
Place a moderate drop of glue into the base of the
nock, then set it on the taper with a slight twisting
motion before lining it up against the grain. Be sure
to wipe off any excess glue that may squeeze out.
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The Harp Song—Spring 2016
Using thread to wrap the feather in a traditional style
towards the nock, approximately 1/8” in front of
your marks for the front of the feather. Begin tightly
wrapping the thread around the shaft and over the
tail (laying each wrap right next to the previous one)
until even with the front marks.
Starting with the nock feather, use a tiny amount of
adhesive to stick the front of the feather to the shaft.
Wrap the thread over the spine and around the shaft
to the next mark. Stick the front of the next feather
to the shaft and wrap the thread over the spine and
on to the last mark. Again attach the feather and
wrap continuing to wrap up to the start of the vanes.
At this point begin inserting the thread between the
vanes of each feather, slowly moving up the feather,
creating a spiral up towards the nock. These wraps
should be spaced so that there are about 5-8 wraps
per inch of feather. If a section of thread looks odd,
simply unwind it and move up or down the feather a
few vanes until it looks right.
Once past all the vanes, wrap the thread tightly over
the exposed spines and up the shaft about 1/8” with
no space between wraps. Cut the thread, leaving
about 6 inches to work with. Holding the wraps in
place with your finger, make two more loose wraps
around the shaft and the tip of your finger nail. Feed
the tail of the thread between the wraps and your
finger nail; pull to tighten as you slowly work the
wraps off the tip of your finger and line them up with
the other wraps. Trim off the excess thread. As with
the nock wrapping, secure the front and back with
glue or wax.
Finish your arrow by gluing the tip on. This is as
simple as it sounds. Put a fair amount of glue inside
the tip and put it on the shaft with a slight twisting
motion. Wipe off any excess glue that squeezes out.
Allow to dry a good 24 hours before taking to the
range and testing
them out.
You are now a proud
owner of a set of six
hand-made
arrows
that are more than
just Quiver accessories. Here’s hopes
that they will help
your official scores,
as well as looking
pretty flying down
range or sticking out
of the targets.
All photos by Jay the
Silent
Completed and ready for flight
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The Harp Song—Spring 2016
introduction
By Felipa of Fenwald
I would like to introduce you to a very, very old
weapon: the at'latl. It is sometimes called a
“throwing stick” or a “spear thrower.” This last
term is incorrect, because although technically
classified as a thrown weapon in the SCA, the
at'latl has more in common with the bow and
arrow.
The at'latl system is essentially a board or stick
with a hook at one end that butts to the end of a
dart. The at'latl system acts as both a spring and
an extension of the arm, allowing more force and
leverage. One expert explains it like this:
The harnessing of energy from a
flexible at'latl shaft to propel a dart is
much the same principal in both the
bow and at'latl, They are both using
flex and rebound effect (a simple
mechanical spring) to propel the flexible
dart or arrow that has fletching. The
bow uses two springs, one from each
limb of the bow. The at'latl has one.¹
Some archaeologists speculate that the at'latl was the
predecessor of the bow. The oldest at'latls in the
world are found in Europe, with some specimens
dating from the Paleolithic Era -- 25 to 10 thousand
years ago. Most of these were constructed from leg
bones or antlers. Many were elaborately carved.
Australia, and Oceania. Most are made from wood,
but some of bone. Bamboo at'latls are still used today
for hunting in places such as Papua New Guinea.
There have been many cultures worldwide that have
at some point in history made this their primary
hunting weapon, and there are as many style
variations of at'latls as there were cultures using
them.
Slightly newer (from 12 thousand years ago) at'latls There are two main categories of at'latl systems; by
and darts are found in North and South America, far the most common is the stick style, which uses a
flexible dart (ie. a large arrow). The other is the board
style; its use was limited to the
Inuit (also known as the
“Eskimo style” at'latl system).
They are coupled with a short,
ridged dart (like a harpoon).
Their at'latls had specialized
holes or handles for use with
mittened or gloved hands.
It is speculated that other
areas, including Paleolithic
Europe, used harpoon-style
darts with stick at'latls.
A wooden variation of the board
style is found in Australia and
is often referred to as “leafshaped.” These use shorter but
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The Harp Song—Spring 2016
To The at’latl
flexible darts. With the exception of the Inuit all other pronged darts that were capable of piercing the
known at'latls can be used ambidextrously.
conquistador's plate armor! Many conquistadors were
killed or wounded by these battle at'latls. Some
Even after invention and distribution of the bow, specimens were sent to Spain, others to Italy via
at'latls were used for hunting in conjunction with the Spain and Portugal.
bow and arrow. The at'latl was preferred for waterfowl
and in some areas for warfare.
As far as the SCA in concerned, the at'latl is one of
the newest and most mysterious weapons. Only a few
Compilations of ethnographic records show that the Kingdoms have official rules or programs. An Tir
normal hunting range for primitive at'latls was 10 to approved the at'latl in January of 2014.
30 meters. Inuit board at'latls are recorded as being
effective at as much as 50 yards. This accords well Each Kingdom's rules and rankings are a little
with the experience of modern sport at'latls. Modern different. Some closely follow those of Royal Rounds
distance records for Primitive At'latl systems thrown for target archery. Some, like An Tir, resemble the
without regard for accuracy show darts landing at rules of the World At'latl Association competitions. At
585 feet!
this point, as far as I know, at'latls have not been
approved for combat, but maybe someday we will
So were at'latls relevant to the SCA time period? have at'latl battles!
Unquestionably! The Vikings of Greenland were
exposed to the board-and-harpoon style through their Fortunately, besides royal rounds, there is also an
trade with the Inuit, and there are written accounts Inter-Kingdom at'latl competition that falls under the
describing the hunting methods of the Inuit with TWIC (Thrown Weapons Inter-Kingdom Challenge).
at'latls. The Vikings probably also witnessed their use At'latlists from all over the Known World can compete
in the Vinland settlements in North America.
with each other without ever needing to travel further
than their local event or practice. The targets are
Later, in the Spanish conquest of the New World, the archery York Rounds targets, and consist of 5 flights
Aubin and Sahagun codices give numerous accounts each at 10, 15, and 20 yard ranges.
of at'latl use among the Aztec. The Aztec had three-
An Eskimo/Inuit style at’latl made of wood, ivory, and bone, from the British Museum collection. The thumb is placed at the groove
at the top, while the fingers wrap around the pegs. This artifact dates from the late 1800s.
All sketches by Felipa of Fenwald
1. Richard B Lyons, published in the newsletter of the World Atlatl Association Volume 17 #2).
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The Harp Song—Spring 2016
Contributors Wanted!
The Harp Song documents the pastimes, interests, and pursuits of the populace of Glyn Dwfn
and the Principality of the Summits. Contributors are always wanted and appreciated. Please
consider submitting articles, artwork, and/or photographs. Send inquiries to the Chronicler,
Mistress Sionnach, at [email protected]. Please include the appropriate permission forms.
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The Harp Song—Spring 2016
Coming in the Summer Issue:
Táin Bó—A Legendary Event!
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The Harp Song—Spring 2016
Officers of
Glyn Dfwn
Seneschal – Piaras mac
Toirdhealbhaigh
Webminister – Laura
the Quiet
Exchequer - Milisandia filia
Willelmi Filii Roberti
Herald – Seraphin of
Glyn Dwfn
Marshal - Iurii Belogorski
Chatelaine—Aife
inghean uí Muiridaig
Archery Deputy – Jay the
Silent
A&S Minister – Taran mac
Tarl’a
Chronicler – Aoibheall
an Sionnach
Meetings and Practices
Shire Moot—Third Tuesday of the month, 7:15pm at the
Central Point Library
Fighter Practice—Weekly on Thursdays from 6pm-9pm,
Stevenson Union at SOU (Ashland)
Archery Practice—2nd and 4th Sundays, 3pm-Dark,
Fenwald Farm (Shady Cove)
Arts and Sciences Night—Weekly on Mondays, 6pm9pm, Lady Taran's Shop (Central Point)
Scribal Sundays—First Sundays, 3pm-9pm, Fenwald
Farm (Shady Cove)
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The Harp Song—Spring 2016