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Work related introduction to crossbows and how to make crossbows

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    The key component of a self-made crossbow is the crossbow. From the numerous unearthed copper crossbows, we can see its structure: the parts in the crossbow's bronze casing are the mountain (sight), the hanging knife (trigger), the hook center and the two  A key that combines the parts into a whole.  When stretching the string to load an arrow, pull Wangshan with your hand, the teeth rise, the hook center is brought up, and the lower teeth catch the notch of the hanging knife. In this way, the teeth can be used to buckle the bowstring, and the arrow can be placed in the arrow trough above the crossbow arm.  Inside, place the arrow quill on the string between the two teeth, aim at the target through the mountain, and pull the hanging knife backwards. The teeth will retract, and the arrow will be shot out with the rebound of the string.

    The specific structure of the crossbow can be divided into three parts: arm, bow, and machine.  The "arm" is usually made of wood; the "bow" is transverse to the front of the arm; and the "machine" is installed behind the arm.  The most important part of the crossbow is the "machine". The crossbow machine is generally made of copper and is installed in the "Guo" (box-shaped) of the crossbow. In front of it is the "teeth" (hook) for hanging the string, and behind the "teeth" there is a "  "Wangshan" (the front sight used for aiming); since the Western Han Dynasty, the "Wangshan" of the crossbow has a scale engraved on it, which is equivalent to the rear sight on modern firearms. It is convenient to adjust the angle of the crossbow launch according to the target distance and improve the hit rate of the shot. In  There is a "hanging knife" (i.e. trigger) below the Tongguo, which is used to launch arrows. When the crossbow is fired, first open the string, hold it on the "teeth" of the crossbow, and mount the arrow on the "arm"  In the groove, after aiming through the "Wangshan", pull the "hanging knife" to retract the "teeth" and decouple the string, and use the kinetic energy formed by the rapid rebound of the open bowstring to shoot the arrow out at high speed.

    The traditional Chinese bow is a composite bow made of a variety of materials. The production process is complicated and a variety of materials are used. The workmanship and material selection must be based on the appropriate season and climate.

    (1) Bamboo: Bamboo used for making bows is mostly produced in Jiangxi Province, where the bamboo produced is relatively strong, strong and durable.  The quality of bamboo is usually evaluated by knocking it and listening to whether the sound is clear.  It is best to use bamboo that has been shade-dried for a year after being harvested.  Bamboo with uneven thickness at the upper and lower ends or bug holes in the middle cannot be used to make bows.  Consider wear and tear when purchasing bamboo.

    (2) Horns: A bow requires two horns, and buffalo horns with a length of more than 60 centimeters must be used.  The current purchase price in Beijing is about more than 30 yuan each, and most of the horns come from Hubei.  Since Yang Fuxi now often asks someone to purchase the horns on his behalf, it is difficult to control when the horns he received were cut and whether they were in pairs. They can only be selected in pairs of approximately the same length.

    (3) Beef tendon: Beef tendon is a very important elastic material in making bows. It is taken from the tendon on the back of the cow that is close to the backbone of the cow.  After buying the beef tendon, place it on the edge of the house to air-dry until it is 89% dry, then wrap it with a coarse wet cloth.  The next job is to smash the beef tendons, which is convenient if you live in a rural area. You can grind it on a roller.  But there is no roller in Beijing, so we have to use a wooden hammer to smash. The force should not be too strong, but it must be smashed slowly.  Because the force was too strong, it was smashed into pieces, but if you smash it slowly, you can break it into pieces.  After smashing it, you can see that the tendons have been split into strips.  Then tear it bit by bit, tear it into the required thickness, and finally turn it into tiny pieces.  The process of tearing off tendons is a slow process and was often done by women in the old days.  People in the bow and arrow compound often say, "A good man can't tear off four ribs in a day."  Tie the torn tendons into bundles and soak them in water in advance before use. The longer the soaking time, the better.  In the old days, there were soaked tendons at the door of the shop in the old bow and arrow compound.  It needs to be rinsed with clean water before use. The effect is very good when used, and the bow laid out is also very smooth.  If the tendons are not soaked long enough, the master will say that the tendons are "dirty, hard, and not moisturizing." A bow made from it may have cracks on the bow surface, which they often call "water cracks."  .

    (4) Swim bladder: "Swim bladder" is the name used by the masters of the Beijing Bow and Arrow Yard for the animal glue used to paste various materials. It is a very key material in the bow and arrow industry.  The weight of the swim bladder used in a bow is very large, and there is often a saying that "one bow has four swim bladders".  Moreover, the quality of the swim bladder is also one of the key factors that directly affects the quality of the bow.  The earliest use in the bow and arrow industry was the fish bladder.  Fish maw is a very good paste material, and its production method is mainly to use the fish soak of king fish (Chinese name: large yellow croaker, scientific name: pseudosciaenacrocea).  First wash the fish soak in clean water, then soak it in warm water to let it swell.  After soaking for a period of time, simmer over slow heat.  After boiling to a certain level, mash and filter to remove residue and hard lumps.  Can be diluted with boiling water when used.  Although fish swim bladders are the preferred adhesive glue in the bow and arrow making industry, pigskin swim bladders are now mostly used.  According to Yang Fuxi, the swim bladder is not nearly a hundred years old.  Talking about the pigskin swim bladder currently used, there is also a history of invention.  During a dinner party at Gongjian Compound, a waiter liked pork but not pig skin, so he spit the pig skin on the table.  When people cleared the table the next day, they found that the pig skin was very firmly attached to the table.  From this, a waiter named Qi came up with the idea of ??using pig skin to cook pig skin swim bladder. After trying it, he succeeded.  He distributed the pigskin swim bladders to various bow and arrow shops for free trial, and then paid for them after they found them useful.  When making, first wash the pig skin with alkaline water, then cook it over a warm fire until it can be penetrated with a gentle tap of chopsticks.  Then mash it in an iron pot and continue to boil it. Finally, filter out the residue and hardness, dry it in the shade and cut it into strips.The concentration can be adjusted as required during use.

    Here is the selection of raw materials. A suitable bamboo must be at least 12cm in diameter and about 8 to 10 meters in length. What can be used is only a short section above 1.5 meters from the ground.  After cutting off the head and tail, a piece of bamboo can be split into at least 6 parts lengthwise.  But what does "drying in the shade" mean?  The water cannot be completely lost, otherwise the elasticity will be lost.
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