The Origin of the American Longbow
The Best Made American Longbow is built in a style that originated with the medieval English Longbow. Developed by the Welsh and proliferated by the English, the longbow was most commonly made from yew wood. Staves were cut so that the back of the bow comprised sapwood, which is flexible and springy, and the belly of the bow was heartwood, which has high compressive strength.
The American iteration of the longbow was pioneered by legendary archer Howard Hill and Harry Eicholtz. The 1930’s saw huge strides in fiberglass technology due to the material’s use in military aviation. Eicholtz worked to apply the new fiberglass weaving and plastics technologies to archery equipment. He developed a lamination technique that coupled the spring and durability of fiberglass with the resilient power of a wood or bamboo core. By applying fiberglass to the belly and back of the bow limbs, he effectively increased the bow’s speed and energy transfer, creating a more powerful bow at a lesser draw weight.
Hill traveled from his Opa Locka machine shop in 1940 and worked with Eicholtz to adapt fiberglass technology to his preferred style of bow, the string-follow longbow. The bow that Hill designed had a refined taper, center-fire grip, and fiberglass lamination, which became the defining characteristics of the American longbow lineage. In production since the 1940’s, the American longbow has proven its timelessness and performance, having earned the favor of some of the greatest shooters and hunters in the history of archery.
The Best Made American Longbow features a locally-sourced hickory core, bubinga riser, and black fiberglass laminates. The bow measures 66” and has string-follow, true to its heritage. Available in 25, 35, and 45lb draw weights.
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