I have no earthly idea how this video got recommended to me by the algorithm but this is amazing!

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

Haha, the mysterious algorithm. Thank you!

Sir you are a credit to the world keeping history alive . I am from the states and I can't imagine making thousands of these back in medieval times . In your battles videos can you just imagine the logistics needed . Thank you sir for an education .

@tterbay

Жыл бұрын

Amen! Well said. Thank you.

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

Cheers John, I appreciate that. If you haven't seen my 'logistics' videos, you might want to check them out, there are two on arrows 👍🏻

@joesikkspac7904

Жыл бұрын

Just like Cooper and Carpenter, Fletcher also became a last name. Going by the prevalence of Smith, it took an enormous amount of them to furnish the warring sides all over Europe. There must be equivalent surnames in every culture that uses them.

@timbair6608

Жыл бұрын

@@joesikkspac7904 as a pseudo-professional fletcher, i can say, without a doubt, your right.

@timhull8664

Жыл бұрын

You wouldn’t, as arrows were precious and reused where possible, if you didn’t make your own, you would replace lost or broken arrows as and when needed. And if you couldn’t, you were probably dead, wearing someone else’s arrow.

Fascinating. Consider how important this was to Britain, as evidenced by all the English names derived from arrow and bow-making such as Fletcher, Pointer, Stringer etc.

@geoffreybudge3027

11 ай бұрын

I new two brothers in school who’s last name was Butt . The target . And of course the butt of your joke.

@liammeharry

10 ай бұрын

Glueman, steamer

@scottrichings5919

6 ай бұрын

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

@sheepsfoot2

5 ай бұрын

@@geoffreybudge3027 could've been a bottom washer for the King !

@ericashmusic8889

5 ай бұрын

Yes & Arrowsmith, Bowman, the chaps who made them,+many variants, depending on locality, & misspelt versions by scribes who's English was common. Also importantly Ashcrofter's, (people who cultivated Sally gardens- {a corrupted Gaelic term} where copses of Ash & Hazel were cultivated & harvested for both arrows & basket weaving. These copses, many of which have survived in out-of-the way villages, woods & country places, can still be found to this day.

Mr Hicks is probably the only person on the whole of KZread that has the knowledge and patience to show and explain these medieval crafts skills step by step. There isn't many left from these old shires that still carry the skills from our old world. Long live Mr Hicks.

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

Cheers Jim, that's very kind of you 👍🏻

may i suggest a video on the Royal Company of Archers, 2 of them were guarding her coffin , i presume most folk will not be aware of them!

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

Yes, great idea Colin, I'm going to look into it 👍🏻

I remember seeing you with my dad back in the Warwick and Bolsover Castle days. You are a legend in our eyes. I’ll share these videos with him. He’s always asking what you’re doing these days and would be delighted to see them. Thank you for being a legend and keeping history alive! It bring us together!

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

Wow, thanks Jake & thanks for sharing. 👍🏻

Another brilliant video sir, shame that Britain has lost a good man but Canada has gained a good man. You're an absolute credit.

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

Thank you kindly 👍🏻

At the funeral progress through London there were six bowmen flanking the Royals following the coffin. Of the six three were carrying bows and had an arrow at ready tucked under an arm. Great trust was shown to the bowmen since they carried weapons right next to the Royal family. Wonderful to see. Thanks Kevin for irreplaceable historical insights

@MrHollowdweller

Жыл бұрын

They were the Queen's (now King's) Sovereign's Bodyguard. No more 'great trust' required any more than their initial appointment. The Royal Company of Archers.

@TheEvertw

Жыл бұрын

I loved seeing the men from the Royal company of Archers, but there was a shocking number of lethal weapons involved in that funeral: rifles, pistols, swords, sabres, daggers, Sgian-dubhs, Kukris, halberds, not to mention that big field gun underneath the coffin. But make no mistake: the king himself was also armed. Let's just say the English monarch is not known historically for his/her charity work.

@digitaIgorilla

Жыл бұрын

@@TheEvertw The English monarch is actually very well known for his charity work 😉

@lizchatfield692

Жыл бұрын

@@MrHollowdweller Long live the King.

@raptorman6589

Жыл бұрын

Fuckem

As a veteran archer of 12 years, this was the best arrow making video I've ever seen for traditional archery. I love your content Kevin, I can't wait to try and make my own for my new bow coming in Tuesday!

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

Oooh, lucky man! Thanks for watching 👍🏻

@davisstellman

Жыл бұрын

@@thehistorysquad indeed, it's my first custom. I got it from Toelke bows all the way from Montana USA (been sitting like a little kid waiting for christmas for 6 months). I'll be trying to make myself some wood arrows with the sheep horn inlays just like you did because those make for such beautiful arrows.

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

@@davisstellman Coincidentally, I'm in Montana right now, I've just visited Little Bighorn today. I was like a kid 👍🏻

@davisstellman

Жыл бұрын

@@thehistorysquad wow that's amazing, I'm further south and haven't been up there yet. I hope I get to hike their trails sometime in the near future though!

@waterbird91

Жыл бұрын

It's unethical to kill animals be it by arrow or by rifle. Be kind to animals, they have it hard in the wild, and they don't need any hunter to take their life. Animals deserve better. They deserve to live. It's humans I question if they are as deserving.

lol, of course there is a kettle in your workshop, you are truly a british gentleman. love this kind of stuff, keep them coming

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

😜 indeed

“gonna have to take a break to stop the bleeding” is just the casual tone of it 😂 this man is amazing

Excellent video, Kevin! I really like how you make distinction between 'arrows' and 'ammunition'. Because that's what they were, disposable ammo, used in (tens of) thousands on the battlefield. And while some could be recovered and repaired, majority was simply 'spent'. It also puts the 'art' of arrow making into a different light because in the old times, it was not an 'art' but a profession. Of course it required skills, but the consistency and high-volume output were just as important because, in the end, people made arrows for living, not as a hobby.

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

A brilliant comment there, thanks 👍🏻

@garywheeley5108

Жыл бұрын

they had there own livery company in the city of London for fletchers and a separate one for bowyers which I think means that you had to be apprenticed which at that time was 5 or 7 years there were over 100 livery company's covering most trades and occupations many which are obserlete today the penalty for setting up a business without being a member of these guilds were severe as in middle ages severe ,imprisonment and many of the judges and jurors had connections with these guilds and solicitors and lawyers had there own guilds no fines or suspended sentance then ....

@thomasnuyts9725

Жыл бұрын

Kills before skills 😉

@danielsacks7152

Жыл бұрын

Valid point, However as a bracket racer, long range shooter and production line setup guy, theres no greater skill than obtaining quality and consistency shot to shot! Its just not "flashy".

@Colonel_Overkill

Жыл бұрын

Even to this day the treatment still holds true. I make bullets. Some are for distance shoots, I weigh everything, measure everything, etc to make perfect and identical bullets. Others of the same caliber are made from my worst brass as it may or may not be recovered, simple cast lead and produced in as large a quantity as possible as quick as possible for shooting problematic wildlife I may run across or plinking targets for fun. Some things change and dont at the same time.

Nice to see the arrows as they were. Hollywood has us thinking arrows shot in war are these little flimsy things that men would break with one hand as it's sticking out of their shoulder so they could keep fighting. I dare say being hit with something that big would be like being shot with a bullet. Except now you have a long shaft of wood sticking out of you as well! Poor, poor Henry V

@lazyman7505

Жыл бұрын

Yeah, for example - breaking off arrows stuck in your shield with a sword. Todd from Todd's Workshop channel (highly recommend !) has an older video showing how difficult/next to impossible it actually is. Proper war arrows were really sturdy.

@garywheeley5108

Жыл бұрын

@@lazyman7505 yea bit different when it's stuck in like a half inch thick splinter four inches long and look her come some more ....

@helloidharbl6753

Жыл бұрын

*zip* *THOK* A war arrow is now embedded in your femur. Probably going to need at least two other people to get that out. One to hold you down and one to pull.

Pine pitch heated up, becomes a good glue. There are multiple things that do indeed become glue-like. If I lived somewhere away from towns/cities, I'd be making me a bow and some arrows myself.

@2bingtim

Жыл бұрын

Best add a litle charcoal dust to the pine pitch, bit brittle without it.

I do historical talks and this info was a goldmine. Thank you

It's amazing how similar this process is to handloading ammunition for modern firearms.

There must be something meditative about crafting arrows or bow making. Really cool video Kevin. It's almost like you are straight from the medieval era.

@markhuckercelticcrossbows7887

Жыл бұрын

when youre producing for your self, it is a great sense of calm, as its no pressure and your completely focused n chilled, during covid, i turned my hobby into a cottage business and the stress levels went up, as any mistakes, people can be super picky on. but when you make for yourself, theres things youll look at n think, thatll do, itll still do the job.

Thank you for keeping the history alive.

As a modern compound competitive target archer with an interest in the history of archery i found this a great vid. As I am also a furniture making by trade and enjoy making things I think I will have to give it a go just for the fun.

Ah the good old Sherwood fetching jig , mine is over 35 years old and still going strong .

It's nice to see something being made rather than machined. Fascinating as always, Kevin!

Seeing you crafting arrows was a hypnotizing experience and enlighting too. I learned so many details I haven't seen before and now I can clearly understand how they were made.

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

Excellent, I'm glad you enjoyed it 👍🏻

As an American growing up with emphasis on rifle marksmanship it's grand learning about where that tradition came from and how deep the roots of it go

Being a Fletcher seems like it was a pretty sweet gig back then, I'd love to do that all day

This was very useful. It will help me write accurately. Thank-you.

I never considered the royal dress would extend to arrows too but it makes so much sense. Man I would love to see replicas of what ceremonial royal arrows looked like or what unique styles the most talented fletchers were capable of making.

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

That'd be something else eh?

I like to watch Kevin's videos while I make my own arrow shafts.

This channel is truly a precious gem!

Still have the one you gave us at Warwick

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

Haha, how lovely to hear 👍🏻 I hope you're well Kim

You make it look so simple and achievable. I've needed a few arrows, now I know how to do it.

Thanks! Been waiting for this subject!

Please stay healthy Mr. Hicks. You have fans all over the world.

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

👍🏻 thanks. I'm actually just getting over COVID, but should be better soon.

This is wonderful. I've never been able to get into archery, shotguns have been more my fancy but seeing a well travelled, educated and spoken man share his craft in a way that you can truly see the joy he gets from it is wonderful. Thanks again Kevin, I love all of your videos.

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

Gosh, that’s very kind of you. Thanks

Wonderful video sir! Both entertaining and informative, as usual. 👍🌟

I really enjoyed that Kevin. Thanks, Mike.

When you watch the process it takes to make just 1 arrow it blows my mind to think how many an army had to have made for a campaign. Totally mind boggling

No wonder arrows cost so much in the old days (well even now) the time spent making them must have kept a lot of people very busy. Thank you so much for the video.

@mastercage2570

11 ай бұрын

not just with arrows everyday things we do like washing clothes could take a lot longer or making chainmail or and type of weapon or armour

Thanks Kevin always enjoy your videos imagine the the man hours over the years it took to making those arrows

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

You bet

One Hicks to another, good show.

A bit more than 60 years ago I used to make arrows using dowel rods I bought from the hardware store (way cheaper than cedar shafts!). I hadn’t yet figured out how to make a fletcher (couldn’t afford that either), and instead secured my fletching using thread similar to what you show here. Only I never thought of leaving it there. Once the glue was dry, I unwound the thread, a step I see was unnecessary! Great to see that there are places where wooden arrows are still used. I have a box of never-fired cedar arrows stored away. Once I moved to using a compound, I found out quickly that wood simply didn’t last. Great presentation.

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

And a great comment David, thanks!

As always, I enjoyed every bit of it! I've always wondered about the processes involved with arrow making. Well thanks again Kevin, my vast historical knowledge has been expanded just a bit more. Keep up the great work! Cheers.

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

Haha, cheers Bob 👍🏻

I’ve learned a lot from your videos. Amazingly professionally and well presented, and introduces me to a part of history I have not studied in detail. Sends me scurrying to the library. Thank you.

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

😂 Cheers Ted, I'm glad you're enjoying them. There's worst places to be than a library 😉

My Stepfather's name was John Arrowsmith. I always wondered what exactly his ancestors did for a living. Nice bit of Blue Petering Kev!

Glues get softer when heated. Nice video

I am not a history enthusiast at all but the way you present history is so fascinating. I have watched every one of your videos and I will continue to watch them all. When I watch these videos I feel like a child at primary school, that level of excitement you lose as you get older. Brilliant job.

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

How nice of you David, thanks so much!

@PSDuck216

Жыл бұрын

As an adult, don’t lose that excited fascination, ever. It keeps one young at heart. Never lock away that inner child. Cheers!

you have many talents, Kevin. I’d call you a renaissance man for your multiple talents but given how much of your material is from the medieval era I don’t want to offend you! re: shark skin sanding…it’s still used in Japan for grinding real wasabi so it’s something universal and great that you mentioned it. the tools you used are barely changed in centuries so you’re pretty much doing it oldschool just with bits of extras to help quicken things- something they’d have used themselves if they had them

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

Thanks Boston 👍🏻

I’m just now seeing this video after trying to make arrows for a month…. This is everything I’ve been looking for. I can’t thank you enough

@thehistorysquad

3 ай бұрын

Great to hear! 👍🏻

@littlemachette1215

2 ай бұрын

@@thehistorysquad I’ve made the shooting jig and I’ve made a few shafts, but I have some fletching questions. Is there a special way I need to cut the feathers to turn them into fletchings? And do you buy or make your arrowheads? I’ve found where to buy horn inserts but sadly they’re mostly out of stock at the moment.

@thehistorysquad

2 ай бұрын

Hi, I just use sharp, long scissors to cut the feathers (like those used in dressmaking). I buy my arrowheads, the standard ones from Wales Archery Specialists, and the authentic ones from either Hector Cole Ironwork or Will Sherman at medievalarrows.co.uk@@littlemachette1215

Lol, you make arrows like I spin yarn. "Fancy people say do this with magical modern tools, but do it by eye like they did historically with the simple tools that were the same as we have today and it turns out both beautiful and functional." Nice video! I appreciate the camera angles. There was a good view of each step.

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

Thanks very much 👍🏻

Kevin, very well done. I was intrigued by watching you build arrows while describing the process. I'm 58, I'm a big history fan and always have been. I've been doing genealogy research on my birth father's side of my family for many years. I recently discovered about six people in England specifically who were knights. One of my ancestors is Anne Boleyn so that's awesome for me. I have many ancestors in England and Germany who were royalty but also France I believe. I'd have to look at my pedigree charts in my three ring binder to check the France one. I enjoy all of the videos you create and present. I live in Texas, my birth father is Canadian and my birth mother is American.

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

Wow, that's great Guy, an excellent pedigree 👍🏻

I've always been curious how such things were done for making 10,000+ arrows for fielding an army or for a castle garrison. This process seems so man-hour intensive. A tactic not mentioned often is forcing a castle to loose all of its arrows during a siege. It seems like it would be an advantageous tactic to use red herring rams and mantlets to force defenders to use up their arrows and then storm the walls with crack melee troops with no arrows left to loosed upon them. A well fortified fortress would have to have thousands of arrows in its armory, and garrison commanders would definitely need to be cognizant of how many arrows they're putting down range. Furthermore, commanders would also need to be cognizant of how long it would take to replenish arrows whether to maintain a defense or timing of successive attacks on fortified positions. A major purpose of armor and shields was defend against arrows. All of this implies there had to be some kind of near industrial scale process of making arrows.

@MrTony079

Жыл бұрын

Well, surnames such as Fletcher and Arrowsmith had to originate somewhere.

@joeroganjosh9333

10 ай бұрын

Bowman, Archer, Fletcher, Stringer….all called Tommy and all at Agingcourt.

Bravo! Excellently presented! Thanks for sharing and the very best of luck!

Fantastic. Imagine making these all bloody day and night?

@lazyman7505

Жыл бұрын

Well, if your other option was starve to death...

I have actually made arrow heads out of a very hard wood know locally here in the U.S. as Bodark contracted from Bois d Ark also known as Osage Orange and it makes the best bows in the U.S. but is so hard it makes broad head arrow heads, good for a couple of uses, not RAZOR sharp but able to cut through a deer and they are easy to make with a little practice, cap the arrow or insert it into a hole and be sure to wind string around it. add glue and it's ready to fly and is a little lighter than aluminum . It also makes good target field tips and can be replaced for next to nothing.

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

Wow, thanks for the tip, haha, pardon the pun. I never knew that 👍🏻

Fascinating as always Kevin

The whipping takes me back to the knackered fishing rods we inherited as kids 😂

Excellent craftsmanship, that's quite the skill to have. I'm sure those arrows took down many Frenchmen.

Oh my word, some piece of work!!! Thank you !//Lars

It is always a pleasure watching an artisan who excels and enjoys his trade. Good stuff, Kevin.

Ingenious but very simple at the same time. Thanks for sharing.

Excellent video Kevin. Loved it.

Brilliant Kevin, been waiting on you making this video, just made my day, thank you 🙏🏻👏🏻

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

Excellent, glad to hear it 👍🏻

Absolutely fascinating.

Wonderful !! My Dad had an old homemade fletching jig in the basement from when he was young. Cool to see one in use !

Very cool, important to keep ancient traditions alive!

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

It sure is!

Fascinating Stuff Kevin! I cant wait to finally get into Bow and Arrows once we leave the City.

I started making my arrows this way 2 years ago and I enjoy it a lot

Thank you for sharing

That was fantastic. Thank you so much.

Fascinating! I’ve always been interested in winding. Thanks for showing how it it done. Cheers!

Very informative Kevin. Thanks

I loved this video. What a great hobby this would be for the winter.

the shooting jig and the butcher's - surgeon's - knocking saw, and rucked up, i learned much today, i'm sure to watch this again to go over the process, thanks kevin, regards

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

No problem, thanks for watching 👍🏻

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience. Much appreciated

Personally born and raised in Staffordshire, thank you for everything you do

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

I was raised in Staffordshire too, for a good chunk of my childhood and spent many a day on the Chase on our bikes. Thanks for watching.

Very nicely done.

Another great show Kevin, thank you.

wow. never thought I would be hypnotized by arrow making. wonderful skill sir. love it

Thank you for this informative video.

Great demonstration.

Fascinating, had no idea this was done.

Loved this, so simple but seriously- it’s art

@tonywright8294

Жыл бұрын

It’s not art, it’s just a pointy stick. Why do people always think that if someone makes something by hand it’s art ? Get a life

Absolutely amazing. Kevin is a Renaissance man. He makes this look so easy.

Beautiful craftsmanship

Very interesting Kevin and company! You make it look so easy. Thanks for sharing this!

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

I've had lots of practice 😜

I absolutely love history and really enjoy this channel

Absolutely fascinating Kevin,thanks a lot keep them coming

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

Thanks, will do!

Definitely fascinating, interesting, and informative. Thank you sir.

Absolutely brilliant video! It made my day seeing it pop up relaxing after work! Keep them coming!

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

Thanks, will do!

Excellent, thank you!

great Job Kevin.

Legend amongst men great video

Nice mate, I'm an Australian with all English ancestry and really appreciated this. Making me homesick for a place I haven't been to yet. Our people are amazing, very cool you know how to do this and are teaching us :)

And to think that they needed thousands of these in battle. It is a true talent to make these!

Another amazing video. Thank you

It's amazing how much time and precision is required to make one arrow. Can't imagine how skilled the medieval craftsman needed to be to do this work efficiently. Impressive.

@justinmorgan2126

10 ай бұрын

IT was factory level production, you had people skilled in a single aspect of the production process, a group of men making shafts, another group making the fletchings, another tying them on etc etc...hence names like Fletcher and Shafter, derived from the jobs.

@BLACK3737

9 ай бұрын

@@justinmorgan2126 sure it was factory level of production, still you need bunch of experienced people to run it

Makes me appreciate all the prep work done before battle even before the first arrow is shot. I can also imagine gathering up all the spent arrow and spending days recycling and repairing arrows over a steam pot of water and campfire.

So thankful I found this channel. Very informative, easy instructions, and very entertaining.

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

Welcome! Thanks 👍🏻

This is absolutely fascinating.

Marvellous Kevin, one of my favourite videos on your wonderful channel 👏

@thehistorysquad

Жыл бұрын

Glad you liked it 👍🏻

Thank you! Very informational video.