That lever makes it look like a walk in the park compared to the belt.

its sad to me that you only have 168k rn, this is easily a 1mil worthy channel

The sound, holy shit. You can hear the power behind the bolt. would not want to be on the receiving end of that

Absolutely love the grain on that tiller. Beautiful piece.

Dear Tod, The crossbow's got me completely surprised by its power, the way the trigger and other parts have to be done, and really just how this was used in battle. Suddenly the 14th century is looking like the renaissance across the board: Complex art, weapons, architecture, lenses, mirrors, it's amazing how your work brings to life what it must have been to be a soldier in those times. The powerful crossbow must have been what the machine guns were in the trenches in WW I: an equalizer, a weapon of fear. Now the 14th and 15th century speaks to us through the crossbow you built.

Your work is so beautiful, and there is infinite value in what you do and these videos you make. Thank you for your efforts.

Jeez. ... I kindof can't believe this quality of info just exists on youtube... free, if you know where to find it. Long live the internet! (And kind, passionate chaps like Tod!) Anyhow... thanks ever so much for the video, it seems really, truly top tier. I mean it. 😊

Watching a crossbow get operated reaffirms my appreciation for gunpowder.

That first shot toward the camera startled me even though I was expecting it. Close! Great video as always.

Jaw dropping beautiful bow Todd considers "munition grade." One lucky customer. :)

Again as always beautiful work

Love your content!

It's been too long without seeing Tod shooting a crossbow.

Beautiful work, as always

I cant get enough of this channel. Cheers from canada

When you first got out that belt I thought "Good Lord, Tod's had a hernia !"

I always like it to see whats new on this channel. Just very interesting stuff without too much drama! Have a good one!

Always in awe of the craftmanship exhibited by Tod and others of the ilk. Breathtakingly simple in conception but amazingly skilled in construction. Absolutely wonderful. Flaxen Saxon.

Amazing work Tod, you rule I always look forward to new videos from you! That goats foot lever is f'n awesome, I can't believe how much power you can get out of it and how fast/easy it is in comparison to the cranequin or the belt. I'd also like to hear your thoughts on Joerg Sprave's bow magazine-whatever-system

You have an awesome channel!! Love all the work you do!

Really excellent video!

Just earned a new subscriber, very cool stuff from the making to the shooting.

Love your channel!!

I always learn something from Tod. (And he crafts beautiful items!)

Again a great piece of outstanding craftsmanship. I know which system I prefer too....

Blimey, I thought you were going to do yourself a mischief using the spanning belt near the end, Tod; no wonder you don't like them. It also made me wonder how often crossbowmen did a face plant trying to get one foot through the stirrup. Sort of like me trying to get my pants on in the morning. :-)

Love this channel.

That draw with belt, i'd bet that you'd be knackered after a dozen of them. The physical cost of using a bow is something that people forget, to draw a heavy bow needs a lot of energy. If you have to draw a bow 20, 30m 40 times suddenly you're not after raw power but repeatable shots.

The goats foot is spectacular engineering.

You call it plain, I say that it is gorgeous.

great work thank you

Yeh I’d go the goat leaver over the belt. Maybe with something attached to the leaver so it hangs from my belt when not in use instead of constantly ditching it on the ground

Awesome and informational too. That's wild

Awesome vid.. I used to be good at archery and I always loved crossbows..I still own one along with my compound bow.

Tod, the grain pattern of that crossbow is beautiful!

Right On More T.W. Uploads!

Great video. I believe the Romans stationed garrisons of Syrian archers with composite bows in Britain for quite some time. So while wet weather may have caused some maintenance concerns for composite materials, it was not an insurmountable problem and could be minimized.

I would love to see a video of how you construct a faux composite prod!

Talented guy, well done.

Tod, one word: *BALLISTAS!*

That looks like kind a stuff that hurts your back easily if you do not practive with lighter weights first.

Wow, my lower back hurts just from watching you use that belt!

I only just understood how the latching system works, that the string is able to bypass the catch, and by hitting the nut at the back it swivels the catch up into position. That is so damn smart, very cool!

Awesome!!!

That spanning belt! One size fits all...and then some.

This was a very interesting video. I had never seen either of those mechanisms (at least in my adult memory, I saw many many museums as a child and I'm sure that at least the spanning belt I've seen before, but it counts as never seen before for any sake of conversation). I kept thinking I wish you should try to find someone who could make a demo composite crossbow for you, someone who already does something like that and wouldn't have to work so hard to do it, just for the show and tell of having one. I understand you're hoping to sell these articles but I really think your channel has been good for general museum value.

I thought of bichlers work when you mentioned the painted bows ^^

I'd put a belt pouch to put that piece of metal into, so i could run without it swinging around.

Magnificent.

Any chance on a video of your process and making steel crossbow limbs? Love to know a good way to do it at the home shop.

yea, I'm with you on the belt....forget that thing! The claw device (forgot what it is called) is definitely the way to go, for me at least.

Can you possibly do a video on how medieval crossbow makers were able to physically string the bows? I have seen that you have a modern press but what did people do with only hand tools, pulleys, gears. Would be a really good video.

That last shot sounded like lazer tag.

I checked out Andreas Bichler as you suggested. Yes those are incredibly good looking bows. Have a look the beautiful shield he also constructs as a target for his 1200 lb bow. Cannot believe he shot a hole in it. I see someone below commenting on your subscriber number. Don't feel bad. Andreas only has 700!

Steel crossbow was not popular in central Europe for the same reasons composite wasn't in England. The weather. You simply could not hatch it in winter as steel gets harder when cold.

Is it only me, but do you also hit the table with your fist at the intro when the sound of the hammer emerges? :D :D :D :D

So, what I'm getting from this is that the goat's foot lever is basically inherently superior to the spanning belt in almost every way?

I'm a bowyer from Pocatello Idaho. You sir are one of my new favorites. If there is anything you could tell me about, it's how to find my first yew staves. It is quite a mysterious wood. Mabie you might know someone or something?

Definitely see why one would prefer the 'goat's foot' lever, but maybe a trained person with a lighter bow could be faster with the belt. Great video and gorgeous (albeit practical) crossbow anyways!

COOL !

Beautiful craftsmanship as usual Tod, Which spanning method would have been the most cost/time effective to produce in times of war? I would assume the goats foot it seems like it would be much easier to create compared against the pulleys and leather work required for the belt, That said the leather work would have probably been done by somebody and sent to the smith.

The goat's foot looks faster and easier to use, and less cumbersome to carry, than the spanning belt. Why on earth did anyone ever use the belt?

Amazingly interesting. Back in the day, I wonder how many nut sacks were wrecked if something snapped with the belt. The lever seems a much more reasonable solution.

Makes a beautiful release sound. I don't think i've ever heard a crossbow make that noise before. What is causing that lovely sound exactly in the mechanics?

One day I hope to be able to afford a bow like this.

Tod could you pleasedo a video on some of the medieval glues

Well done Todd, in the era this crossbow was used say in battle, what was the preferred way of cocking the bow. Also do you have a replica of an original cocking lever or device,..Thanks, Richard.

I love 14th century crossbows.

Excellent. Did they ever build a double / triple bow x-bow ?

The goat's foot looks so easy. I think I'd rather just throw the entire bow at the enemy rather than use the spanning belt! The noises Todd made told you everything you need to know about using the spanning belt! 😵

I'm curious, how do you test the force of the crossbow? :D Awesome video, as always!

Hi Tod! I am making a hand made crossbow, but i have some stumblings. How do You make the string? Do You have any vídeo or link about that theme? Thanks, great channel and sorry for My English.

*The thing I hate about your channel* _is that it doesn't have enough subs_

These high draw weight crossbows seem very weak with their shots. Any chance of some ballistic gel tests vs longbows?

So, if you have a really heavy, 500lbs to 1000lbs crossbow shooting a bolt with a long, needle tipped tempered head, think like a pilum tip. Would it pierce plate armor?

Elegant, the bow is not centre. Good effort on the vid

The goat's foot lever looks so slick by comparison. Which genius thought that up?

That second thunk was sooo much louder.

Out of curiosity, were there many crossbows where a goats foot sort of tool was built into the stock? I imagine a crossbow that could be redrawn without having to use a separate tool might be useful in birding.

i want to learn how to make this type of stuff.

I hope you don't mind asking, was reading a Bernanrd Cornwell book about the battle of Crecy, what is the effect in reality of shooting a wet crossbow or long bow.? I would be interested in a comparison.

What are your sources for steel bow introduction in time? Looking for good info for an upcoming project.

Anyone got a link for the German crossbow maker he mentioned?

Good video, my thought. Atleast you wont loose our belt. The lever you can loose instantly and then you are "buggered" :)

Hi Tod, awesome video once again also I gotta say out of all the crossbows you make my favorite always end up being these so called munitions crossbows, they just look so incredible! Question for you though and that is do you know what sort of poundage weight crossbow would be required to pierce any particular type of armour (be it gaberson, maile or plate) at a "normal" range and if so what did the higher draw weight bows provide over others? possibly additional range or just more stopping power?

Spanning belt - Adding dangly bits to crossbowmen.

Spanning powerful crossbows from the belt appears as a key feat of strength in El Victorial (15th century). I hope someday we learn more about the details & people take crossbows as seriously as they take longbows. What could the crossbow equivalent of Joe Gibbs manage?

What's the noisiest part of this setup? Seems like the nut? I bet something could be done to quiet that without impacting operation.

I wonder how precise the shape of goats-foot lever needs to be - how do you draw it?

10:44 laser sound effect

If i go back he says.... Is Tod a Time Traveler?

Never thought about what the loop at the front of a crossbow was for. Very interesting! Btw now that you mentioned the composite bow... Had no idea such a thing existed! Going to research into that

Would love to know the fps and weight of the bolts.

Firstly, WRT the spans/arms/WHY of a composite bow of any type, wouldn't the glue process imply less durability over time due to different composite layers flexing at different rates, inducing extra sheer stress along/across that glueline? So eventually composite bows would fall apart over use... unless the glue was elastic in some way once cured (like modern day Copydex, a rubber/latex solution) Secondly, would flaring the stock a little make the bow far more comfortable & easier to use if using the spanning belt (plus incidentally adding slightly to accuracy if shoulder-fired)? A spanning belt can only be used by foot soldiers obviously, so the slight disadvantage of a flared stock if/when used from horseback would be irrelevant (as would the slight weight penalty).. but the rear peg may double as a crude sight too, given a distinct front marker (even if only a paint/dye blob)? Thirdly, is there any internal spring mechanics used within the trigger mechanism? That positive sound when you repositioned the nut prior to demonstrating the spanning belt sounded v much like a sprung pawl engaging..

Spanning belts: fuck that I'm just gonna take the necessary decade off to learn to use a long bow. =/ (Although, that said, shooting a crossbow always looks far less stressful than shooting a longbow.

did crossbows with a "build-in" goats foot lever exist? like the dawnguard crossbow in skyrim

Have you ever tried to make an authentic style composite bow?

What was the maximum weight a goats foot could load as it looks much faster and easier than a windlass

Why when watching you draw using that belt, do I get the impression, there were probably a few guys who ended up falsetto, by the end of a battle.

Is it a double poulie? For me it looks like two simple ones, dividing by two the strength and not by four, as double poulies would... Maybe I'm lost somewhere