Nephi's steel bow difficult to replicate at BYU competition

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Joseph Smith may have thought that a steel bow sounded cool but he never knew it was not practical.
 
Joseph Smith may have thought that a steel bow sounded cool but he never knew it was not practical.
If people with modern technology have such a tough time making these things, imagine how hard it was for ancient Lehites. I do wonder about the motivation of the BYU professor involved with this – could he be a closet disbeliever? Why else would you create a challenge like this. Next I want them to try to recreate Nephite barges, load them with animals, and try to get them across the ocean. Survivors win.
 
well, if the best one only had a range of 66 yards, no wonder they got wiped out! The old wood ones out shot them
 
well, if the best one only had a range of 66 yards, no wonder they got wiped out! The old wood ones out shot them
Well I am still impressed he even could forge quality steel in the first place since most accounts for steel production start around 300 BC (where he had the knowledge 600BC?). If he could have used that for making swords instead of bows! What was he thinking?
 
Well I am still impressed he even could forge quality steel in the first place since most accounts for steel production start around 300 BC (where he had the knowledge 600BC?). If he could have used that for making swords instead of bows! What was he thinking?
Or armor.

I wish we could rediscover how they did it without any polution or damage to the environment, too
 
mormontimes.com/studies_doctrine/research_discoveries/?id=11777

I wonder if the BYU professors are really trying to show their students that the Book of Mormon is a fantasy.
Your post looks like one from a truly strange poster in alt.religion.mormon. He also has the habit of posting positive articles about LDS subjects with negative headers: he will post an article about, say…a letter to all the wards of the church asking for help for the victims of the Christmas tsunami and reporting what has already been done, and using the header: Mormons are Selfish!

So…are you Sword of Laban?

You DID actually read this article, right? The one where all those bows actually, y’know, WORKED?
 
Your post looks like one from a truly strange poster in alt.religion.mormon. He also has the habit of posting positive articles about LDS subjects with negative headers: he will post an article about, say…a letter to all the wards of the church asking for help for the victims of the Christmas tsunami and reporting what has already been done, and using the header: Mormons are Selfish!

So…are you Sword of Laban?

You DID actually read this article, right? The one where all those bows actually, y’know, WORKED?
I’m not Sword of Laban. I’m not even sure how to get to alt.religion.mormon.

Sure they worked, but it took modern technology which ancient Nephites would not have had. And the BYU folks didn’t start from scratch to make the steel like the Nephites would have had to have done. I don’t know how you can call this a positive story on the Book of Mormon unless you live in an alternative universe.
 
I’m not Sword of Laban. I’m not even sure how to get to alt.religion.mormon.

Sure they worked, but it took modern technology which ancient Nephites would not have had. And the BYU folks didn’t start from scratch to make the steel like the Nephites would have had to have done. I don’t know how you can call this a positive story on the Book of Mormon unless you live in an alternative universe.
what it tells me is that BYU students used steel to make bows. Therefore it is possible to use steel to make bows.

…and if this article proves that the Book of Mormon is false, then what does it do for the Bible, when steel bows are mentioned THERE? 2 Samuel, 22:35 (and yes, many people translate “nchuwshah” as 'copper" or “brass,” but there is no more reason to translate it that way than there is to translate it as ‘steel,’ as the KJV and the 21St Century KJV translates it, because this word means any and all of those; it means, basically, ‘metal.’ I notice that nobody seems to be able to settle on whether it IS “copper,” or “brass” or 'steel." Douay-Reims calls it ‘brass,’ but again, there is no more reason to say this than ‘copper’ or 'steel."

In fact, the only reason to prefer ‘brass" and "copper’ to ‘steel’ is circular.

I notice, too, that the only two mentions of steel bows in scripture (both in 2 Samuel and in 1 Nephi,) involve them getting broken…😉
 
I found the article rather positive. First, it shows mormons to be open minded in attempting to make a steel bow. And they succeeded and all benefited from the experience. And so, what is the problem?
 
what it tells me is that BYU students used steel to make bows. Therefore it is possible to use steel to make bows.

…and if this article proves that the Book of Mormon is false, then what does it do for the Bible, when steel bows are mentioned THERE? 2 Samuel, 22:35 (and yes, many people translate “nchuwshah” as 'copper" or “brass,” but there is no more reason to translate it that way than there is to translate it as ‘steel,’ as the KJV and the 21St Century KJV translates it, because this word means any and all of those; it means, basically, ‘metal.’ I notice that nobody seems to be able to settle on whether it IS “copper,” or “brass” or 'steel." Douay-Reims calls it ‘brass,’ but again, there is no more reason to say this than ‘copper’ or 'steel."

In fact, the only reason to prefer ‘brass" and "copper’ to ‘steel’ is circular.

I notice, too, that the only two mentions of steel bows in scripture (both in 2 Samuel and in 1 Nephi,) involve them getting broken…😉
I kind of remember someone mentioning a steel bow before, but to be perfectly honest I didn’t really think much about it. Now that someone discussed it and BYU steel archery team brought the whole thing to light, I think it is just wonderful! I’m sure there is all kinds of fun that could be had with the flexibilty of steel as well as the timeframe of when steel was produced (which I mentioned because I had to look up the Mormon in question) but overall I think it is great they are trying to prove it is possible. I can’t wait to hear from the BYU astronomy club.
 
I found the article rather positive. First, it shows mormons to be open minded in attempting to make a steel bow. And they succeeded and all benefited from the experience. And so, what is the problem?
How did they succeed? Did they have a bow that would fire? Yes. Was it comperable to other traditional bows? No. Would it have been practicle or even possible in the era in quesiton? No.
 
How did they succeed? Did they have a bow that would fire? Yes. Was it comperable to other traditional bows? No. Would it have been practicle or even possible in the era in quesiton? No.
How about the era of Samuel, or 2 Kings?

After all, it seems that in both cases it turned out that they were NOT all that practical. They both…ahem…broke.

On the other hand, it seems that the Indians (in India…) made steel bows; I gather that they were rather practical for use in war from horseback–easy to store and quick to use, though not so much for hunting. Mostly they were considered warrior’s weapons.

I understand (though I can’t read German, and could only see the illustration) that there was a “curious Sioux steel bow” referenced in “Traditionell Bogenschiessen” magazine, in its three part series on steel bows in history. I would truly like to know what that’s all about.
 
I understand (though I can’t read German, and could only see the illustration) that there was a “curious Sioux steel bow” referenced in “Traditionell Bogenschiessen” magazine, in its three part series on steel bows in history. I would truly like to know what that’s all about.
Ahem… diana, why don’t, y’know, read up on it and then you can… actually, y’know educate us?
 
I found the article rather positive. First, it shows mormons to be open minded in attempting to make a steel bow. And they succeeded and all benefited from the experience. And so, what is the problem?
I won’t consider them to have succeeded until someone enters an archery competition with a steel bow and doesn’t lose.
 
Ahem… diana, why don’t, y’know, read up on it and then you can… actually, y’know educate us?
Love to…but as I think I mentioned, I don’t read German. 😉

If anybody here does, I’d appreciate the education. (grin)
 
I won’t consider them to have succeeded until someone enters an archery competition with a steel bow and doesn’t lose.
I believe that the ‘competition’ described in the article would count…the bows actually worked. Not great…but I wonder how much of that was the bow design and how much the skill of the archer?

For that matter, I wonder what would happen if people who actually designed bows had a shot at desiging one made of steel? Engineers are all well and good, but…

I’m still trying to figure out where else I can find out about those steel bows mentioned in that German archery magazine.
 
How about the era of Samuel, or 2 Kings?

After all, it seems that in both cases it turned out that they were NOT all that practical. They both…ahem…broke.

On the other hand, it seems that the Indians (in India…) made steel bows; I gather that they were rather practical for use in war from horseback–easy to store and quick to use, though not so much for hunting. Mostly they were considered warrior’s weapons.

I understand (though I can’t read German, and could only see the illustration) that there was a “curious Sioux steel bow” referenced in “Traditionell Bogenschiessen” magazine, in its three part series on steel bows in history. I would truly like to know what that’s all about.
hi diana. kinda like todays day and age. my m-4 is great at close range but stinks at longer targets. and it jams alot. for longer range targets id rather use a berringer 50 cal. or a 30-o6. soldiers are kinda limited. and im sure they were then. hey i went to basic with mitt romneys cousin. go figure.lol! happy thanksgiving to you and yours, and may God bless you.🙂
 
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