Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Kegan on January 18, 2009, 04:40:02 pm
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I'm slowly narrowing in on the style of bow and handle that suits me best. I just wondered, thinking it would be a fun thread, beyond quietness and durbaility, what qualitites do you look for when you build a bow? It seems that stability, ease in arrow tuning, and fast cast are what I'm looking for most when I build my bows, with good looks usually heavily on my mind as well.
How about you? What do you "build into" your bows?
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Lately I've been getting into putting reflex/deflex into my bows.I really like the speed and cast I get when I do this. I also like a longer bow 65-68 inches long. They seem to perform better for me, and be easier to tune and get to shoot quiet.I also like a bow that is physically light weight and about 50-55 lb draw a 26. But thats just me.
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I haven't been building bows for long but, I prefer longer bows - 68-70"- D-styled, and I like the handle narrowed to about 1 1/4." This seems to shoot best for me.
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I love a bow that feels lite in your hand and looks good. I also haven't been building for long but I seem to be building shorter and shorter every time. Quiet is also on the list.
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1.Free/Cheap ;D
2.Light in the hand(like vine maple)
3.Wood that can handle being made into a short bow(less than 60'')
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After tryin several different styles I still gotta go with my short, bend in the handle bow. The downside to this is my arrows gotta be matched well. Second choice would be a bulbous handle with a little reflex in the tips and about 60" long....Brian
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I like them about 60/62 Flat bow 4 1/2 in. handle,speed is OK but the main thing is smooth,no stacking.In the low 50's. Somewhat center shot also helps. I like them with hooks or bends in the
handle to help with this,without having to cut into the handle. :)
Pappy
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good looking and nice to my hand when i shoot it are the most important to me. i ussually shoot heavy telephone poles so as long as it is halfway fast i have plenty when it gets there. would like to shorten em up a bit, since 68" is my shortest so far. can't complain though, they shoot good.
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I would be happy to build one that stayed together ;) but for a hunting bow i like them shorter 58 or 60 inches with a strong pull 60 plus ... the important thing for me is little hand shock smooth shooting...Hawk
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Well it seems that my favorite type of bow to hunt with is about 64" ntn and pulls about 50 # @ 27" with a narrow rounded semi-locator type grip and arrow shelf. It needs to shoot 550 grain arrows flat out to about 20 yards and have absolutley no handshock. When it comes to target shooting I like to fool around with about any and every design and wood out there.
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As I build each bow, they are getting shorter, lighter, and all around smaller while retaining draw weight. I really love these little things. They are looking like toys and more like the NA bows I have read about and examined. I held a couple Nez Perce bows a few months ago: one is a replica made by Yellow Wolf (for McWorter) of the weapon he lost in battle at Whitebird. Amazing little thing. I love the freedom of roaming in search of game with a very light bow. Just feels good to be in the hills carrying one. Dave
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Light in hand and well balanced for me. I like a self bow, 60" to 64" long, symmetrically laid out flatbow, 55#@26", bulbous handle and a floppy rest. Most of my arrows are hardwood shoots or cane around 600gr with stone or trade points...although I also use Grizzly or Wensel Woodsman broadheads.
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I don't actually have a perfect bow but I'm working on it. :) Jawge
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One that Bends....and don't Break!!!!
;D
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one that bends without breaking,and kills every animal i loose an arrow towards ;D
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It's great to see the wide variety! No wonder BOM is such a tough pick every month!
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I go for speed and high tension at brace (so, low set :)), on my short D-bows.
Most of my bows are between 48-54".
I've been adding recurves to my bows lately. I love the look of a short recurve, especially with no handle. ;D
Sean
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I like a bow that is dead in the hand and fast but dont we all. :) Also has to hit exactly where I want it to every time with any arrow. I'll let you know when I find it :)
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RyanO and I seem to like the same style bow except I like mine around 60#, close to center-shot and 28", but able to pull a little farther.
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1. Short, something like 2x draw length + 4 to 6inches
2. No String Follow
3. Zero Handshock
4. Efficient Limbs in my opinion means the entire bow bends, and through the handle too.
5. Flat, Flat, Flat.
6. Cherry Bark.
7. 52-65#
8. Any kind of character in grain or bark is always a bonus.
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My preferred bow seems to always be the one I just made ;D
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46" nock to nock, 1-1/2" wide, sinew backed, 4" brace height, and 45lb @ 20"+. I would like to get as much draw length as possible....without changing anything else.....and that's my focus when I build a bow these days. I'm hoping to get a 26" draw with one of my short bows someday. That would be sweet. ;D I also like bows in the 70lb-80lb range but I'll have to go wider than 1-1/2" for that weight. For now, I'll stick to 45lb.
I've gotten the best results with juniper in humid weather and with hickory in dry weather. I've had mixed results with osage.
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Kegan ,I've been reading these replies,and trying to come up with one favorite.But I can't.I'll say this though.Even with all the variations of my bows,(that I regularly use),there are some common characteristics.I like a bow to hold a little reflex.Slightly flipped tips,as narrow as I can get away with,and light in the hand.It must have that" point-a-bility" factor.Smooth draw,with little or no hand shock,and good speed.And,since a great deal of my shooting is hunting,it must be silent.The bows I shoot the most are from 55'' to 68'' long,with a draw weight of 50# to 60#.Neat thread. God Bless
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Quiet as mouses whisper, shoots where I look and drag thru the rocks, bushes, swamps durability..............bob
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Jackcrafty. 46 ntn :o Your a brave man ;D
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I like all bows but my favorite is the ancient Holmiigard style, wide flat limbs to mid limb going ifiel tower shape to ultra narrow barely bending outer limbs and tips 64 to 70 inches long in the 60Pound range @ 28" but safe to 30" This is a stable, fast, quiet, bow with no hand shock and comes close to a flight bow just depending on how much safety and durabality you build into it. I want the outer limbs to bend just enough that you know you got rid of all the mass possible, the inner limbs can be wide enough to do the bending with out taking undue set wich would turn into too much string follow at the tips. I like a longer bow for all the reasons Howard Hill did. Kenneth
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Jesse, not brave, just stubborn. ;D I just don't like working a stave that is longer than 4ft.
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selfbows and sinew backed. Maximum lenght 48" and max draw with sinew 24". without sinew somewhere around 21-22. The bow's middle section can be a tiny bit narrower than the widest point of the bow, but usually I use bows which are 3-3.5 cm wide from the handle and papering to 1-2 cm nocks. draw weight somewhere around 45-60#.
I started my bow hobby with short bows, and I see no reason why to change it. And then there is the romance and the history part of it.
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Like David Long's, my bows have been getting smaller, shorter and lighter. Long, wide bows are just too much trouble! Nowadays my sticks are 46 - 50" long, up to 1.25" wide, bend-through-the-handle style. 4.5" brace, pulling 35-50# at 20-23". Bows I can take anywhere with me. Bows that negotiate the tighest brush with ease. Bows that look good on the wall. Bows that I can find materials for just about anywhere.
Tuukka
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Thick, long, narrow tips, short handle, leather arrow rest (If any), 60- 66" NTN, 1 1/4- 1 3/4" at fades/ dyed or stained to look old. Flat back or, if crowned, with 2-3 layers of sinew. Fast is good, quiet with no hand shock is better. 50- 60" at 28". Getting away from traditional leather covered handles, and using more leather and superglue laminations to create comfortable grips ie dished, rounded.