bow length

[StickMark]

Please keep discussing this idea of asymmetrical bows. I always appreciate a little clearance on the ground side.

[jayman448]

id like to know how one would tiller such a bow with 12 inches of asymetry... wouldn't that just look terribly out of wack? also seems like a bow that might fail more readily?

[loon]

i dunno lol. the handle shouldn't rotate on the tree, i suppose. and maybe the tips of the bow should always be on a line perpendicular to the arrow more or less
I see two advantages: ground clearance and possibly more stored energy? and I read somewhere that symmetrical bows sometimes take set unevenly on the limbs so you end up having to flip them or something

i think he's a bit too obsessed with the golden ratio, but what do i know..

https://redhawk55.wordpress.com/2010/08/30/asymmetrical-bow-designs-vol-2-in-harmony-with-nature/
http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/23054/old-designs-reloaded-asymmetrical-bows

[Urufu_Shinjiro]

I suppose a good way to learn about asymmetrical bows would be to look at the ultimate asymmetrical bow, the Yumi.

[loon]

apparently they're really hard to shoot properly or something, ie "you have to learn kyudo at a dojo, it absolutely cannot be self taught" wat

[jayman448]

ill be inclined to dispute that. anything can be self taught. youll surely see what works and doesnt work and work on what does
it has to be an alright bow or they wouldnt have bothered using it and come up with something better

[FilipT]

Kyudo is more of a mental discipline and meditative technique then real archery practice. Every Japanese martial art that has "do" in its ending is more focused on the state of the mind and technique then on the application.
In history they had endings in "jutsu" and they were focused on application. So "Kyujutsu", a predecessor of Kyudo was true samurai archery practice.

[bradsmith2010]

I had a bow I made for fun,, my friend broke a a bow, and I had a broken one too,, so I splice the two limbs together,
one limb ,, the bottom was very much shorter,,,, it looked wierd,, but shot great,, I think I have a photo,, let me check

[sleek]

At a recent archery event i had my longer bow break a string on me. I was shooting alright. It was a 35 pound bow made for me by J05h on this site. Sweet little bow. Well, I was carrying with me a back up bow, my going for bankruptcy bow actually. Its 65#@26 and it was 48 ntn before I took 2 inches off the lower limb. My shooting was more affected by the arrows spine than my accuracy. Though I did manage a bukls eye on a very difficult shot. 

Point is, i dont think at all that short bows perform any different than their longer counterparts. And if they do, maybe its the archer or a poor made bow. I have had plenty of folks shoot bankruptcy  and their groops were great.

[loon]

Point is, i dont think at all that short bows perform any different than their longer counterparts. And if they do, maybe its the archer or a poor made bow. I have had plenty of folks shoot bankruptcy  and their groops were great.

Then I suppose a 44" Turkish hornbow would be a perfect hunting bow? :p (or your wood equivalent..)
Good to hear either way.

[sleek]

It would perfectly suit certain hunting situations. The only thing I can think of that would affect accuracy is the string pinch. Now, you can shoot for a while before it gets uncomfortable, and that can throw your shot after a few arrows if you let it. I think the largest contributor is they are more sensitive to a perfect release. With that string angle, plucking the string has more of an effect on the shot due to the ammount of string on your fingers. The best solution is a release of some type. I have shot these short bows tlwith a mechanical compound release and my accuracy get damn near surgical.

[loon]

huh.. maybe that'd be a good way to tune them for loose grip?

[sleek]

Not certain what you mean? Id like to add, folks are pretty accurate with a slingshot, and those are shorter than any bow, and their handle is below the point of draw. If I were to shoot an arrow from one with a three finger draw id be aweful. But if i pinch draw, taking string pinch and any form problems away, my shots are great. 

I say again, im very certain poor release with high string pinch is the problem with short bow accuracy.

[jayman448]

that makes a ton of sense sleek. all the theory in the world wont really matter i guess tho. ill just end up trying out a longer bow and see how it goes.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Thee best archers around the world from the past and present shoot long bows relative to their draw length. Be it the Olympics or hunting, what else needs said or proven?