Author Topic: Bend-through-the-handle recurve?  (Read 12909 times)

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Offline Qwill

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Bend-through-the-handle recurve?
« on: February 21, 2012, 12:35:24 am »
Has anyone tried this, other than a sinew shortbow? I have a piece of vine maple that is about 56 inches long, 1.75 wide that I'm tempted to recurve just to see, but I don't want to have a stiff handle on one so short. Any thoughts? Oh, I prefer not to sinew, but I'll settle on a shorter draw.

TurtleCreek

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Re: Bend-through-the-handle recurve?
« Reply #1 on: February 21, 2012, 01:53:21 am »
  I don't have any experience making what you're describing, but it sounds like the Cayuga bow on page 52 of The Encyclopedia of Native American Bows, Arrows, and Quivers(Steve Allely and Jim Hamm) is pretty darn close to what you're talking about.  They have it described as a deflex/reflex and 56 5/16 inches.  Hope this helps

Offline Pat B

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Re: Bend-through-the-handle recurve?
« Reply #2 on: February 21, 2012, 02:05:17 am »
A few years ago some of the guys here on PA got together and built a "Cayuga" style bow and raffled it off. It is a pretty simple design but a very effective bow. This one had coral snake covered tips.  8)
 I built a 60" red elm static recurve last year that bends through the handle at full draw. It was in the area of 50#@28"(tillered to 29")
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

blackhawk

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Re: Bend-through-the-handle recurve?
« Reply #3 on: February 21, 2012, 09:16:20 am »
If you do your part correctly,then you can take that stick out to half its length easy. Now you do the math  :P

Offline coaster500

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Re: Bend-through-the-handle recurve?
« Reply #4 on: February 21, 2012, 11:18:31 am »
I saw this one a while back...  cool little bow...

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php?topic=20404.0
Inspiration, information and instruction by the ton and it's free,,, such a deal :)

Offline Qwill

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Re: Bend-through-the-handle recurve?
« Reply #5 on: February 21, 2012, 11:37:01 am »
Thanks for the info, guys.  Is there any chance you can direct me to photos of the bow you guys built, PatB?  I'm determined to try this, and I think I've got the right piece of wood for it.

Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Bend-through-the-handle recurve?
« Reply #6 on: February 21, 2012, 11:43:36 am »
I built one last year withg osage. I had to put rawhide down because a splinter popped on me during tillering. Its 57" ntn, 54# @ 28". If you go to the Campfire section and check out Clints post about new bowyers gpoing to the classic you will see a pic of mine at full draw. I kilt a deer with it last fall.
Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline Pat B

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Re: Bend-through-the-handle recurve?
« Reply #7 on: February 21, 2012, 11:54:04 am »
These are the best pics I have of the Cayuga bow we built. I only did one portion of the build and sent on to the next guy.








Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Pat B

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Re: Bend-through-the-handle recurve?
« Reply #8 on: February 21, 2012, 12:07:04 pm »
This is a bend through the handle osage recurve I built a few years back.


...and a 60" bendy handle elm static recurve I built...


...and another 60" bendy handle osage static recurve...
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Bend-through-the-handle recurve?
« Reply #9 on: February 21, 2012, 02:16:46 pm »
WOAH, nice.
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline Qwill

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Re: Bend-through-the-handle recurve?
« Reply #10 on: February 21, 2012, 03:17:20 pm »
Def-def-definately going to do the recurve. Those were (to quote Tommy Boy) Awesome!!! Hey, wait, I got two movie references in...Never mind. Long day....

Offline Qwill

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Re: Bend-through-the-handle recurve?
« Reply #11 on: February 21, 2012, 04:11:20 pm »
Okay, I keep coming back to look at these bows. Thanks for the pictures. These little guys are the type of bows I got into this sport for.

Offline Qwill

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Re: Bend-through-the-handle recurve?
« Reply #12 on: February 22, 2012, 06:28:01 pm »
I've got my bow recurves bent. It's currently 51 inches, tip-to-tip. Is 26 inch draw too much to shoot for (a ha ha..) with Vine Maple, without backing?

Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Bend-through-the-handle recurve?
« Reply #13 on: February 22, 2012, 06:34:52 pm »
I say its way too short with or without a backing, but that is just an opinion. If its 51" ttt you will be hard pressed to get 49 1/2 ntn, add some recurves in there and you have 16-18" of working limb for a 26" draw.
Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline Qwill

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Re: Bend-through-the-handle recurve?
« Reply #14 on: February 22, 2012, 11:53:20 pm »
So you're saying I'm losing 10 inches to recurves?