Just curious

[RyanY]

My understanding is that a 5 curve bow is a gull wing style bow with recurved/reflexed tips. The reflexed handle and reflexed tips account for three of the curves and the bend in the limbs accounts for the other two.

[George Tsoukalas]

It is nice to use terminology we can agree on so we know what we are talking about. My understanding is that it is a gull wing too. Don't see what else it can be. Jawge

[johnston]

Like most of my bow language the term "5 curve" was picked up right here. I simply
don't know enough to really care what some things should be called and don't care
if I never learn them.

I make bows so that I can shoot them. Never will be as good as I want to be but
enjoy trying. I really don't enjoy making bows and if I had me a bow from Pearlie
and one from twistedlimbs I might never make another.

My one "complaint" with the TBB series was that it never really got basic enough to
define terms that were unfamiliar to beginners. In fact , George's site probably
helped me get started more than any other single source. Thanks , George. Gull
wing it is.

Lane

[toomanyknots]

I would NOT recommend tillering in(purposely inducing set) the desired profile. 

I agree, I think? Although I don't know what you mean by "tillering in". I don't think anyone purposely tillers in set, set just happens. (I'm thinking this is in response to where I explained how a 5 curve bow profile can be created by tillering a very reflexed stave in the mid limbs and leaving the handle and tips stiff. I have did this a couple times, and sometimes not even on purpose, like I think pearldrums was talking about.) None of the bows I have made in this way came out anything like limb noodles, and I think if you are making the statement that constructing a bow with a nonworking handle and stiff tips will in anyway guarantee a "limb noodle" bow, than I just can't agree with you for reasons that are hopefully obvious. Although, I think I might be confused as to what you are saying Gundoc, as I do agree that there is no need to purposely induce set, such as pre-bend the curves in the middle of the limbs that will form naturally as the bow is tillered. 

[Josh B]

 First of all Ryoon described a five curve perfectly.  Lane- don't take this the wrong way, your bow is a nice piece of work and I'm not knocking it or you.  Nothing but respect for you, but your bow doesn't have a setback handle.  The setback handle is what makes a gullwing, gullwing  with recurves= five curve.  I know you just stated that you don't care, but this could very well be the r/d bow George was referring to as being called a five curve.  Just clearing up the confusion.

TMK-  set is from overworking the wood until it deforms and does not spring back to its shape before you  started straining it.  If you heat in the bend, that is only deflexing it.  There is a big difference.  If you heat in the midlimb deflex, the wood is still resilient and snappy(for lack of a better word) .  If you only tiller a smaller section to bend while the rest of the bow is static (hinge)  so that the working portion stays bent after the strain is relieved, that is set.  That means the belly wood has been crushed and the result is a sluggish return to brace.  Josh

[soy]

Lot of good points here, r/d, gull wing, and 5 curve are simlar but dose a gull wing bend in the handle? Seams needles to argue ...but a deflex and a set in limb will have a difference in cast no mayyer what name you use

[Josh B]

TMK- I reread your post several times.  If you're saying that the braced profile will resemble  a gullwing , but return to straight limbs with a reflexed handle.  Then I agree.  I thought you were trying to induce a permanent unbraced gullwing profile through set.  If it was the former opposed to the latter, then I apologize for the misunderstanding.  Josh

[toomanyknots]

TMK- I reread your post several times.  If you're saying that the braced profile will resemble  a gullwing , but return to straight limbs with a reflexed handle.  Then I agree.  I thought you were trying to induce a permanent unbraced gullwing profile through set.  If it was the former opposed to the latter, then I apologize for the misunderstanding.  Josh

Oh it's fine, I apologize if I was the one misunderstanding you,  . And thank you for the clarification, I appreciate that.

[johnston]

Josh that is why I called my bow a "semi" 5 curve. It was one that evolved from
a straight bow because of acquired set. All I did was flip the tips and re tiller.

I really admire you fellas that truly know what you are doing. But I don't envy
you your bowyer's skills. I have made 22 shooter's and all are basic sticks
and strings. The simple non technical approach to primitive hunting weapons
is a thing of pure pleasure for me. Don't want to spoil it with knowledge or
too much seriousness.

Btw...your 5 curve trade bow was no less than functional art. Awesome work.

Lane

[Carson (CMB)]

Let me just say that I got to shoot Josh's (Gun Doc) 5 curve prairie rattler (thanks Weylin ), and Josh knows what he is doing.  That bow had not a sluggish fiber in it.  I see Josh's differentiation of induced deflex via heat, and tillered in deflex via set as a very valid distinction.

Back to the main topic of this thread...terms.  I first thought "flipped tips" meant that you switched which limb was upper and lower!    I see "set-back" used in older magazine articles and thereds to refer to reflex, but almost never see anyone on here use the term set-back. Language shifts through time..that is why I cant understand old english archery literature...

[George Tsoukalas]

johnston, you are welcome. Glad you used my site.
soy, yes a gull wing is set back in the handle.
Jawge

[Traxx]

Ryoon,Described it perfectly.

I think the term became popular and more widespread,with the Video of Ed Scott.

[soy]

I know it os set back but dose it bend through the handle when drawn???
I was under the impression a gull wing was a nonbending while a 5curvegood was more of a bend through the handle while a r/d had no setback in the handle and was non bending.....bear with me as it takes a while some days for the fog to clear

[George Tsoukalas]

That I don't know but will check the literature asap. Jawge

[Traxx]

A gull wing,5 curve or a D/R,can be either working or static risered.Its the unbraced shape,that determines it.Incidently,i see the Term Reflex/Deflex,used often to describe,the popular shape,of most modern bows today.R/D,is actually,a gull wing bow.Deflex/Reflex,is more proper,for the style,as the riser deflexes toward the fades.Does that create more confusion?LOL