I am admittedly late to the party. My web and literature oriented research has led me to a realization...or confusion. While reading about a simple American Indian style bow I found it to be described as a D bow; the article went on to characterize its cross section shape as rectangular. While reading about an English long bow it too was described as a D bow, further stating that the shape was the initial one carved from a yew log so that the greatest number of bows could be constructed from each available piece of wood; the curved portion of the D was the inner part of the log, the outer part becoming the back of the bow and the flat part of the letter. Is it correct that the former describes the bow at full draw having the shape of the letter"D" when at full draw and the latter describes the cross section appearance of the bow? I want to learn the language you guys are using correctly so please reply, as elementary as this may be.
