Front profile

[DC]

Is the choice of the front profile purely aesthetic? I realise each one has its own tillering needs but parallel, leaf shaped, pyramid etc. Does one do different things than the others. Just keep it to straight bows, I realise that recurves like a little width at the end to counter twist.

[Del the cat]

Oooooh... don't start me on this one!   
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,45989.msg625332.html#msg625332
Del

[DC]

This isn't about tiller, it's just about the shape itself. You can tiller it any way you please.

[Del the cat]

This isn't about tiller, it's just about the shape itself. You can tiller it any way you please.

Au contraire 
It's all about tiller, but you can have it any shape you like 
Del

[George Tsoukalas]

IMHO, a pyramid bow should be tillered to bend more where the wood is widest which  is the near handle area resulting in a more circular tiller.

Conversely, a stave with parallel limbs should have an elliptical tiller.

All of this is to diminish set.

Jawge

[SLIMBOB]

Agree with jawge. The front profile does matter to me. If I can keep the midlimbs from taking set by keeping them a tad wider, and I can, then it’s worth considering. Once that decision is made you can fret over tiller shape.

[PatM]

 A agree with Del.  I've never bought the tiller/front profile matching theory.

[DC]

But this question is not about the tiller. It's just about the front profile shape. Is it just cosmetic or is there a reason for choosing pyramid over parallel or vice versa.

[SLIMBOB]

My opinion, yes it matters irrespective of the tiller shape.  I did straight pyramids in all my early bows.  It worked fine on many, but some took set midlimb especially if I stiffened and recurved the tips.  By widening the width of the limb mid limb, it minimized that problem.  On my early Hackberry bows set was a real problem.  I now carry the width out nearly to the tips, like a Meare Heath type design.  That and a better understanding of the benefits of heat tempering....My Hackberry takes no more set than any other woods.....Then we get into the whole "tiller should match the front profile"kerfuffle.  Del might swallow his pipe if we get to deep into that topic.  (I don't know if Del smokes a pipe, but it sounds so utterly ...British).

[bradsmith2010]

i think it might be a consideration,, depending on the type of wood,,
for example, hickhory might like being a little wider ,, than osage,, some profiles giving a higher rate of succes with certain types of wood,,
as seen ,, most woods can make a pretty good bow with a profile not normally used,,,hickory can make a narrow long bow,, but yew might make a better narrow long bow,, etc etc,,etc,,

sometimes I choose a wider profile,, if I am making draw long for the length of wood,,

[PatM]

 Depends how hard you want to work the wood.     
 
 Jim Davis will be here shortly to espouse the pyramid as the only necessary bow design.

[SLIMBOB]

Tim Baker as well I believe.

[Woodely]

Pyramid bows are all about obtaining proper tiller: Correct..??  Personally I do not like the looks of Pyramid bows.   I never build a bow wider than 1 7/16"  -  1 9/16"..  As far as twist goes if I cant correct it,  the bow hangs on the wall of shame. 

[bradsmith2010]

 

[SLIMBOB]

Cmon Brad. This was your turn. 🤔