To recurve or not to recurve . . . that is the question

[smoke]

Time to start my winter project on an osage stave that has been patiently waiting for me to make it into a bow.  It is long and straight and I'd like a fast-shooting hunting bow - emphasis on fast.  So the question is: Do I make a recurve or not.  Thoughts?

[bradsmith2010]

Recurves can be a little faster,,.not always,,
,.I've hunted with recurve and straight and like both,.

[Pat B]

I've found my recurves only slightly faster than my straight limb bows. To get the full affects of the recurves you will have to shorten the bow and recurves, especially short recurves can be more difficult to shoot and control. A longer, straight limb bow will be way more forgiving and stable. I guess it would depend on your hunting method, ground, tree, commercial blind or homemade blind or stalking.

[jeffp51]

avoiding set will give you the fastest bow most of the time with a wooden bow, but there are lots and lots of factors that can affect speed.  Read up in the flight bow section.  for them speed is everything.  I make mostly recurved bows because I like how they look.

[bradsmith2010]

its a tough call,,,

[SLIMBOB]

There is no “right” answer. All the above points are valid. Flip the tips a bit on a 66” +- bow. You don’t have a “recurve” by definition, but you will get some benefit without much down side. Just another option to consider.

[bassman]

My reflex deflex bows end up most of the time the same as a straight limb bow any how with maybe a little better string angle. If I lay the bow on it's back on a flat surface the tip nocks are even with back of the handle.I am Ok with that with a  58, 60 or,62 inch bow at 25.5 to 26 inches of draw at 45 lbs. for hunting. No set ,but no real reflex either. Some of my best shooters end up that way. I shoot for 2 inches of reflex ,but rarely get it. For speed ,and smoothness of draw it seems to be the best compromise for me.

[kbear]

I have never made a reflex before. It's something I am working towards, but saving for a shorter stave of around 64". I am reluctant to sacrifice any of my 66-72" staves for what, for all intents and purposes, would be an experiment on my behalf.

Personally speaking, I would aim towards a 66" (not so long so as to reduce efficiency, not so short as to reduce reliability) slightly reflexed (1 1/2" only) flatbow with real skinny tips.

I am not a real big fan of the the look of Andaman/Mollegabet style of lever bows, though they reportedly shoot real fast, and is probably more suited to lesser woods where width is a virtue. (Lesser then Osage, is like all other woods, barring except maybe Yew)

Maybe more of a Holmegaard style with a gentle limb taper for like 2/3 limb length, then an increased taper to pencil thin tips for the last third. The inner 2/3 would do most of the work of course, so the outers would be mostly stiff. Same principle as a lever bow, but to my eye, much more pleasing. If you limit your handle/fades to 6" it gives you more working limb.

The Mass Principle described in TBB4 would contribute to the bows speed also. Osage does not need to be real wide, a little side tillering can remove mass with minimal poundage......

[Selfbowman]

Pat B said it well. I don’t like recurved bows that much anyway. My fastest bows are long bows anyway. Arvin

[aznboi3644]

I vote for narrow low mass stiff tips. I’m a straight bow guy.  Recurves aren’t worth the trouble to me.  Maybe slightly flipped tips.

[bjrogg]

What is your draw length? I like some reflex and short static recurves. I have a short draw and I like the early string tension. I think you can make a very nice, plenty fast straight hunting bow though.
Bjrogg

[bradsmith2010]

I too have a short draw, bout 25,, so a nice slightly recurved short bow,, say 54 inches,, is long enough I can  hit something with it,, but short enough to shoot in a tight space too,, I hunt with a straight tip 54 inch now, I was just too lazy to make a recurve,,

[Marc St Louis]

Recurves can be quite fast with the right design.  If a fast hunting bow is what you want then relatively short, for the draw length, will be better but it will suffer if you're going to do a fair bit of target practice.  You can split the difference and make the bow a bit longer in which case it will tolerate more target shooting but won't be quite as fast.  For me a hunting recurve would be around 64" on a 28" draw.  I wouldn't do a lot of target shooting with a bow like this

[Mafort]

Keep it long as possible and make your tips as narrow as possible. This will help with speed and allow you to have the length for accuracy