Recurves: Are they worth the work?

[WhistlingBadger]

I've been re-reading the TBB volumes, and I'm a bit baffled by all the different views on recurves.  Some writers say they're mostly just for looks, and that a well-designed, tin-tipped straight bow will shoot every bit as well as a 'curve, or even better because recurves require more mass in the tips.  Others say they will make a bow faster, or that their primary benefit is reducing string angle on short bows. 

So, once and for freakin' all, what exactly do recurves do?  What are the advantages over well-designed straight bows?  Are they worth the extra work, risk of breakage?

I'm asking because I've pounded up some sinew, and I'm going to cut some juniper as soon as I'm feeling better (covid kicked my tail last week), and I'm thinking about recurving the tips...and after further reading I'm wondering if it's worth it.  Any empirical insights appreciated!   

[Del the cat]

They do 2 things:-
1. Increase the poundage required to brace the bow. This increases the stored energy (area under the force draw curve).
2. Improves the string angle (angle of tip and string) at full draw, this helps to avoid stacking which can accur when the angle get greater than 90 degrees.
BUT... you don't get 'owt for n'owt... what you gain in early poundage you can lose in potential draw length. This doesn't matter if you are drawing say 26"... but if you are drawing 30" then the bow may be overstressed.
Lake all of this stuff it's compromises... if the bow is short, you may not be able to give it recurve. Do you like long bows or do you want a compact hunting bow...?
Del
PS...oh and they look pretty 

[gutpile]

I don't recurve for looks.. I recurve for additional speed. if anyone downplays the effect they aren't doing it right. My curves are all static. My bows are usually short.. 58 to 62.. 26.5 draw.. gut

[timmyd]

Well in my opinion nothing grabs my attention like a recurve. They just look sooo good...that being said I've only made one and I finished it at Tennessee classic last year and gave it away in a bow trade. Had diamondback skins on it to boot. I will make another...maybe at this year's classic

[WhistlingBadger]

PS...oh and they look pretty 

They DO!  They seem to be a prereq for winning BOM, so there's that, too.  ha ha

Thanks for the tips, guys.  Might go ahead and give it a shot.  Gut, what design characteristics do I need to go for to gain speed?  This is probably going to be about 58-60", sinew-backed juniper.

[Gordon]

I'll recurve the outer limbs for a short stiff handled bow to improve string angle. But I don't think it is worth the trouble for longer bows unless you are into that look.

[sleek]

It depends. The shorter the bow and longer the draw, the more a recurve makes sense.

[Selfbowman]

I’ve only built a handful. But if you make the recurve work and bend it makes them fast for sure. If it is static it helps by making the bow gain more energy at the first part of the draw. I have shot the same arrow out of a flipped tip longbow, a static recurve and a working recurve. All 245 yds give or take a few yds. So yes if you are trying to break records. If you want a good shooting dependable bow go with a 67” ten inch handle pyramid with 2-3” of flipped tips in the last 9”. Keep the ends light as possible and they will be fast. Now here comes the other side I’m sure. But that’s ok ! Cause I sure don’t know it all. As far as bow of the month . Well  I know a guy that broke the broadhead flight record by thirty yds with a recurve and could not win bow of the month. So don’t worry about all that and build a couple and decide for your self. Arvin🤠

[sleek]

I’ve only built a handful. But if you make the recurve work and bend it makes them fast for sure. If it is static it helps by making the bow gain more energy at the first part of the draw. I have shot the same arrow out of a flipped tip longbow, a static recurve and a working recurve. All 245 yds give or take a few yds. So yes if you are trying to break records. If you want a good shooting dependable bow go with a 67” ten inch handle pyramid with 2-3” of flipped tips in the last 9”. Keep the ends light as possible and they will be fast. Now here comes the other side I’m sure. But that’s ok ! Cause I sure don’t know it all. As far as bow of the month . Well  I know a guy that broke the broadhead flight record by thirty yds with a recurve and could not win bow of the month. So don’t worry about all that and build a couple and decide for your self. Arvin🤠

I have been working hard to stay on your heels with my recurves vs your long straight bows. A final answer will be available next year in the salt flats

[organic_archer]

Made a handful of recurves and decided it wasn’t worth it for me personally. It improves string angle on a short bow, but the rest seems pretty negligible. Wasn’t a big fan of the forms, cracks/splinters, alignment, and other possible quirks of recurving the limbs. I prefer the look of a long, straight-limbed bow and can shoot more accurately with them anyway!

[High-Desert]

I’m a big fan of recurves. I like math and woodworking, so any time I can complicate something, I will, and recurves are great for that. What I got from the TBB was that a straight can shoot as fast as a recurve if made “properly.” When you made a recurve, extra mass is required in order to take the extra strain. With a straight limb, you can reduce that mass which makes up for the added benefits of a recurve.  Of course this is all true if you work in a perfect world and like to push limits. I’d say go for the recurve, they really add something to a bow.

[bownarra]

I doubt a straight limbed bow can match the best recurves. A very well made static recurve will out shoot a very well made straight limbed bow (with a heavy arrow) by about 5 - 10fps.

[sleek]

I doubt a straight limbed bow can match the best recurves. A very well made static recurve will out shoot a very well made straight limbed bow (with a heavy arrow) by about 5 - 10fps.

I'm with you on that, but for the most part the average guy won't notice the difference, which is why recurves don't typically get the credit they deserve. Also it's not uncommon for them to not be built or tillered right to take advantage of their potential.

[simk]

just make a straight bow and chrono it. then recurve it an retiller to equal drawweight. chrono again with same arrow.
I did and the recurved bow outshoot the straight bow by 10fps. however the straight limbed version was not fully optimized on the outers with a bit too much mass that was needed for the curves later. Despite this I'm sure there was a significant advantage for the recurved bow.
Still I'm not sure weather a recurved bow is always fastest. My impression is that overall reflex is most important. A straight limbed bow with same overall reflex like the challenging recurve might not be slower.
I like the smooth draw of a recurve.
cheers

[BowEd]

I've bent a lot of tips from 30 degrees to 70 degrees angle.I've made a handful of static recurves.Even more working recurves.More yet of straight limb tipped self bows with most all of them that I use retaining some sort of reflex of 2 to 4 inches.
Usually test them all and in short not worth the effort and I'll explain why I feel this way.
The straight limbed bows come in for me only a few feet per second slower.That's not to say only a few feet per second slower than my higher reflexed bows of 6" or more which will shoot at least 10 feet per second faster,and visibly faster to the naked eye.
Speaking from a hunters' perspective through long durations of sitting in cold weather for a shot sometimes, and when the shot arrives it's in a more awkward position the straight limbed bows are a lot more pleasant and accurate for me to shoot.In short when hunting that is no.1.Way different than standing comfortably at a shooting range shooting at targets.I mentioned cold weather because when sitting for hours your muscles can get stiff.
The few feet per second extra from a recurve does not help if the arrow is'nt in the right spot and is'nt going to make any difference to me or the deer or Robin as far as penetration goes either.
To me there is nothing more eye catching than a well performing simple straight limbed self bow.