Proper handle design for a D bow

[DanaM]

Ok guys what yer take on a properly constructed bendy handle D bow? More specifically the handle area.
No cut-ins at the handle area no fades. I'm lost I guess on this one.
I've seen bendy handle pyramid bows posted on here that had fairly deep cut-ins.
Perhaps someone could post pics and enlighten me.

DanaM

[tom sawyer]

You're just taking a chance when you use a deep cut-in on a bendy handle bow.  Not to say it won't work, just a higher probability that you'll see a crack develop in the fade that will travel into the limb.

For a bendy handle bow, you can either (1)not change the shape at all from the limbs, or  (2) you can shape it modestly (like narrowing from 1.5" to 1.25") and over a couple inches on either side.  Gradual narrowing, gradual thickening.  This way you don't have a lot of fibers in one place that are cut off from the rest of the limb.  Sometimes you leave this handle a bit stiffer too, a semi-bendy handle.

[Hillbilly]

If I make a bow that bends through the handle, I don't want to cut in a handle or fades at all, seems like a good place for a break to start. With most D-bows, the handle is usually the widest part of the bow. I have seen bows that bend slightly through the handle with narrow grips, like the west-coast NA designs, but they are usually heavily backed with sinew. You can get away with a narrower bow if it bends through the handle and is preferably a little long.

[tom sawyer]

Just saw the discussion on the other thread.  I agree with Pat that you don't need 2" width on a bendy bow, even a white wood (OK pine is an exception).  You're on the right track with the gradual change of shape, also leaving the handle area a bit stiff also helps some.  More wood holding things together.  Rounding edges also helps in my opinion.  Again, this is changing where fibers end and staggering the ends a bit.  It all helps.

[DanaM]

Thanks guys, I think I was trying for to much bend in the handle thats why it split.
Ain't making bows fun, as has been said before you learn more from the failures than the successes!

DanaM

[Coo-wah-chobee]

        Dana......leave about 8 " in the handle area alone. Work rest of bow and then work 8" VERY slowly an carefully so it just barely bends. Forget handles. rests ,cutouts and all that other stuff...................bob

[tom sawyer]

They're some painful lessons, I agree.  Unfortunately, seems like the lessons other people tell you about never sink in quite like personal tragedy.  And I remember my broken bows better than my successful ones, why is that?

[DanaM]

Everyone loves tragedies

Dana

[George Tsoukalas]

It's possible to tiller a bow to bend through the handle and fades even on a narrow handled bow. I've done it often. On bend through the handle D bows, especially from boards, I leave them 3/4 thick and 1.5 wide.  When tillered they appear to be stiff handled bows but they bend. So let's say I want to make a bow 1.75 inches wide bow and let the handle and fades  bend. BTW 1.75 wide is pushing it as far as arrow paradox. It's tough to find an arrow that will bend around that wide a bow. I modify the handle in 1/4 inch increments. So I'll make  the handle 1.5 wide and 1 inch thick or 1.25 wide and 1.25 inches thick. These handles and fades will bend just a bit to make a shorter bow safe. Jawge

[Justin Snyder]

Question.....Since bows with perfectly lined up tips and handles are rare. Wouldn't it make more sense to move the tips slightly to the side or use the natural tip alignment to limit archers paradox?  Then you wouldn't have to narrow the handle.  Justin

[Pat B]

Justin, Wouldn't that add excess stress to one side of each limb and reduce the life of the bow.  I know we all think about doing this with every bow but for argument sake what do you think?     Pat

[Justin Snyder]

Yea Pat, you are probably right, on both counts.
1. Purposefully leaving the limb tips out of alignment is probably contradictory to all our attempts to make a better bow. 
2. Bendy handle bows probably don't need to be very wide. Therefore there is no reason to narrow the handle.       Justin

[Pat B]

Damn, I'm good!      Pat

[Justin Snyder]

I wonder if PA sells hats in XXXXL.  Justin

[koan]

I have made 2 bend in the handle bows out of osage, both of them 1 1/8 wide, both 50# give or take a couple #'s. One tracks just a little to arrow rest side the other is right down the center, parodox is much more prevailent on the one that is off center ? Sooo, I'm not sure I buy into offcenter thing, but then I've only built a couple....Oh and the center shot smokes arrows off and the other is pretty slow in comparison.....Brian