Traditional bow recommendations please

[Lupis]

I've been toying with the idea of a traditional bow on and off for a while and the archery thread has only
fueled that, so I was hoping you good people could give me some recommendations? Ideally I'd be looking
for something in the American flatbow style, not really after a longbow, draw length is 28", draw weight
around 40# to 45# probably. I could go higher but this is for shooting a lot, so don't want to go too high.
Budget is around £300. I have been looking longingly at the Border bows but really can't justify paying about
£700+! Other than not wanting a longbow I'm not too set on style, I do like the aesthetics of recurves though.
So does anyone have a traditional bow that they really enjoy shooting that they would recommend to me?
All ideas welcome.

 

[Cromm]

Hi, there are alot of bows out there to buy, it depends on if you can get to an archery club beforehand, do you have any near you ?

 

[mountainm]

Falco bows are lovely. Well within your budget. Remember to factor in arrows (expensive), quiver etc.

 

[Lupis]

Hi, there are alot of bows out there to buy, it depends on if you can get to an archery club beforehand, do you have any near you ?

Yeah, I'm a member of a field archery club.

 

[Lupis]

Falco bows are lovely. Well within your budget. Remember to factor in arrows (expensive), quiver etc.

Thanks, I'll check them out. I already have arrows, quiver etc. Not traditional but
they'll do to start with.

 

[Cromm]

Then I would say to ask at the club and see if you can meet up and have a play.
Lots of people buy a bow fast to just have a bow, then see other bows and wish they had just waited a bit before buying. As had been said you will have to get arrows, I would buy the parts and make them yourself instead of buying them ready made of the web.

 

[Lupis]

Then I would say to ask at the club and see if you can meet up and have a play.
Lots of people buy a bow fast to just have a bow, then see other bows and wish they had just waited a bit before buying. As had been said you will have to get arrows, I would buy the parts and make them yourself instead of buying them ready made of the web.

There're only a couple of guys that shoot traditional style bows at my club, the rest are all modern recurves and compounds. I wouldn't want to risk their bows as they are quite short guys and have short draw lengths so trying them is out, unfortunately.

 

[Cromm]

Ok, so are you after a fiberglass and wood bow or a self / wood backed bow?

 

[santaman2000]

There're only a couple of guys that shoot traditional style bows at my club, the rest are all modern recurves and compounds.......

You threw me a little with this comment. A recurve is a traditional bow in many cultures. That said, this company can give you a good selection of both straight and recurves at quite a range of prices. Mind you, what you're calling a "flat bow" they'll call a "long bow": www.3riversarchery.com

 

[dwardo]

If you want a traditional bow which to me means a bow made from wood only then give me a shout and maybe we can come up with something you might like, design and watch it being built.
If you want something "traditional" meaning backed with fibre glass or made from plastic to look like a traditional bow then there are lots of places online.

Lots of my bows on here to peruse or let me know if you have a specific design or period in mind.

 

[santaman2000]

If you want a traditional bow which to me means a bow made from wood only then give me a shout and maybe we can come up with something you might like, design and watch it being built.
If you want something "traditional" meaning backed with fibre glass or made from plastic to look like a traditional bow then there are lots of places online.......

Agreed about the plastics and fiberglass. But what about the traditional horn bows? Bamboo Bows? Etc?

 

[Lupis]

You threw me a little with this comment. A recurve is a traditional bow in many cultures. That said, this company can give you a good selection of both straight and recurves at quite a range of prices. Mind you, what you're calling a "flat bow" they'll call a "long bow": www.3riversarchery.com

When I said modern recurves I meant the Hoyt, Win & Win etc riser and limb combos
with stabilisers, sights, rests etc. I realise recurves have been used for centuries hence the use of modern. Sorry for the confusion. Thanks for the link, I'll check out that shop might give me some ideas although I think shipping over to here may be a tad pricey.

 

[Lupis]

If you want a traditional bow which to me means a bow made from wood only then give me a shout and maybe we can come up with something you might like, design and watch it being built.
If you want something "traditional" meaning backed with fibre glass or made from plastic to look like a traditional bow then there are lots of places online.

Lots of my bows on here to peruse or let me know if you have a specific design or period in mind.

Thanks for the offer, I may get back to you on that when I have a clearer idea of the
style I want. Yeah I was after a wooden bow for preference, or wood laminate?

 

[Cromm]

Merlin archery is a good website, the longbowshop.com flybowshop.com

 

[santaman2000]

When I said modern recurves I meant the Hoyt, Win & Win etc riser and limb combos
with stabilisers, sights, rests etc. I realise recurves have been used for centuries hence the use of modern. Sorry for the confusion. Thanks for the link, I'll check out that shop might give me some ideas although I think shipping over to here may be a tad pricey.

Yeah I thought of the shipping thing. But I saw the one they're calling Medieval Huntsman English Longbow (which will be what you refer to as an American Flat Bow) It seems to fit your stated requirements: 40#-45# draw @ 28" and at their price of $129 (or about 86-90 pounds) even with the addition of the shipping costs will likely be in your stated budget range.

 

[dwardo]

This is all very subjective but laminates allow wood that is unsuitable to be a bow on its own to team up with a piece that can be. Most of the laminates tend to be bamboo backed these days which can make for good bow as you can get away with a lot of compromise on the belly wood but to me its not the same as a one wood one piece bow. Certainly doesnt have the beauty and character as a self bow.
I would expect more larger scale bow companies would produce more self bows if the timber wasnt so hard to come by and it wasnt so labour intensive to make. As opposed to band saw out a lam, back it with bamboo and tiller. Cant blame them either as there is certainly no money in it.

Selfbow doesnt mean you cant have some good lookin curves in there and performance to equal a glass backed thing.
I recently had a archery club president round to look at a few bows and make a few orders. He was after a longbow but shot some of my short static recurves for kicks and he was surprised how little hand shock they had compared to glass bows. I would be pretty unhappy if my bows had a lot of hand shock rather that it being the "norm"

In short if you want something to abuse and not look after then its glass backed something. If you want something completely individual and something that's art as much as as function go selfbow.

 

[santaman2000]

One of 3 Rivers Self bows is the Hickory Selfbow. In your stated draw weight, it comes in a 72" version for $159 (or about 105 pounds) before shipping costs. But yes, it's laminated with Cedar.

 

[santaman2000]

.....In short if you want something to abuse and not look after then its glass backed something. If you want something completely individual and something that's art as much as as function go selfbow.

Gotta agree with this statement.

 

[Grooveski]

I have been looking longingly at the Border bows but really can't justify paying about £700+!

Give them a bell and ask about their tillered kits.
They're not really kits like the bickerstaff kits and the likes where you have to tiller the bow yourself. I had a blether a while back on the phone and got the impression they were tillered, nocks cut and handle shaped and all that was involved was some final sanding and oiling(or your choice of finish).

Can't mind the name of the one I fancied(Thor maybe). Was boo-backed elm with a mild decurve-recurve. They make them to order in your choice of weight and handle style. I was going to go with a slight pistol grip like the Harrier Royale has.
Well within your price range. Think it was about £130(a few years ago now).
They've never listed them on their web site but if you hustle them for a price list they'll be on it. There were 3 or 4 models - all modern longbow style(probably glue them up on old griffon or harrier forms).

 

[Lupis]

If you want a traditional bow which to me means a bow made from wood only then give me a shout and maybe we can come up with something you might like, design and watch it being built.
If you want something "traditional" meaning backed with fibre glass or made from plastic to look like a traditional bow then there are lots of places online.

Lots of my bows on here to peruse or let me know if you have a specific design or period in mind.

You don't have a Facebook page, or the like, with pictures ofof your bows do you? Apparently "bow" is too short, or too common, to search
in the forum. I have seen one of yours before that I really liked the look of but can't find it now. Of course it's not helping I'm having to do
it on my phone currently! Cheers.