Longbow, Selfbow or Flatbow?

[dwardo]

Forget the Holmegaard, f***in' awful to shoot! My mate has one and it shakes my fillings out!

No bow should have that much hand shock and if it does its a design issue, it either bends way too much in the handle or has way too much mass at the tips. Dont want to be an "archery anorak" but you may be thinking of the Mollegabet http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php?topic=17521.0 rather than a holmegard which is pretty much just a rough pyramid bow a precursor to pretty much all flat bows, even so designed properly none should be that bad.
MountainM i would just go buy a standard glass bow or one piece recurve if you want something that isnt fussy, will probably hold some re-sale value and will allow you to fit in with the glass flinging comptetitions. They are also pretty cheap as they are just production line stuff so will fit in with your budget.

 

[mountainm]

MountainM i would just go buy a standard glass bow or one piece recurve if you want something that isnt fussy, will probably hold some re-sale value and will allow you to fit in with the glass flinging comptetitions. They are also pretty cheap as they are just production line stuff so will fit in with your budget.

Too late now!

 

[marcelxl]

£3.05 a shaft!

I build my own and you'll need feathers if you're off the shelf shooting, works out cheaper too.

Do a little research on your arrow spine choosing and then tuning them. From what you told me I would guess 400 spines, 100gr points (Saunders Combi, I like field shooting) and I like 4" parabolic feathers in sexy pink! Check out the Easton chart though to be sure.

There is a bit of info about on tuning your arrows, might seem a bit of a hassle but its well worth it especially if your shelf is not that deep at the arrow still paradoxes. (bends around the bow)

By the way, if you are interested, this is me shooting my osprey.......... I know the bow is prettier than I am!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjKas5gueTQ

 

[treefrog]

I have just bought one (falco legend), arrives mid march (custom made to my spec.). Will report back.

What #draw and spec did you go for?

 

[marcelxl]

No bow should have that much hand shock and if it does its a design issue, it either bends way too much in the handle or has way too much mass at the tips. Dont want to be an "archery anorak" but you may be thinking of the Mollegabet http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php?topic=17521.0 rather than a holmegard which is pretty much just a rough pyramid bow a precursor to pretty much all flat bows, even so designed properly none should be that bad.
MountainM i would just go buy a standard glass bow or one piece recurve if you want something that isnt fussy, will probably hold some re-sale value and will allow you to fit in with the glass flinging comptetitions. They are also pretty cheap as they are just production line stuff so will fit in with your budget.

It is apparently an exact replica of a holmegard he had it made in Germany. The rest of us think the brace is way too low but he has it set exactly as the maker recommends and to me (at least against my Dorado and Osprey, both with string silencers) it is just not very nice!

That said, if it was I, then the brace would be increased. I took a load of pics and you can see the torque in the bow after its shot. Not my cuppa tea! I would guess that yourself as a bowyer would have a greater knowledge than I on these things as I am really just starting to appreciate the fine tuning and the difference it makes to your shooting. I welcome your opinion on this and I'll see if I can post some pics to demonstrate for you

 

[mountainm]

What #draw and spec did you go for?

70" long, 40lb draw @ 29", teak finish legend.

 

[Cromm]

I've got one of those German made bows and it is a poor beast of a said bow.

 

[dwardo]

The daft thing is that we mostly find only broken bits of these fabled bows so we have no idea if they were actually any cop at the time, who knows they could have been a very bad joke on us, a one off design, anything.
There are recent cave painting discoveries that could be pushing the bow back 40,000 years! It's just a shame bows are mostly made of materials that break down so quickly and easily.
Anyways accuracy is a product of the archer rather than his kit, I know I have shot some of the best kit about and I am still useless.

 

[treefrog]

70" long, 40lb draw @ 29", teak finish legend.

Had a look at a cheap second hand bow, but it had too much string follow
Now I'm tempted by the Falco Legend, (68", 40#at 28")………….. or quite liking the more compact Storm (54", 40# at 28") Did you go to 'The longbow Shop'?

 

[dwardo]

It is apparently an exact replica of a holmegard he had it made in Germany. The rest of us think the brace is way too low but he has it set exactly as the maker recommends and to me (at least against my Dorado and Osprey, both with string silencers) it is just not very nice!

That said, if it was I, then the brace would be increased. I took a load of pics and you can see the torque in the bow after its shot. Not my cuppa tea! I would guess that yourself as a bowyer would have a greater knowledge than I on these things as I am really just starting to appreciate the fine tuning and the difference it makes to your shooting. I welcome your opinion on this and I'll see if I can post some pics to demonstrate for you

#

Some pics would be great if you get a chance. Some bowyers have had a a lot of success with the molly`s drastic limb change and others not. There is no real need as far as i can see/have read for such an abrupt change in limb profile when a more gradual taper is not only easier but has less points of failure and can be done with lesser quality wood.
Certainly a topic for discussion around the fire, rum in hand.
When you say torque, do you mean follow? or is the bow actually twisitng in hand?

 

[mountainm]

Had a look at a cheap second hand bow, but it had too much string follow
Now I'm tempted by the Falco Legend, (68", 40#at 28")………….. or quite liking the more compact Storm (54", 40# at 28") Did you go to 'The longbow Shop'?

Yup only place in the UK that sells them.

 

[marcelxl]

#

Some pics would be great if you get a chance. Some bowyers have had a a lot of success with the molly`s drastic limb change and others not. There is no real need as far as i can see/have read for such an abrupt change in limb profile when a more gradual taper is not only easier but has less points of failure and can be done with lesser quality wood.
Certainly a topic for discussion around the fire, rum in hand.
When you say torque, do you mean follow? or is the bow actually twisitng in hand?

Actually twisting!

To be fair to my mate, his interest is in primitive these days so I will cut him some slack! It is his second of these his last one started developing a fault in the limb.

 

[dwardo]

That would be a bit scary and is a surefire way of causing a fault in the limb.
All wooden bows have the "potential" to become splinters and you can only minimise the risk but sheesh that should have been picked up on.
Stilll think the bow was a "lets see if this works" and as it was found broken... lol
Either that or it was a very indecisive bower who got stuck between thin long D section and flatbow.
Thanks for the info.

 

[marcelxl]

The Bow:

With my Dorado:

The bow being drawn: (this is not me)

The Torque?

A cool arrow loose shot:

Even cooler paradox shot (another chap, still not me, ELB)

Handsome chap, impossibly cool, sexy arrows and the ultimate field/hunting barebow-bow
(yes, me!)

T'was a grand day out was that though!

 

[dwardo]

Great pics Looks fff-freezing, bet that helps with the string burn on your fingers, as you probably cant feel them
Tiller seems ok if not a little stiff in the upper limb, especialy the fade and fades. Whilst most of the bending seems to be happening mid limb it could loose a lot of mass in the outer limbs which would reduce hand shock no end, easy enough to do. The actual limb tips and nocks could also loose a few lbs, again something you could do your self.
Did it seem to have taken more set in the middle of the bottom limb?
On the twisting note, this is usualy down to one side of the limb being thicker than the other, the twist always leans towards the thinner side.
Thread hijack by the way!

 

[marcelxl]

I think the hijack is OK seeing as the chap has ordered a shiny new bow!!

 

[mountainm]

Hijack away, interesting stuff to read whilst I wait 3 Weeks for my Bow to be made and shipped from.Estonia. :beer:

 

[Corso]

Hijack away, interesting stuff to read whilst I wait 3 Weeks for my Bow to be made and shipped from.Estonia. :beer:

will you be doing a review thread/ i'm very interested in picking one of these up

 

[mountainm]

Certainly will!

 

[mountainm]

In the meantime read someone elses:
http://www.bushcraftusa.com/forum/showthread.php?p=43116