Defining Bows Without Wheels

[flatbowMB]

Some of you may remember an 80's group which made dance club 'music' that went by the name 'Men Without Hats'. No doubt, you've also come across groups of coffee shop dwelling roadhunters who could aptly go by the name 'Men Without Necks'.

While this thread is not about lame music or lazy hunters, it is about......


....................Bows Without Wheels. ...............


Bows Without Wheels not only make the sweetest music (though if not tuned, carry a distinct twangy tone), they are also totally incompatible with road hunting.

You certainly won't see this done with a longbow!







Who is in this wonderful group?

This group consists of a wide variety of individuals ranging from ultra high tech composite Olympic recurves to the most primitive of selfbows.

For bows that are primarily comprised of wood, oversimplifed terms such as 'traditional bow' or 'stickbow' are often used to describe them. Additional terms often applied to such bows may include; recurve, longbow, flatbow, hybrid bow, composite (or laminated) bow, primitive bow, self bow & backed bow (among others).

A given bow is typically classified by more than one of the previously listed terms. Understandably, this can created some confusion for the uninitiated.

The purpose of this thread (yes I'm finally getting to the point ) is to provide some information either directly or via links and resources that will help explain what these various terms actually mean.

Given that it is quite late, and that I need to get to bed, I'm going to kick this off with a link that describes various types of primitive bows.

Here it is;

www.ancientarchery.com/Bows.htm

[michihunter]

And the lessons begin!! Thanks Flatbow!!

[BT]

Nice intro!

[flatbowMB]

Thanks guys. Definitions on the way but will do it on the white background (too much to read against the green).

[flatbowMB]

Here some selected bow definitions taken from "Bow'n Dictionary of Traditional Archery Terms" members.aol.com/tradbowmd/archdict.htm What you will probably notice is that a given bow may fall under more than one category as described by these definitions. Additionally the categorizations may vary slightly from source to source. Without further delay, here they (the definitions) are:


American longbow / A longbow with a limb whose section is more flat than round, often rectangular, dipping from a deep handgrip (a flatbow). Introduced in the US in the 1930's and 1940's (based on bows used by a west coast native American tribe). A rectangular cross-section was demonstrated by Robert Elmer to be a more efficient limb design, then the round or D-bow. Compare with English longbow.


backed bow / A bow, usually a selfbow, with a backing generally used to strengthen the bow. May be a laminated bow (e.g., snakewood backed with hickory).


barebow / The style of shooting that does not allow for the use of sights, stabilizers, or other shooting aids.


C-bow / A longbow, frequently a selfbow, similar to a D-bow but the limbs are more round. Compare with flatbow.


composite bow / A bow built or covered in thin layers of strips of wood or other material which are glued together (typically 3 or more dissimilar materials). See laminated bow.


compound bow / 1) Historically, a bow of complex construction, made of two or more pieces of wood, bone, antler, horn, or a whale bone lashed or riveted or spliced together. 2) A bow developed in recent years that uses a system of cams, pulleys, and cables to change the weight build-up as the bowstring is drawn. Peak draw weight occurs during the first few inches of draw, with a reduction at full draw (e.g., 50 percent). Originally patented by Wylber Allan in America in 1969.


crossbow / A bow designed to be shot similarly to a gun, with a groove or barrel that directs the arrow and a trigger that releases the string.


D-bow / A longbow, frequently a selfbow, where the limbs are D-shaped (the back is flat, but the belly is round). Compare with flatbow and C-bow.


English longbow / British Long Bow Society, 1975, defines the longbow "as the traditional type with stacked belly, horn nocks, and limbs made of wood only. All surfaces shall be convex ... The length between the nocks, measured along the back of the bow, shall not be less than 5 ft for arrows up to 26 inches long, and not less than 5 ft 6 inches for arrows over 26 inches long. ...The thickness [depth] of the limbs, measured from the belly to back shall at no point be less than three quarters the overall width of the limb at the same point.... At the arrow plate the bow shall not be narrower than at any other place on the top limb. ...There shall be no arrow rest built into or attached to the bow. The stele [shaft] of the arrow shall be of wood, the fletchings of feathers" [from Hardy, 1992, pp. 9, 10]. Older English longbows, like the Mary Rose bows bend in a complete arc, not flattening at the handle. Compare with American longbow.


flatbow / A bow where the limbs flatten out from the riser with a cross-section noticeably wider than they are deep/thick. Possibly a selfbow, and if long enough a longbow (see American longbow). Compare with D-bow.


foot bow / A bow, designed for flight shooting, that is shot by placing each foot on either side of the arrow rest and drawing the bow with the hands.


horsebow / See shortbow


laminated bow / Same as composite bow except this term is most often used when describing a bow composed of basically similar materials (e.g., fiberglass and wood).


longbow / 1) Generally any straight or nearly straight bow of five feet or longer (where the string does not lay on the belly of the limbs). 2) Specifically, an English longbow or an American longbow. See traditional bow.


primitive bow / Typically refers to a bow which is constructed as a selfbow. Can be a recurve, but usually a longbow, flatbow, or shortbow (horsebow).


recurve / The name for a bow with limbs that curve smoothly forward (in reverse to its body) to a noticeable degree, from the center to the tip of each limb, where the bowstring rests on the belly of the limbs when braced. Recurve composite bows were became popular in America in the 1950's. [See TB Magazine, Dec/Jan 1996, "Vintage Recurves" and Jun/Jul 1996 "Asiatic Recurve Models".]


reflex / A longbow with a very slight curve away from the archer when unstrung.


selfbow / A bow consisting essentially of one piece of wood (either a single piece or a spliced pair of billets). See stick bow.


selfwood bow / See selfbow.


shortbow / A "longbow" with shorter limbs, therefore requiring a shorter draw length. Typical of bows that were used on horse back (horsebow) or other bows where the anchor point was to the chest.


static recurve / An older style recurve (1940-1955) with limbs that curve abruptly (about 45 degrees) near the tips of the limbs. In the US, the smoother recurves came around 1954.


stick bow / A traditional bow or a longbow. May be used specifically to refer to a selfbow.


takedown bow / The most common name for a bow that comes apart at the handle to make the bow shorter and easier to travel with. Can be a two or three piece bow.


traditional bow / A bow which is either a longbow, shortbow, reflex, or recurve. Includes primitive bows. Crossbows are historically not included and were outlawed by many societies. See stick bow.

[BT]

I really have to say thanks for this great read of facts and terms , Flatbow.
I know that others will be able to use it in the future if they can retain it all

[michihunter]

Didn't realize there were so many!! With compounds all you have is Single, Dually, and Cam 1/2's!! Much easier for us slow minded individuals!!