Modern recurve vs. selfbow

[chuckp]

I've made about 6 hickory selfbows. I'm very happy with them. I do have to admit that my 50# Martin Hatfield shoots faster than my 60# hickory selfbow.
I didn't shoot through a chronograph, don't know the hickories moisture content.
I'm not complaining, I will hunt with the selfbows, I now prefer them.

[sailordad]

make a recurve self bow and compare it
if its desigend and built properly it should be just as good,or atleast reals close
ive heard of some being better than "f" recurves

[Bentstick81]

I know that i have been more accurate lately with my selfbows, than i am with my recurve.   I will be out with my selfbows, ground hunting, due to this fact. The selfbows of mine are slower, but i shoot them more accurately. Accuracy first, speed second . I think you made a great choice.

[Justin Snyder]

One thing we often forget is that we are comparing apples and oranges. Your Martin is backed with years of bow building experience, your selfbow has about 5 bows of experience behind it. I am quite sure there are bowyers making selfbows or wood laminate bows that can compete or surpass with the FG production bows. Most of those bowyers have broken more bows than you have started. If you want to compare your first selfbow with a FG recurve, you have to compare it to someone's first home made FG bow. As your experience level increases and you start pushing the performance levels of wood bows your bows should get more efficient. One thing that I think the FG bow can never duplicate is the comfort and silence of shooting a selfbow or even a wood laminate.

[denny]

I had a hatfield years ago ,sold it to a friend. It shot fast and straight, but it was a hard pulling bow for a recurve. I  know why, but i won't mention it.I have build lotsa glass bows, but none like my osage selfbow. hickory makes nice bows, but not my choice as osage is supreme in my book.Mine is 15 years old still shoots like a rocket. It has 3inches of string follow I might add. Denny

[denny]

Here is a pic of the osage bow of mine. Denny

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