shorter bow length durability?

[Lee Lobbestael]

Hey guys, I read on bowyers bible 1 in the section on building an osage flatbow, they suggest making a 67” bow for a 28” draw and reducing it two inches for each inch less than that in drawlength. This is for a stiff handled bow.  Well I just tillered out a 61” stiff handled osage at 50#@28”. It seems to be holding up fine so far although the string angle is a little high. If the tiller is good will an osage bow this length hold up? I’m sure it will because I have seen bendy handled bows on here down in the low 50” range but my OCD has got me a little worried so I figured I would ask the pros!

[Christian Soldier]

I'm not a pro, but in my limited expierience length was just a small factor in breaking the bows I did and an unseen hinge or a cut across the rings on the back is substansially more lethal to a bow.

Length will effect how much stress is on the bow, which will effect string follow, but even in some extreme cases I've seen in really short bow, length alone (within reason), isn't enough to break a bow. Proper tiller and a clean back are much more important.

That being said, longer bows will handle stress better, and there's a bunch of other things they can do but that assumes proper tiller and design, not just length.

Any pics of this osage bow?

[Thesquirrelslinger]

Well, if you can nail the tiller and don't brace it overhigh, probably... 61/2= 30.5. So thats the ABSOLUTE max draw length... So yea, I think it will hold up IF your back is perfect and the tiller is too.
I have never used osage... I have never seen a live osage tree, never touched any of it except a 6x3x3 piece of firewood(and dang, that stuff is tight ringed)

[PEARL DRUMS]

Short bows dont wear out any faster than long bows if each is built and designed accordingly. Short bows need extra width to make up for less length while long bows need width reduction to accomadate longer lengths. You have the same amount of wood doing the same work either way. 

[Bryce]

Well, if you can nail the tiller and don't brace it overhigh, probably... 61/2= 30.5. So thats the ABSOLUTE max draw length...

No. He said stiff handled bow.

Short bows dont wear out any faster than long bows if each is built and designed accordingly. Short bows need extra width to make up for less length while long bows need width reduction to accomadate longer lengths. You have the same amount of wood doing the same work either way. 

+1

[Lee Lobbestael]

I don't have pics of it yet but I will try to borrow a camara and do that

[Joec123able]

Don't even worry about it, it will hold up FINE

[rossfactor]

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,34158.0.html

This bow is a 58" static re curve, so its working limbs are probably only 22" long. It was built in 1937, and I bet it has seen some serious use over its 75+ year life.

Yes, short bows can experience more strain than long bows, but, if well tillered, and  well designed they can out last you too.

Gabe

[Lee Lobbestael]

Thanks guys! Thats a relief because I really like the way this one is turning out. I rarely post but I plan on posting some pics of it when I'm done. My wife got me the stave for christmas and it was only 61" long and I like stiff handled bows

[Joec123able]

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,34158.0.html

This bow is a 58" static re curve, so its working limbs are probably only 22" long. It was built in 1937, and I bet it has seen some serious use over its 75+ year life.

Yes, short bows can experience more strain than long bows, but, if well tillered, and  well designed they can out last you too.

Gabe

Thank you for posting that, that is so cool