Frickin' vine maple

[vinemaplebows]

Wow Gordon, what's the problem? Too reflexed?

Yeah, 7" of reflex, unstable limbs that refused to remember string alignment corrections, a dogleg that bent too much even though I left plenty of wood, reflex and deflex in all the wrong places. And that was just the beginning of my problems. Why do I torture myself with this stuff...

I often wonder how much performance in (fps) you gain struggling through a stave like that vs. a straight stave bent in a R/D design?

[Gordon]

I often wonder how much performance in (fps) you gain struggling through a stave like that vs. a straight stave bent in a R/D design?

I suspect little if any performance advantage is achieved with that much reflex. That said with some care I can usually "unfurl" a curled up vine maple stave into a more manageable profile. But not so this time. It did what it wanted to, I was just along for the ride. And a bumpy ride it was...

[Jim Davis]

If you guys are longing to do only gnarly staves, send me the ones that are completely lacking in character. I'll give them a good home.

Jim Davis

(P.S. no vine maple need apply)

[vinemaplebows]

I often wonder how much performance in (fps) you gain struggling through a stave like that vs. a straight stave bent in a R/D design?

I suspect little if any performance advantage is achieved with that much reflex. That said with some care I can usually "unfurl" a curled up vine maple stave into a more manageable profile. But not so this time. It did what it wanted to, I was just along for the ride. And a bumpy ride it was...

That's the reason I concentrate on non-reflexed staves, or very little. People that never have worked vinemaple before always want a stave like the one you have pictured, and I tell them....no you don't, unless you live here and don't have to buy it. You want a easy stave Gordon?

[Gordon]

Well to be honest I was looking for an easy vine maple stave to make a lighter weight bow and dress up a bit. Everything in my stock is all knarly and or reflexed. You got something relatively clean?

[vinemaplebows]

Simply "D" limb bow, or rigid handled flatbow?

[Gordon]

I want to make a rigid handle bow.