Merbau short bow not bending very much

[mmattockx]

For a bow that short the overall thickness will likely be closer to 1/4” or less for sure.

+1. My last maple bow was 2" wide at the fades, 65" NTN, 38lb@28" and the limb thickness was 0.385" just out of the fades. No way should OP be at 1cm (0.400") at the fades.

27 inches draw length and 30-40lbs draw weight. It seems from pulling on it that it’s going to be much higher than what I intend.

Even a bendy handled 38" bow isn't going to make 27" of draw without flipped tips to keep the string on.


Mark

[Mo_coon-catcher]

The shortest bow to drawing the I made felt very extreme and had a similar from profile to yours. But was still much longer. It’s was I backed Osage that was 46” between the nocks had flipped tips to keep the string on. And was, if I remember correctly, 2.5” wide at the widest point of t he limbs. I wanted 50# at 27” but I could not get the draw weight to drop so just let the weight be what it wanted. Which was 60# at 27” taking about 1” of set and still retaining just shy of 1” of reflex after shooting. T he thinnest points on the limbs were right about 1/4” thick and the handle area which was narrowed to 1 3/4” was about 5/8” thick. I don’t have the bow anymore so I’m attempting to remember the numbers. It shot well but was difficult to shoot to to being so short and a harsh string pinch. But it was fun. If you want to get a long draw. Get rid of the stuff handle and expect the limbs to get very thin. And it will get very finicky in the tiller as it gets further back in its draw since the limbs are so thin, each scrape is a higher percentage of the limb thickness and changes things drastically.

I hope that helps some.
I kinda want to built another now

Kyle

[Mo_coon-catcher]

Here’s how mine looked at front profile, side unbraced and full draw from brace.

Kyle

[Bob Barnes]

dang Kyle...that bow looks FAST!     I have a little edge grain osage bow that looks a lot like the OPs picture... It's about 46" and maybe 1 1/2" wide, 1/4" thick, and has 1 layer of sinew...I have never tried to pull it past 24-25".

[Mo_coon-catcher]

Thanks, it wasn’t t he screamer you’d expect. But it sure isn’t slow either. The best part is being able to sit flat on your butt and still shoot it with a normal amount of Cant.

Kyle

[RyanY]

I’ll add that even if the bow length/draw length ratio is the same, smaller bows will have thinner limbs as the radius of bend is smaller. Might seem obvious but I think it helps to think of thickness in relation to how tight the curve is of the limbs.

[Badger]

 Short bows can hide the majority of the set because the limbs are so thin that the tension side pulls them back into place even though they may be badly damaged.
 As for the 38" bow. I would leave it full width, pull the bow to 35# or 40# on the long string and see where it reads. I would not go past about 17" draw with it. Just keep thinning the limbs until you get far enough to brace it. Because the bow is so short I would brace when the bow weighed 40# @ about 15" on the long string. ( Long string should be just long enough to fit on the bow without bending the bow) Hanging down not more than about 4" or so.

[bassman]

The natives that made that style of bow put the arrow on the right side of the grip, and shot a sharp left cant. The flat handle was made to flip away from the arrow upon release with the way they held the bow with their left hand. I made 2, one was sinew backed Black Locust 40 inches long, and the other was a 50 inch sinew backed Hickory bow. 17 ,and 20 inch draw, and 40,and 45 lbs. . I tried their style of shooting, but couldn't  draw the bow far enough, or hit very well their way. I shoot them with a sharp left hand cant  with three fingers under with the arrow on the left side of the grip. The Wintu, Karok,and Yurok, and other west coast natives made their bows more narrow over all compared to the Hupa tribe which is what your bow resembles.

[bassman]

I meant right hand cant.