This is something I haven’t ever been able to wrap my head around, it’s an honest question, I have no trial and error experience on the subject, just the way my head understands bows.
Set robs performance. The more stress you can have in a design up until set happens the more energy is stored. All of the bows that I see that are built for performance have little working limb and stuff handles. The stiff curves add stress while their sole purpose is moving the limb tips forward? If you are going to limit working limb why would you not want the handle as part of the working limb? Would that not add a little energy without having to carry the limbs a long distance? Meaning if the handle doesn’t work till the last inch of draw, then it is pulling it’s weight to help, but not responsible for carrying the mass of the limbs. In my brain that would make up some for lost working limb real estate without adding length or limb mass.
I know you guys have made a science of this and been over everything with a fine tooth comb, I am just asking these things not to challenge what you are doing but learn why a properly working handle would not benefit a super stressed design.