Recurves: Are they worth the work?

[Pappy]

I usually flip the tips, last 6/8 inches on most of my bows,some what static but with a little movement at full draw,not really a full recurve, I do it not really for speed, it just make them smoother to draw to me and no stacking, probably a little faster also.  I also like the early draw weight in case I want to play a tune on it while waiting on a deer.   
Pappy

[bjrogg]

For my personal bows I like to flip the tips. I have a short power stroke and the flipped tips give me early string tension and a smooth draw to full draw. I suspect if I had a 28”+ draw I might have a different opinion, but my 24 seems to work better with flipped tips.

Bjrogg

[gutpile]

whistlingbadger... to gain speed I would go with the static recurve and take off as much wood as you can to keep it static. after the bend where the static is thin the tips  , since they won't be moving as much as possible.. you can lay your sinew to the bend and wrap if you are worried it might pull.. no need to sinew tips since they aren't bending and it just adds weight.. since you are sinewing you can decrease length a tad too if you want..short bows and sinew are like peas and carrots.. they just go together and compliment each other..... there is a thread on recurving bows here I posted a link too that shows me doing a static recurve and how I set up a bow for recurving.. might help .. one thing to remember.. when first bracing you will feel like you are well over weight .. that is the early tension the curve is giving.. be careful not to floor till too much of that out.. if you leave tips static they wont pull out also.. good luck .. the bow I recurved still sits in closet but it is about ready.. its a hickory bow and the humidity here plays havoc on hickory.. gut

[Pat B]

My personal favorite has always been a straight limb bow. That said, I'm drawn to building recurves for some reason. I keep telling myself that the "next" one will be a straight limb bow but that just doesn't seem to work out that way. I love the looks of a well tillered recurve, from unbraced to braced to full draw, but whether my recurves perform better than my straight limbs bows I have no way to tell except to shoot them...some seem to, some don't.
 I usually do add a little reflex to my straight limbed bows either the full length or the last few inches of each limb. To me, all of it is worth it if for no other reason because I think it is. 

[Eric Krewson]

I go through phases in my bow making, straight limb over build bows at first, slender bows, almost all backed with snake skins, bamboo backed bows, slender straight limb bows with none backed with snake skins and my current phase of unbacked static recurves. My choices have nothing to do with performance, I just make what I find appealing at the time and have kept things interesting for the last 27 years, I always want to be learning something different to advance the craft.

My best shooting bow to date is a static recurve, could be the design or it could be all the experience I have gained over the years going into that particular bow.

[bassman211]

Recurves are shorter bows when compared to a straight limb bow. Maybe shoot a little harder with good string angle, but I am fine with couple inches of reflex on a straight limb bow.

[bownarra]

The simple answer is that for most people it is......subjective.....
But if the recurve wasn't worth the effort.....there wouldn't be any out there....would there!

[BowEd]

Point is WB everyone should make a few static recurve bows with this bow making.A true recurve has the string touching the belly of the limb tip while braced at least a couple of inches.The benefits of smoothness at the end of the draw are noticeable by the shooter and on a FDC with the tips bent 35 degrees or more.
The construction will take you into areas of bow building you would'nt normally go.The more the bend the more crucial alignment is needed.Otherwise it'll throw the string as it is drawn.You'll be amazed as to how many times you can reheat the stiff tips for alignment while still keeping the bend originally made.
On shorter bows with a longer draw getting the bend on the last 3" of the tip is helpful to get more working limb.
A 60" TTT static recurve.

[Selfbowman]

That’s a nice one Ed!

[Selfbowman]

Here’s one I built in Tennessee last fall.

[Selfbowman]

That’s more flipped tips than a recurve. I think about 3-1/4 inches on the flip.

[Pappy]

Nice bow Ed and Arvin I seen you make that one, very nice bow for sure. How does it shoot ? 
 Pappy

[Selfbowman]

Mark I shot it some at twin oaks and it shot with authority. But I've not tested it for flight yet. It was a good visit with you guys though.

[bassman211]

All nice bows above. No one has  mentioned my favorite design for hunting. I no longer hunt, but a bamboo siyah bow made properly. Compact,smooth drawing,and snappy. Simple design ,and easy to build, and static tipped.

[RyanY]

Of the fastest bows in the world, there is a mix of straight limbed and recurved bows. People like Arvin, DC, sleek, badger, and Marc St Louis are consistently making good competition between the designs. So it likely comes down to if the extra work is worth the aesthetic appeal for most people. You may find within your own skill level that you produce better bows of one design compared to others. Exploration and extending yourself to try more difficult designs has merit in and of itself.