Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: AndrewS on November 17, 2015, 04:44:46 am

Title: Differences between Bows
Post by: AndrewS on November 17, 2015, 04:44:46 am

What is the difference between a longbow and a recurve?
Is it the length?
- I know deflex reflex longbows with a length of 54 or 56 inches and I know recurves with 10 inch more
Or is the difference something complete different?

Thanks for your comments

Title: Re: Differences between Bows
Post by: blackhawk on November 17, 2015, 06:19:43 am

Basically IN GENERAL ones a little longer and the string doesn contact the tips at brace,and a recurve will be a bit shorter and the string will contact the tips at brace. Pretty simple...one has tips bent up n the others are straight. There is some grey area in between that im sure some devils advocate is gonna  wanna play with.

Title: Re: Differences between Bows
Post by: LittleBen on November 17, 2015, 06:38:04 am

In general

Recurve - string touches belly of limb

Longbow - string doesn't touch belly of limb

Although I guess, especially with wood bows it seems, that a bow with very reflexed tips might be called a recurve even if the string doesn't quite lay against the belly.

Title: Re: Differences between Bows
Post by: PatM on November 17, 2015, 08:40:03 am

If the string doesn't lie on the belly the tips can't be that "reflexed".

 The lines between the two get blurred when you make a burgundian style longbow which has small hooks on a fairly typical longbow body.

Title: Re: Differences between Bows
Post by: AndrewS on November 18, 2015, 07:58:02 am

Thanks for your response.

So the difference is mainly if the string touch the belly or not.
In some cases there is a grey zone:
- like PatM demonstrate us
- the difference  between an extreme reflex and a soft recurve isn't clearly defined
-...

Title: Re: Differences between Bows
Post by: Lehtis on November 19, 2015, 04:01:55 am

The two major archery associations have a bit different definitions for longbow. World Archery (WA) rules say that longbow should have traditional look and string not touching belly outside nock grooves, i.e. some slight recurve allowed. Length of the bow should be 160 cm or more (for male archers). International Field Archery Association (IFAA) rules say there must not be any reflex outside handle area when bow is stringed, i.e. limb line should form D.