Handle Layout - Does it matter?

[Danzn Bar]

Does bow design determine the handle layout?or "vice versa"? ..................as far as where the arrow rest is located and if the bottom limb being shorter than the upper limb?  I just got through reading dean torges's book.  and he suggest making the lower limb shorter.  I've made a couple bows making the arrow rest one inch above the centerline of the bow and making the limbs the same length about the centerline of the bow (symmetrical)taking up the difference in the fades.  This seams to make the tillering easier.  I did make one bow with a shorter bottom limb and that limb after shooting the bow for about 200 shots, ended up being about 1/2" greater tiller. 
I hope i'm using the right terms, and making since.

I've just not seen much on handle layout, based off of the centerline of the bow,  looking for some comments.
Thanks
DB

[osage outlaw]

I center the handle on the center of the bow.  When I start shaping the handle, I grip it where it feels right and make a pencil mark on the side where I want the arrow to pass.  I dish the area out and build a shelf up out of layers of leather glued together.

[Danzn Bar]

hey OO,
I really like some of the recurves that I have seen you make.  You inspired me to try my first static.  It turned out good except after a few hundred shots a splinter show up on the bottom limb.  It has been repaired and the jury is still out for a few more shots.  That bow had equal length limbs.  I think there was more to the splinter than the location of the handle, but it got me thinking.

Are the limbs on your bow the same lenght?
Thanks
DB

[osage outlaw]

Thanks.  The limbs were equal length. 

[Pappy]

I lay out most handles center of the limb,with limbs being the same length,then at low brace decide which is the top and when it is ready to shoot I will move the arrow up and down a little till it shoots the best and that is where I put the arrow pass. Usually about an inch above center,my handles are about 4 to 41/2 in the handle area and fads 1 inch to 11/2.being careful to not let the limb bend back into the fads,it will pop a splinter or worse if it bends where you violated the longitudinal grain cutting into the fads. Some make the handle longer and also the fads longer,just a matter of preference,I don't want to wast any working limb. I have a fairly small hand so it works for me.
   Pappy

[blackhawk]

Its more of a personal prefernce type thing. I swing both ways,and it just depends on what im making,what i want in a bow,and what the wood is giving me. But i do like the way a asymmetrical bow carries and balances better in the hand,but when are bows only weigh 12- 20something ounces on average does it really drag and weigh your hand down?

[Del the cat]

You can do what you like, the grip and arrow pass can be almost anywhere, just look at those Japanese Yumis, but the shorter the bow the more twitchy it becomes as any asymmetry in the limbs is likely to show up more. The usual arrow pass 1" above centre seems to work well.
The other alternative is a huge long grip which ends up looknig like the riser on a target bow... eughhh.
But each to his own, I like grips as short as pos' personally as it gives a shorter overall bow.
Conversely on an ELB it's so long it doesn't make much difference, just grab it somewhere near the middle!
I think it's important to tiller it from the correct grip, pull on the string position to avoid the lower limb ending up too weak/strong/wrong/whatever.
Del

[George Tsoukalas]

I wrote some articles on my sit about handles. It's all a out personal preference. Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/index.html

[crooketarrow]

  I build my bows 1 1/4 about center and same lenth limbs unless the person shoots 3 under then some times I made the bottom limb 1/2 shorterand little stiffer. But unless you REALLY SHOOT ALOT I CAN'T SEE A DIFFERENCE.

[Danzn Bar]

Thanks....................
It's what I thought alot is personal preference.
Thanks again
DB