When is a self bow a self bow......

[Bearded bowyer]

Hi chaps
Been pondering this for a while. Got a shed load of hazelwood for self bows waiting to be made and was thinking.....
Just how much can you put on it, and it still be a self bow?
For example....could you add horn nocks, arrow pass or rest, padded grip etc and it still be a selfie?
Ta
Matt

[Pat B]

Any bow that is made with a single piece of wood, a spliced handle is also acceptable, is considered a selfbow. The other things you mentioned are just accessories. 

[dylanholderman]

Any bow that is made with a single piece of wood, a spliced handle is also acceptable, is considered a selfbow. The other things you mentioned are just accessories. 

+1

[huisme]

As long as a single layer of material is doing the work back to belly I'd consider it a selfbow. Any number of splices still seem like a selfbow to me as the spliced material is doing its own work from back to belly.

[bubby]

After it flings about 600 arrows, just like any other wood bow

[Del the cat]

I did a Hazel bow from a stave that was so skinny it needed a block glued on the belly to stiffen the grip so it could be narrowed. I used some from the same log (you couldn't tell unless you really studied it. I'd consider that still a self bow...
What if the riser block was a contrasting wood? As the working limbs were all one bit of wood is it still a self bow, what does the team think?
Del

[huisme]

I did a Hazel bow from a stave that was so skinny it needed a block glued on the belly to stiffen the grip so it could be narrowed. I used some from the same log (you couldn't tell unless you really studied it. I'd consider that still a self bow...
What if the riser block was a contrasting wood? As the working limbs were all one bit of wood is it still a self bow, what does the team think?
Del

Does the block do any work? It holds the grip stiff, but is energy transferred via its medium?

I've always looked purely at the working limbs when asked about what a selfbow is. Maybe I've made myself look silly

[RyanY]

I feel it's a selfbow as long as the bending portion of the limbs is a single piece of wood. Although I do feel there are some exceptions in my opinion. These would be 3 piece takedowns and bows with spliced siyah's. Don't ask me why they're exceptions! 

[huisme]

I feel it's a selfbow as long as the bending portion of the limbs is a single piece of wood. Although I do feel there are some exceptions in my opinion. These would be 3 piece takedowns and bows with spliced siyah's. Don't ask me why they're exceptions! 

I've always thought siyah's didn't make the bow a composite/lam/not-selfbow, but they are commonly associated with horn bows. As for three piece takedowns, I don't see how that's less selfbow than two piece

[Pat B]

From the glossary in the back of TBBIII..."Self bow: In the strict old definition, an unbacked wooden bow made from a single piece of wood. Today, self bow is used to mean any unbacked wooden bow, whether made from one or two pieces of wood."

[huisme]

Pat, why not include three pieces? If I have a selfbow handle with the limbs cut off and two takedown sleeves in their place and make limbs for it how is that less selfbow than the selfbows that use similar sleeves? Why include handle blocks, grip back buildups, side buildups, multi-lam buildups to stiffen an otherwise bendy handle, but not such a handle that detaches from selfbow limbs?

[E. Jensen]

I'm down with the classical and modern definitions listed.  My question is, do you guys still consider it a self bow, if it does not have self-tips?

[huisme]

I'm down with the classical and modern definitions listed.  My question is, do you guys still consider it a self bow, if it does not have self-tips?

Sure, the overlays don't store any energy, they just make sure the tips stay intact and the string stays in place.

[missilemaster]

I would say that as long as the energy storing part of the bow (limbs) are one piece then it is considered a self bow. 3 piece bow count.

[Bearded bowyer]

interesting
I always though a self bow had to have self nocks etc and no modifications. A "Bare bow"
Boy was I wrong!