Author Topic: Recurve string lift off  (Read 1079 times)

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Offline DC

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Recurve string lift off
« on: October 17, 2015, 08:23:26 pm »
Looking at Blackhawks latest submission has motivated me to try and build a recurve that has string lift off at full draw or just before. I started thinking about it and realized that the lift off is controlled by the bows length, the draw length and the angle of recurve. The longer the bow and the shorter the draw length the less the angle of the recurve can be.(I think) I looked at Blackhawk's bow again and saw that a 55" bow drawn to 28"(if that is 28" in the picture) wants a 90 degree recurve. Do I have to quesstimate up and down from there or is there a better way? There ya go engineers, fill your boots. Maybe a scale drawing?

Offline wizardgoat

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Re: Recurve string lift off
« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2015, 09:22:45 pm »
Blackhawks bow also has deflex out of the handle which also increases the bows capability of being drawn further without too much strain on the limbs. Plus it looks damn sexy  ;D
In my experiences string lift off 2-3" before full draw is most noticeable.
Make a new recurve jig and experiment a bit. Recurves are a lot of fun.

Offline Springbuck

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Re: Recurve string lift off
« Reply #2 on: October 18, 2015, 03:34:38 pm »
All I can add is that recurves under 45° almost always lift off early in the draw, no matter what else I do.  The bigger the recurves diameter, and/or sharper the angle, the more handle or inner limb reflex helps.

Also more bend toward the handle, made possible by choice wood selection and/or extra width the later the recurve turns over to where the string lifts.  I like to make most recurves either tiller circular or even reverse parabolic (like round right off the handle in the first 1/3 of the limb, and diminishing slightly into the second 1/3.)  The outer 1/3 is mostly about blending into the recurve.