Archery Bows: Tape Options

There are four main types of archery bows: the longbow, the compound bow, the recurve bow, and the self bow. Each type of bow has distinctive designs and benefits.

The longbow is the traditional or ancient bow. It is a straight stick bent by a single string tied at both ends. The flex of the stick gives it power. The compound bow is the modern bow, with a pulley system that gives it power. It has a let-off point when an archer's draw holds less weight. The recurve bow is best known for its use in target archery and the Olympics. It has curved tips at both ends that increase speed and smoothness. Lastly, the self bow is typically a wooden bow but can also be made of carbon or foam.

Compound bows: a modern bow with a pulley system to increase power

The compound bow is a modern bow that uses a levering system of cables and pulleys to bend its limbs. This bow was invented by Holless Wilbur Allen, Jr. in the 1960s, with a US patent granted in 1969.

Compound bows are widely used in target practice and hunting. The pulley/cam system gives the user a mechanical advantage, allowing the limbs of a compound bow to be much stiffer than those of a recurve or longbow. This rigidity makes the compound bow more energy-efficient than traditional bows, as less energy is lost to limb movement. The higher-rigidity, more advanced construction also improves accuracy by reducing the bow's sensitivity to changes in temperature and humidity.

The central mount of a compound bow, which holds other components like limbs, sights, stabilizers, and quivers, is called the riser. The riser is designed to be as rigid as possible and is usually made of aluminum, magnesium alloy, or carbon fiber. The limbs, on the other hand, are made of flexible yet strong composite materials like fiberglass, which can withstand high tensile and compressive forces.

The compound bow's pulley system typically includes a cam or wheel at the end of each limb, with the cam shape varying between different designs. The four most common types of bow eccentrics are Single Cam, Hybrid Cam, Dual Cam, and Binary Cam. The cam system, or 'eccentrics', maximize the energy storage throughout the draw cycle and provide 'let-off' at the end, reducing the holding weight at full draw. This 'let-off' enables the archer to accurately shoot a compound bow with a much higher peak draw weight than other bows.

The compound bow's pulley system also includes rubber-covered blocks that act as draw-stops, providing a solid "wall" for the archer to draw against. These draw stops can be adjusted to suit the archer's optimum draw length, helping to increase accuracy by achieving a consistent anchor point and force on every shot.

The design of the cams directly controls the acceleration of the arrow. Novice archers typically use a "soft cam", while more advanced archers may opt for a "harder" cam to gain speed. The compound bow's pulley system, combined with the stiff limbs and advanced materials used in its construction, results in increased power and accuracy compared to traditional bows.

Recurve bows: the modern equivalent of traditional bows, with curved tips to increase speed and smoothness

Recurve bows are the modern equivalent of traditional bows, with curved tips that increase speed and smoothness. They are one of the main shapes a bow can take, with limbs that curve away from the archer when unstrung. This design allows the bow to store more energy and deliver it more efficiently than a straight-limbed bow, resulting in greater speed and power. The curved tips also permit a shorter bow length, making it a preferred choice for archers in environments where longer weapons would be cumbersome, such as in forests or on horseback.

The recurve bow is the most common traditional bow and has been used in the Olympics since 1972. It is also widely used in competitive events and is recognised by World Archery, the international federation for archery. Recurve bows are typically made from technologically advanced materials such as laminated carbon fibre and carbon foam in the limbs, with a riser or handle made of aluminium or carbon fibre. The riser is often separate from the limbs, allowing for easy transportation and storage, as well as interchangeability.

When a recurve bow is strung, its limbs curve back toward the archer from the riser and then curve again near the tips, becoming parallel to the riser. The bowstring sits against the limbs for a couple of inches after looping over the tips. Recurve bows also have a sculpted grip that fits neatly into the hand, and their limbs are typically wide and flat, made of layered wood, fibreglass, and/or carbon. They come in various lengths, usually ranging from 48 to 72 inches, and can have draw weights from the teens to 60 pounds.

Recurve bows are popular for target shooting and bowhunting. Some recurves, known as takedown recurves, break down into three pieces, with limbs attaching to the riser with bolts. These are convenient for travel and allow archers to easily switch between limbs of different draw weights. Modern recurves have metal risers, and many use limbs made of carbon fibres.

Shooting a recurve bow requires physical conditioning, control, and consistency in replicating the same movements and timing with each shot, especially under stressful conditions. While it is fairly easy to shoot a recurve bow well, achieving quality results consistently takes practice.

Longbows: a traditional, ancient bow, made from a straight stick bent by a single string

Longbows are a type of traditional, ancient bow, made from a straight stick bent by a single string. They are also known as straight bows and are typically around 2 metres long. Longbows are simple in design, consisting of a long, continuous riser/limb configuration, with a string attached at both ends.

Longbows are a type of traditional archery bow, along with self-bows and recurve bows. They are usually made from a single block of yew, boxwood, or glued laminated wood, though other materials can be used. For example, the Great Plains Traditional Bow Company offers longbows made from red elm, cedar, osage, bamboo, mesquite, and other materials.

Longbows are a popular choice for archers due to their simplicity, flexibility, and lightweight design. They are often used in competitions and for recreational shooting. However, they can be difficult to control and have lower output, making them less suitable for hunting.

Longbows have a long history, dating back to medieval times in England, and were an important tool for survival in ancient times. Today, they are still used for archery and are favoured by those who want a more traditional and authentic experience.

Crossbows: a combination of a firearm and a bow, with a trigger mechanism

Crossbows are a unique weapon that combines the functionality of a firearm and a bow, with a trigger mechanism for firing. They are distinct from traditional bows like the compound, recurve, longbow, and self bow, which are handheld tools used to shoot arrows. Crossbows, on the other hand, are typically mounted on an elongated frame called a tiller or stock, with a built-in mechanism to hold the drawn bowstring. This design allows the user to release the string by depressing a trigger, similar to a firearm.

The combination of the bow and firearm features offers several advantages. For instance, crossbows require less physical strength and skill to operate compared to traditional bows. The locking mechanism enables the user to maintain the draw with less exertion, and the trigger release allows for better precision. This makes crossbows more accessible to less-skilled personnel. Additionally, the design of crossbows allows users to handle more draw weight, potentially increasing the power and accuracy of the weapon.

The history of crossbows is extensive, with the earliest known examples dating back to ancient China in the first millennium BC. They played a significant role in warfare, bringing about a shift in the use of projectile weaponry. Over time, crossbow technology evolved, with the incorporation of different materials such as bronze, steel, and composite materials.

Today, crossbows are no longer widely used in battles, having been largely replaced by firearms. However, they remain popular for competitive shooting sports, hunting, and silent shooting applications. The legal status of crossbows can be complex due to their potential for lethal use and their similarities to both firearms and archery weapons. In some jurisdictions, crossbows are categorized as firearms, while in others, they are subject to different regulations or no specific regulations at all.

In summary, crossbows are a unique weapon that combines the functionality of a firearm and a bow, offering advantages in terms of ease of use, precision, and power. Their design and technology have evolved over centuries, and while they may no longer be prevalent in warfare, they continue to find utility in various modern contexts, each with its own set of regulations.

Self bows: handmade from a single piece of wood

Self bows, also known as simple bows, are handmade from a single piece of wood. They are the most primitive type of bow and typically take the form of a longbow.

The process of making a self bow is an art, with bowyers whittling and shaping the wood by hand to create a functional and beautiful piece of weaponry. The wood used for self-bow making can be sourced from local materials, with common timbers such as maple, ash, elm, and oak making excellent flat bows. Other sought-after types of wood include hickory, oak, Pacific yew, juniper, ash, elm, mulberry, and osage.

The process of crafting a self bow can be time-consuming, requiring tools like draw knives, spoke shaves, cabinet scrapers, and burnishing tools to shape and refine the wood. The stave, or piece of wood, must be long enough, approximately the height of the archer, and have a sufficiently straight grain. The fibres on the back of the self bow must be continuous, which can be achieved in several ways, including using the outer, under-bark surface of the tree as the back of the bow.

Self bows are typically used for traditional archery and are less efficient in specialised areas such as flight archery. They are commonly found in many parts of the world, including Africa, the Americas, Northern Europe, and Southern Asia. The first bow artefacts, the Stellmoor and Holmegaard bows of Northern Europe, are examples of self bows.

Self bows are a testament to the craftsmanship and artistry of bowyers, who can transform a single piece of wood into a powerful and elegant tool for archery.

Frequently asked questions