American longbow?

[John Malone]

What's the difference between a flat bow and an ALB. Does the Alb taper in thickness?

[Pat B]

I'd say that a flat bow is a generic term and that an ALB is a style of flat bow. The ALB is a classic design of the 1940's and were typically lemonwood, osage, yew and hickory.
 Comparing an ALB and ELB the ALB has a flat, rectangular cross section where as an ELB has a deep, rounded belly. On a side note, some ELBs, made with less compression strong woods like elm, ash, etc. were more flat than rounded because of that less compression strong wood used.

[John Malone]

Thanks Pat I tried to google that and got answers all over the place.

[Pat B]

Outside of "our" universe I'm amazed how little folks know about archery and related subjects.
 However, I bought some leather from a woman last week that was going back to England and couldn't take it with her. She asked what I was going to do with it and I told her make bags and archery quivers. She was thrilled and knew more about archery then most folks I know. Apparently she was into archery in England as she grew up.

[John Malone]

I learned a lot of what I know from my grandfather. Him and his brothers learned to make a hickory bow in 1930 because they couldn't afford ammo to hunt with. That great depression was one hell of  teacher he would say. He passed when I was 15, two years after my father who was also trad bow hunter, so I missed out on a lot of education so to speak.

[Holm-Made]

Thanks for sharing, John.  Good anology bout the Great Depression.

[John Malone]

No problem, I try and pass some of the wisdom they taught on to the younger folks but it rarely sinks in. PERSONAL ACOUNTABILITY That pretty much sums up the foundation of the way we were taught to think as children.

[JamesV]

My scout master was an avid archer and bow builder. He taught us kids to build a simple hickory slat bow, a string for it and we even fletched our arrows. I was fascinated with it and still am. That was 62 years ago.

James