ASL stack?

[skye5317]

Noob question.  Is there an advantage to doing a forward handle or is it more a matter of preference? 

[pditto613]

Puts your bow hand closer to the center line of the bow. Makes it a little more forgiving of  left/right issues.   Like the ones cause from my inconsistent release.  Some personal preference is in there too.

[Forwardhandle]

90% of my bows are forward handle both D/R & recurve never shot a FH ,ASL but to me they torque less on release like said , they seem to me to give me a feel of being part of the bow they seem to be more of a natural pointer & shock free at release it's hard to explain but there is defently a different feel to them I'm sand bagging this thread Im defiantly going to make a FH,ASL at some point !

[Flem]

Forward handle seems like an inaccurate description. They should be called Back-Handed, or maybe Digital grippers.

[jsweka]

I thought they looked goofy for the longest time.  Like you strung a bow backwards.
But overtime they grew on me, so I had to build one.  I'm back on a regular riser ASL kick for the time being, but I know I'll go back to the reverse handle at some point.

[monterey]

Something I wonder about is the loss of power stroke with an ASL.  Even though it may have a poundage equal to the (rearward handle???) ASL, the power stroke will be reduced 1.5" to  2".

[Flem]

Mike, could you elaborate on the power stroke. I'm clueless, but curious.

[monterey]

Think of a typical "Hill style" ASL.  The grip is 1.5" to 2" deep with the limbs on a plane with the back of the bow.  With the forward handle, the plane of the limbs is at the belly.  So, given a two inch deep "Hill style" grip, compared to a forward handle, the forward handle limbs are being drawn two inches less.

So, this next may or may not be tested but here's what I'm thinkin. 

Given bows of each style that have equal draw weights when drawn by the same archer to the same anchor point, the H style will pe propelling the arrow through a power stroke that is two inches longer. Both bows accelerate the arrow continuously from departure from anchor point to the nock leaving the string. The forward handle will be accelerating the arrow two inches less and therefore with less speed (efficiency).

Could be stinkin thinkin but interesting to think about and discuss.

[Forwardhandle]

Mike I went threw the same dilema as you with these FH but then I figured out no mater what bow I shoot my inside draw is always 29" + rise/handle depth 29" + 1 1/2" = 31 1/2"  so the limbs are alwas moving 29" inside draw for the same giving draw weight thats all speculation on my part sense I don't want to build 2 test bows but I dont think there would be much performance difference other then shooting quality's !

[Flem]

Good observation Mike. I could not wrap my head around what you were saying. Went to bed thinking about it. Fortunately I do my best thinking when I'm asleep.
So like Ritchie said, you would have to increase the length of your arrows to compensate for the depth of the back-handle, otherwise you would come up short on your draw, equal to the handle depth. That creates another couple of issues to address. I guessing you would have to use a different spined arrow to compensate for increased length and fulcrum point.

[monterey]

Yeah, there's a number of adaptations that come to mind.  I too think in my sleep and it came to me last night that the relationship between brace height and the plane of the limbs should also come into play. 

I'm at the point of drawing pictures.  Not for the benefit of Bench readers, but to try to figure out my own thoughts.   

Probably comes across like I'm some kind of speed freak or performance nut, but when the season opens I'm usually carrying a pokey ASL with heavy arrows that would hit with more authority out of a Samick Sage!

[Flem]

"I'm at the point of drawing pictures.  Not for the benefit of Bench readers, but to try to figure out my own thoughts. "

Thats funny! When I got up this morning, I had to go into my shop a grab a bow backwards to visualize what you were talking about