Limb taper ?

[Buck Buckley]

Been building boo backed bows for a couple of years and have always tapered my limbs from the fades straight to the tips, I been reading were a lot of you go from your fades out to mid limb before you start the taper. What are the reasons or benifits to tapering this way? Thanks Buck

[Apex Predator]

Maybe after seeing all the nice bows you have been building no-one feels qualified to give you advice?

[Buck Buckley]

Always wanting to try new ideas, or improve on the old.Them are some nice bows you have been busy with to.

[bigcountry]

I always heard for osage, it was for safety or to make sure you make at least 12" of it as wide as the fades.  Just less chance of breaking.  I just designed my last osage that way.  I have seen alot of pyamid (fade to tips), that have shot great also.

I would like to know the skinny on this also.

[Orion]

Lots of discussion of the design you're considering in the latest (Volume IV) Traditional Bowyer's Bible.  If I remember correctly, leaving the limbs wider through the first third or so from the fadeouts, and then really tapering in an eifel tower shap to the tip, causes the bow's limbs to bend more right off of the riser/fadeouts while the outer 1/3 of the limbs remain fairly static/unbending.  Looks rather ugly IMO, but apparently ups efficiency by about 10%.  That's a bunch for a selfbow.