I'm real green

[tinkering]

I am afraid I put the cart in front of the wagon. I bought an old John Strunk longbow osage and glass. It is marked 69# @ 27". Does this mean it is made for a man with a draw length of 27" maximum? I measured my span from middle finger to middle finger and divided by 2.5. I read that this is supposed to be my draw length; 77" divided by 2.5 = 30.8". I can't draw the bow to 26" on a fresh day. If I was to lengthen the string/ decreasing the brace/ will this lessen the draw weight? I have doubts that I could ever draw that thing to 31" or is that a definite dangerous overdraw even if it was possible?? I bought this bow before I know what I should have. I must sound like a dummy in order to learn. My son and I want to shoot longbow. I can't even get to a club for some instruction. We are at a fire tower for 6 months. Can I still use this bow even if I can't anchor anywhere near my cheek? We just want to shoot.

[Longbow Bowhunter]

Boy, you bit off a little to much there, after awhile of shoting you may see 30" and at 30 inches that bow is pulling close to 82 pounds. My suggestion would go out and find a nice used 40 or 45 pound bow, work on form build your trad muscles up, then go up and eventually start shooting your Strunk bow. Good luck

[tinkering]

Should I look for a bow designed at 40 to 45 # at 31" or is it often OK to draw a 27" bow to 31" without danger of breakage? For instance, would a 35# at 28" give me a 45# @ 31" or something? Is that how it works? How do you calculate? Like I say, I have to sound foolish to learn. Thanks a bunch.

[Molson]

You should look for a bow that has a design that fits your draw length.  If longbows are what you want to shoot, and you don't have the ability to try them out, a good length at your draw would be 66" or 68" in a reflex/deflex design. You can pretty much count on a bow of that length and design being comfortable for you to shoot.

If the bow is marked at 28", figure on adding about 10 lbs because of your longer draw. (about 3 lbs per inch over 28")  If you're buying used, you may want to look for a bow that is marked at 30" just to be sure there won't be any stacking problems.

[tinkering]

The measurments between the nocks when the bow is strung is 67 1/2"
1. How can I tell a reflex/deflex design?
2. What is the true definition of 'stacking'?
Thanks.

[R H Clark]

On a reflex/deflex bow if you hold the unstrung bow like you were going to shoot, the limbs shape is bending both toward and away from you.

Stacking is the point in draw length where the bow starts to gain excessive pounds per inch of draw.When a bow starts to stack the limbs are at their limit of elastic ability and could fail if drawn much further.

[tinkering]

I don't know how you mean the limbs shape bends both toward me and away from me. When I unstring the Strunk bow I see both limbs bend away from me a little; if I touch the back of both tips to the wall there is about a half an inch between the back of the handle and the wall. If the ends bend back toward me at all, it is a very tiny amount. Does this mean it is a straight longbow design, and not a reflex/deflex design? What are the advantages of reflex/deflex? Will a 66" to 68" bow length still be suitable for me even if it is not a reflex/deflex design, or will it then have to be longer than that?
Will I run into stacking problems when I work my strength up to shoot the above mentioned Strunk bow (it is marked 69# @27" and I will need 31" of draw for me)?

Where is a good site to find a low cost used bow? Is Woodbows.com company worth a new purchase for the beginner? They build unfinished blanks with red oak and linen backing. I figure they are not tops but are they good to start us shooting without a big initial expence; or would I regret it?

[jmar595]

Tinkering, Just my opinion. You need to find out your true draw before going and getting a bow. The reflex/ deflex design combines a longbow and a recurve, best of both worlds so to speak. When you look at it unstrung it bends the usual way, but towards the tips they bend back away from the string, kinda like a recurve but not nearly as dramatic. I shoot a Browning recurve #44@28" but I draw to 30", so I am getting around 50# The bow is fine, I'd be a little weary pulling a bow marked for less than 28", but I'm fairly green too and don't know about that. I do think you should get your draw figured out. An easy way to do that is to draw the bow with a full length arrow all the way back to your anchor. Have someone mark the arrow at the front of the bow. Your draw is the length from the nock to the mark. Most archery stores have light weight bows set up for this, or scales that can be used. After you figure out your draw length then your next step is to use the right length arrows. Good luck in your journey. Hope this helps.

[R H Clark]

Tinkering,You might want to pick up a copy of the Traditional Bowyer's Bible number 1 and just make a bow. It would be a great learning experience and wouldn't cost much.

[Bonebuster]

I think Molson is correct. You have a nice long draw length and this is a good thing. A 66" or 68"
bow is in order for you. 45 lbs is plenty.

I would add that trying to make do with a bow that has too much draw weight can cause alot of frustration and teach you bad habits that can be hard to break. It would be like trying to teach a ten yr old boy to shoot a rifle using an elephant cartridge.

Good luck

[Molson]

Your Strunk bow is a straight limb or slightly reflexed longbow.  You mention placing the tips against the wall and the handle being about 1/2 inch away.  On a reflex/deflex design, if you placed the tips against the wall, the limbs would curve away from the wall then back toward the handle, which would also touch the wall. That's a generic description but should give you an idea of what a R/D bow would look like.

It's hard to say whether or not that bow will draw smooth to 31". It sounds like you've got a bow length of 70 or 72" which is capable of that draw length, it just depends on how it was tapered.  If there is no glass on the belly, I would not risk drawing it much more than the 27" marked on it.

As for used bows, you can find those right here.  Scroll down on "Forum Home" until you see "Traditional Bows" forum.  You shouldn't have too much trouble finding a quality bow to suit you.

[styckbow]

Tinkering you are definitly over bowed but you are in luck there are a lot of good dealers right in Calgary that can help you out and they have reasonable prices and all of them know thier stuff I don't think it would be approriate to give you thier names here but feel free to email me at [email protected] and I will send you a list of the best. Also you might want to check out the Alberta Traditional Bowhunters website there are of whole bunch of pretty smart guys in that bunch and some of them live right in your area

[Wile E. Coyote]

Tinkering, I think you will find traditional archery a joy once you get into it, however I feel that trying to get involved with that particular bow will lead to problems.

First the bow is too heavy for all but the strongest archers. Trying to learn on that bow will only teach you bad habits that in the future may be difficult to unlearn. Consider reselling the bow on the classifieds here and using the money to purchase a bow that is in the 45-50# class at your draw length. ( the standard is to list boweight at 28", add or subtract 3# per inch based on your own draw length to see bows weigh at your draw)

Ask plenty of questions, have fun.

My suggestion is to purchase the book Instinctive Shooting by Fred Asbel, it should take you through the basics and more.

[tinkering]

jmar595: I will try to get to a shop for a true measurement but I am in the boonies.
It looks like my draw length is 31" by the 2 methods I have used. I will shop for a 'straight limb' design longbow that will give me 40-45# @ 31".
MOLSON: You said I should have 66" or 68" reflex/deflex design. Should I have it longer than that in a 'straight limb' design; maybe 72"? I would like to hang on to my John Strunk 69# @ 27" (68") though, and see if I can grow my traps into that kind of future draw weight.
R H CLARK: I have read some of the Traditional Bowyers Bible Vol 1. I will look for a copy to purchase. I attempted a willow stickbow last season. I have secured some yew and yellow cedar for the future. I am going to give a birch stickbow a try this season (we harvested some good sized limbs last fall) but we want something to shoot in the meantime.
MOLSON: My Strunk bow is near 68" not 70-72". It is approximately 7/16" square at the nocks. The limbs where the riser starts, are about 1 1/16" wide and 5/8" thick. There is glass on the belly and the back. Does this sound like it will make 31"?
STYCKBOW: I emailed you for that list of merchants. I am a member at Alberta Traditional Bowhunters forum. I haven't logged on for a long time though.
WILE E. COYOTE: I will look for the book. Instinctive Shooting by Fred Asbel.
I'll be glad when my son and I have the gear and knowhow to get shooting. THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR THE ONGOING INPUT!

[Molson]

I believe you said the bow was 67 1/2" nock to nock when strung. A typical longbow string is 3-4" shorter than the bow length.  Bow length is measured unstrung.  You should be ok with that bow provided you can work into the weight.

A straight limb bow will need to be longer than a R/D bow at a given draw length.  The 66-68" R/D suggestion was made assuming you were going to make a blind purchase on a used bow.

[tinkering]

MOLSON: It looks like 69 1/2" nock to nock unstrung (nock to nock unstrung is the right way?).
Am I right to say then that I will start my hunt for a 70-72" straight limb longbow 40-45# @ 31"? If so, I will start by going through the 'Traditional Bows' forum for a used one.

[Molson]

70-72" should work out fine. You'll probably find more choices in a R/D design, but if you keep looking, a nice straight limb bow will come along for you.  You can post a wanted add on the "Traditional Bows" forum too.