Longbow Handle

[BigErn]

How do you determine the lenght of your handle for your longbow.I see some people use 12"
through 18".Is it preference,shape of the bow,lenght,type of woods,materials?Hope this isn't a dumb question!
                              Ernie

[JamesV]

The style of bow has a lot to do with how long the riser needs to be. A Hill Style bow will have a shorter riser than a R/D longbow. The lenth of the riser is part of the formula used to get the desired poundage. Also a shorter riser will give you a longer working limb resulting in a smoother drawing bow.

[BigErn]

So,if i'm going with a Hill style, 68" bow out of Ipe and Bamboo,want it around #50lbs.Would a 16" riser be about right?
                                     Ernie

[jsweka]

16" is what I use, but I think the bows made by Craig Ekin and John Shulz are/were shorter.

[jsweka]

Here's a pic of one of my risers just after glue-up and sanding off the glue boogers.

 

[macbow]

On my BBI I put in a power lam about 10 to12 inches long.
Then the handle is 4 inches plus 2 inches for each fade.
I glue the handle on in 1/8 to 1/4 inch slats, usually,four with each layer getting shorter from the original 8 inches.
Mine are R/D shaped this way I can bend the stack to match the concave shape at the center of the bow.
I alternate the pieces with Osage and walnut for visual effect.

[monterey]

Your desired weight can be reached at the 16" riser just as it could be reached with a 14" or 18".  Each of those will require a different stack thickness to reach your desired weight.  The trick is figuring out your stack.  

I generally use an 18" and follow the bingham guidelines for stack to acheive the desired weight.  Their stack recommendations are for a 1.5" wide bow.  

Having no experience calculating results with a shorter riser, I'll leave that for a braver soul than I!  :D

[macbow]

I guess I'm a bit confused. Are we talking glass bows or bamboo backed?
I just checked my bamboo backed bows and the longest is 12 inches and usually never over 9 or 10 inches.
I can't see any reason on a longbow for a bulky handle.
On a glass bow a heavier longer riser adds to stability and helps with hand shock.

[BigErn]

This particular bow is a bamboo backed bow.
                                 Ernie

[blue_beast_66]

I agree with Mac