Full Recurve (pics?)

[K. Mogensen]

My grandpa was telling me today that they used to have a full recurve as opposed to the half or so recurves they have today. Does this make sense and do any of you have pics if this even exists?

Thanks!

[K. Mogensen]

Let me clarify, he means that the tips curved farther down than they do now. Almost touching the other part of the limb...

[Rob DiStefano]

in 57 years of pulling string, i've never seen or heard of such a commercially available 'recurve bow' that has truly 'rams horn' aggressive curved limb tips.

[Benny Nganabbarru]

Possibly a reference to horsebows? The type used by some of the ancients? Mongols, perhaps?

[George D. Stout]

My guess is he was referring to the hybrids of today.  We used to call them "semi recurves" and others "full recurves."   We didn't use the term hybrid even though it is basically the same design of the old bows.  It was Full Recurve or Semi Recurve.  Here are strung profiles of some Pearson bows (1962)...full recurves on the left, and a semi recurve on the right.  It's just what we called them.

 

[DCM]

Chet Stevenson favored such a design, predominantly in the selfbows of his time.  He may have fashion composite bows as well.

The only guy who comes to mind today is Brad Merkel (LittleTree) of Wisconsin, again in selfbows and I'm not sure if he still favors that style.  Joe Don Jones (Genesis) may have made a few as well, early on.

The geometry and physics is such that bend beyond 90 doesn't really accomplish it's primary purpose, and simply adds limb mass.  But they are dang cool to look at, and as I understand it Brad's bows shoot like a house afar.

I've never seen one in commercially made glass bows.

[fnshtr]

What George said.

[wingnut]

We make a deep hook static on our Orion recurve that is probably as close to what your talking about that you find in a bow today.  Here are a few pics of our prototype bow from a couple years back.  They are a lot prettier today.  LOL

 

 

 

[K. Mogensen]

Originally posted by George D. Stout:
My guess is he was referring to the hybrids of today.  We used to call them "semi recurves" and others "full recurves."   We didn't use the term hybrid even though it is basically the same design of the old bows.  It was Full Recurve or Semi Recurve.  Here are strung profiles of some Pearson bows (1962)...full recurves on the left, and a semi recurve on the right.  It's just what we called them.

 

This seems about right. Thanks guys. I was just curious.