Whats your definition of Smooth?

[joebuck]

I read replies on here often that someone will say ole so and so bow is a smooth drawer or (I love this one)Bamboo is smoother than Osage? I know what smooth means to me, just curious what some of you define "smooth" as? The definition in the drawing aspect of a bow.

[Richie Nell]

To me, a smooth draw is pulling the string of a 64# Osage Black Widow recurve after pulling a Bear takedown recurve for 15 years.  The Widow draws so smooth that it feels like it almost has a release in draw weight compared to the stacking weight of the Bear.  I haven't pulled many bows in my life but the draw and release of a Widow recurve is sweetly smooth.

[joebuck]

Hello Richie again    

Why do you think the Widow is "smoother"? If (for example) both bows gain 2#or3# an inch out to 30" then start stacking 4#...where is the smooth? Try measuring the # draw for both bows from 20" to 30".  Write down # for each inch draw....you might find one has a shorter force curve than the other?!

[Richie Nell]

The Bear Hutner takedown was 70#@28 It would simply hit a wall at about 25-26 inches. It was 74 lbs. at 29 inches.  The widow does not do that at all.  It seems to have the same even force as far as I can pull it, 32-33 inches.  Just a steady pull with no changes in difficulty.

[Lost]

It's best explained by drawing a Welch Dakota to 29.5" for me. There is no noticeable "wall" from the second I put tension on the string till I reach full draw it feels very fluid.
Morrison c or d limbs very smooth, Schafer's long limb on the med. or long riser smooth.
If I draw a bow and it feels like I'm going over speed bumps I wouldn't call it smooth.

[Artur]

Smooth is: A Kassai Magyar bow after using an English Long Bow. Actually, just shooting a Kassai Magyar bow, period. Wish I could afford one right now (but my money has to go to paying bills and keeping the car drivable).

[DEAN]

WEBSTER DICTIONARY ON THE WORD SMOOTH:(THE FEEL OF A TURKEYCREEK LONGBOW AS YOU PULL THE BOW BACK TO ANCHOR)NOW THAT'S SMOOTH @ A 29 1/2 IN DRAW

[Shakes.602]

Dean Martin?  

[joebuck]

I heard a guy once at an archery shoot complain that his bow wasn't smooth drawing. His draw was 30" and he shot a 62" traditional longbow.  He said it stacked.  

[LBR]

My #1 bow gains 2.5# per inch out to my 30.5" draw length, and I'm pulling 66#.  I call that smooth.

A smooth draw is kinda like speed--you can pull a bow and know if it's smooth to you, just like you can shoot a bow and see if it's fast to you, but both can be relative terms.  A bow with a lot of pre-load may not feel smooth to an individual, even if it is only gaining 2-3# per inch.  On the flip side, I've seen "reports" of a bow that was gaining 4# per inch past 26" being referred to as "smooth".

Some limb materials can draw smoother than others--it has to do with the flexibility/elasticity of the material.  In my experience, yew limbs are the smoothest drawing, all else being equal, but how much smoother will vary depending on the bow design, draw weight, etc.  In some there's not enough difference to make a difference to me.

Chad

[joebuck]

Good point Chad on pre-load...I was waiting for someone to finally note that. Different bow limbs are pre-stressed for sure.

You say Yew is smoother. Let me ask you the # of feathers versus # of lead question. Let's say you have 2 bows..One yew and one Locust...both gain 2.5# per inch of draw out to 30" then stack at 4# at 31".. Your draw lenght is 30"...Is the yew smoother?

[shantam]

a gain in draw weight under 2# per inch for an typical 50 pounder.
thats smooth in my opinion.
shantam

[Biggie Hoffman]

I think Curtis Kellar is smooooooooooth.......

[LBR]

You say Yew is smoother. Let me ask you the # of feathers versus # of lead question. Let's say you have 2 bows..One yew and one Locust...both gain 2.5# per inch of draw out to 30" then stack at 4# at 31".. Your draw lenght is 30"...Is the yew smoother?  

If the scale rates them as gaining the same ppi, then no, yew wouldn't be smoother in that bow--like you said, a pound of feathers vs. a pound of lead.  However, that shouldn't be the case--the yew should draw at least a little smoother, but it will vary depending on bow design, lam thickness, etc.  Where I've seen a noticeable difference is in longbows with narrower, deeper cored limbs.

Chad

[Larry247]

A smooth bow is a smooth bow, smooth to me means the the pull is comfortable all the way to my anchor point and i can relax with no strain, the release is as easy as the pull. No hand shock in the riser is a big plus. A smooth bow will not stack 2" past my draw weight. Some bows i can just feel the riser and i know i can shoot them, and some i know i don't want too shoot because i'll want one of them too...

[Richie Nell]

Earl,  Yes it is not a Kodiak.  It is a Bear Hunter Takedown that I once thought it felt pretty good until I pulled my Widow.

[larry]

an ice cold Guiness stout....doesn't get any smoother than that  

[Otto]

I shoot Assenheimers, Chastains, Widows, RER's, a Blacktail, a Bob Lee, a 58 inch #2 limb "A" riser Bear Kodiak Takedown, and a Morrison.  All are 60 inch bows, save the Blacktail, the Chastains (58 & 62), The Bear TD and the Morrison.  All are within 2#'s at my 29+ draw length.  Without a doubt, I think the Widows (all SA or PSA models) are smoothest (i.e.  linear weight gain /inch or draw).  Believe it or not, I think the old Bear TD is second, and the rest are a big knotted up tie for 3rd.

[joebuck]

Does the Widow have the shortest riser? or longest limbs?

[Otto]

joebuck

Good question and hard to answer.  Looks like all are within an inch or so of one another except foer the 62 inch Chastain (longest riser and shortest limbs) and the Bear TD (Shortest riser, longest limbs).  It's also more difficult to determine where the "working" part of the limb starts on each bow as well.