Archery recurve bows are distinguished by the fact that when unstrung, the ends of the bow curve away from the archer. It is this feature which gives recurve bows their extra punch. More energy is stored than for an otherwise similar straight limbed bow. This allows the arrow to leave at a higher speed, increasing the reach, and hopefully increasing the accuracy of the bow shot.
Alternatively, for the same poundage as a straight limbed bow, a recurve bow can be made that is shorter limbed. This is a significant advantage where the bow is being used in a hunting environment, where the space available to present the bow is less.
Some modern recurve bows have the additional feature, when being used for hunting, of being easily dismantled. The limbs can be readily removed from the riser, which both helps storage, and eases maintenance. Failure of a limb doesn’t necessarily mean the bow must be binned- instead only the failed limb needs to be replaced.
The recurve bow can trace it’s use back to ancient cultures from the fertile crescent, and were known to the Egyptians of the second millenium BC. They became the issue bow for archers in the Roman Imperial – the bow had it’s ends reinforced by extra wooden lathes, and was made from a composite of materials. They were especially popular because of their short form, which enabled ease of use when firing from a horseback. Various Asian nomadic cultures made extensive use of recurve bows, including the Huns, Mongols and Magyars.
Modern recurve bows have moved on somewhat in terms of the materials employed in their construction. Now the limbs consist of a core of wood, or carbon foam, overlain with several layers of fibre glass, carbon or in cheaper bows, wood laminate.
The risers can be made from wood, or plastic, in the less expensive bows. More commonly they are made from a combination of metal and carbon fibre. Overall, the weight of a modern bow can compare unfavourably with a similarly limbed long bow. But that extra mass does provide an extra stability on the release of the arrow, which leads to a greater accuracy on release, which is a critical moment.
In addition to the limbs and the riser, the modern sporting bow will be equipped with a bow sight, as well as a nocking point, where the nock of the arrow is fitted into the bow string. There is usually a fashioned hand grip, to aid stability on release.
For general sporting use, the recurve bow has no equal, and indeed it is the only type bow permitted in the Olympic games. Modern recurve bows have been specifically designed to shoot the latest carbon based arrows.
These have low mass, so the energy transferred on release of the string must not be excessive. Otherwise there will be excessive vibration by the bow, which can quickly cause failure. By optimal design, archery recurve bows give those involved in today’s sporting archery excellent cast, and so performance.
