twisted limb ?

HORN-HUNTER · 01-20-2003, 08:58 AM

How can you tell if a limb is twisted ? Ive looked at every angle ,top & bottom limb, if its twisted,,, but dont know what a twisted limb looks like! My 2018`s are matched to the poundage, but know matter what I do my arrows are fling in figure eights & every number there is <img src=icon_smile_dissapprove.gif border=0 align=middle> shooting a Martin Hunter 60 # @ 28 " RH

Arthur P · 01-20-2003, 09:29 AM

Probably the easiest way to see a twisted limb on a recurve is to draw the bow and then let it down slowly. Sometimes on a limb with slight twist, you can feel the string pop into the string goove on the belly side of the limb tip. Or the string will run off to one side of the groove.

About arrow spine. You can match the arrow spine to the poundage, but you also have to match spine to your shooting style. Some guys have a very smooth release and can use an arrow that should be way underspined. Some guys aren't that slick on the release and need a heavier spine than the charts call for.

But it really sounds to me like you need to fiddle around with your nock height and brace height. Raise and lower your nock until you get rid of the up and down porpoising. Then raise your brace height until you get rid of the side to side tail wagging.

Besides spine and tune, the only other things that can cause bad arrow flight is trying to shoot plastic vanes off the shelf or a very bad release.

longbowman · 01-20-2003, 12:23 PM

Hornhunter, You should be able to string your bow and look at how it lies within the string grooves. Since I personally have been using Howatt Hunters for years I can say that a twisted limb is pretty uncommon. If your string stays within the grooves on both limbs from the top of the groove to the bottom your fine. I've seen bows whose limbs were twisted bad enough to look like they could break at full draw still shoot a straight arrow. I agree with Arthur P that it's more likely your nock point that's giving you the bad arrow flight. Remember, set your brace height on that particular bow at 7 to 7 1/4" from the belly of the grip and set you nock point at a minimum of 5/8" above center to start. If your arrows still fly bad there I'd bump up to a 22 walled shaft at around 2213 or 2215. Those skinny little arrows are bears to get flying.

Lilhunter · 01-20-2003, 01:21 PM

there's a fella up here with a pretty spendy bow with some major twisted limbs. He also has a dyer longbow with twisted limbs. The curve you cant string and keep it strung as its so bad the string pops off. The longbow shoots great even with twisted limbs, go figure.

I would agree more with what Art was saying also. Bh would be probably the first culprat as most strings have some or alot, depending on material, amount of string creep (when a string stretches and wont go back to normal length or unrecoverable. But dont look just there, how are you shooting on your part? Usually you can see it but if you cant have someone who knows whats going (knows how you shoot) on watch you to see if there are any major changes.....

JRW · 01-20-2003, 02:44 PM

Looking pretty much straight down the string, you should be able to see the limb tip tracking the center of the face of the limb nearest you, and the string tracking the center of the belly of the limb furthest away.

If the string tracks the center of the far limb, but the tip of the near limb is off to one side...it's twisted.

Easy to do, hard to explain without a picture. Hope this helps.

JRW