Draw Weight Phenomenom
 

I’d like to know why some bows pull feel heavier or lighter then the actual pulling weight. How does 50 pounds of pull feel different on different bows. Is there really an explanation to this or is it just a phenomenon?

Is it just a product of the draw force curve only?

RE: Draw Weight Phenomenom
 

All I can come up with is the length of the lever. Longer thinner limbs feel softer than shorter thicker at the same weight. Plus, longer limbs load its elastic potential on a longer plan. That would be my first assumption, or I should say, thats my guess.;)

RE: Draw Weight Phenomenom
 

I think some stack allot more then others when they get towards the end of the draw, mine does that and I don't care for it!

RE: Draw Weight Phenomenom
 

It is a weird thing. The DFC has a part to play, for sure......but even bows that show a gain of 2-3 lbs per inch on a scale can feel different. One thing I've noticed--every bow I've ever drawn that had carbon in the limbs felt heavier, or at least stiffer, to me. Some had it in the core, some on the outside to replace the glass, one I drew was a whole lot worse than any other, another I drew it wasn't very noticeable........but that's been my perception with every one of them. Dad-gumed if I know what does it.

Chad

RE: Draw Weight Phenomenom
 

I wish I knew because I'd be abusy and famous bowyer if I did. ;)

RE: Draw Weight Phenomenom
 

I would also say design plays a part in it, as well as composition materials.

I swear bamboo limbs, tonkin cane in particular, draw smoother.

RE: Draw Weight Phenomenom
 

No doubt design and materials play a role--what puzzles me is when two bows that are pretty much identical according to the scale have a different feel--i.e., one feels a few lbs. lighter than the other.

Yew limbs are my favorite to date, in a longbow anyway. In a well made recurve, I don't know that I could tell much if any difference in the feel from one limb core to the next.

Chad

RE: Draw Weight Phenomenom
 

on top of what you all have said

i think different handle and grip designs have an effect on the way that poundage is percieved.....

somthing that feels different in the hand than what your used to isnt as comfortable,(because your not used to it)or more comfortable(because it fits yourhand better)and sometimes that can make a bows pull feel heavier or lighter....

i think its all relative to what your used to...

but if you dont let the thought enter your mind it only takes abouta second to draw a bow to anchor....once your there you wont notice the difference.

RE: Draw Weight Phenomenom
 

Yes they do. Im making a composit with a power boo core and Ipe lams. It should be a snappy bow. I made one recently with a walnut core, bamboo backing and an ash belly. It is a very smooth shooter.

RE: Draw Weight Phenomenom
 

Material plays a part, but isn't the be-all end-all. Chek-Mate has experimented with bamboo, and found no significant benefits vs. pacific yew--in their designs, plus working with bamboo has drawbacks. I've shot a fewbows with bamboo limbs--some were very smooth, some weren't.

Mybet is a bow designed around a specifc core/material will work better than just adding that particular material to a given design.

Chad

RE: Draw Weight Phenomenom
 

I like that statement,that sounds like it would be right to me!

RE: Draw Weight Phenomenom
 

I remembered you saying this the other day after picking up my Adcock ACS. I had not shot it in probably over a year or so. When drawing it back, I was thinking "man this feels stiff".
So I guess I have to agree with you there Chad. :)

So the question then becomes do you get a bow that costs hundreds extra to get a little more performance with the stiffer drawing carbon and a lighter draw weight, or you get a bow with a few extra pounds that feels about the same drawing weight as the carbon bow that gets the same performance.

RE: Draw Weight Phenomenom
 

BINGO! One reason some bowyers (like Chek-Mate) don't offer carbon, even as an option. What's the point in a bow that shoots like a bow that's a few lbs. heavier, but draws like a bow that's a few lbs heavier? It's better because it costs a few hundred (or more) bucks extra?

I've asked that question a few times on different sites, but get referred to as pretty much everything but smart and honest when I did--so I just gave up on it.

I know the scales won't lie, but niether do my shoulders.I can't say why one feels stiffer than the other, but I know some do.

Chad

RE: Draw Weight Phenomenom
 

From the research I have done.

There is no real added performance bennefit from adding carbon to the limbs maybe 2 or 3fps.

But like Chad said the draw back is a stiffer drawing bow.

RE: Draw Weight Phenomenom
 

I don't know if I would have noticed until I stopped shooting it for while. But there is most definetely a different stiffer feeling to the bow. Don't give up, it just takes a while to get through sometimes.

RE: Draw Weight Phenomenom
 

Seems I can't say "thank you" without getting in trouble. Got a warning just today on a different site for saying this:

"Learning to shoot is a never-ending process. Heck, there's folks that have written books who's knowledge is severly lacking in some areas."

Oh well......I hope if I were to ever play favorites like that, someone kicks me squarely in the........rear.[:@]

Chad

RE: Draw Weight Phenomenom
 

I believe what you may be talking about is preload, and is a function in all bow designs,those thathave more tend to be faster,and seem to pull harder...those with less seem to be slower, and pull easier.......even though each are the same poundage at the same final draw length.

RE: Draw Weight Phenomenom
 

Very well could be. That was kind of what I was leaning towards when mentioning the draw force curve. Scales are very unbiased.:)

What would be very interesting to do would be to have two bows with the exact same draw force curve. One of the bows with carbon on the back and belly and one all wood limbs and compare.

RE: Draw Weight Phenomenom
 

Preload does change how they feel, but I've drawn bows with no carbon that had a lot of preload and with carbon that didn't have as much preload. Don't know how to explain it, just every bow I've draw with carbon in the limbs felt heavier than it was marked--one felt a LOT heavier than marked.

Chad