Bamboo limbs
 

I am thinking of getting a Northern Mist Supeior longbow as soon as I sell my compound, and ws wondering how good Bamboo limbs are. I have heard they are the best, that they aren't durable, they are are ugly, they are are pretty, they are fast and smooth, they cause handshock, they get rid of handshock. What is the truth? Think cocobolo would be a good match for a riser? I can get Shedua or Cocobolo. It also comes in 64 and 66". What would be better for a 28" draw( assuming my draw drops a bit, it is 28.75 now with my recurve)?

RE: Bamboo limbs
 

put a snake skin over them, they wont be so ugly then LOL....I shot one of John Schulz's bow...just wish the guy who had it woulda had it made for a longer draw....I wasnt impressed with the speed but I was impressed with how it shot. I didnt really thump when I shot it but she definatly let you know you where shootin her. Not quite as stable as my crusader then again it was 4&quot;es shorter! my experience is bad but that is from very limited experience with it....I do however have a new bow with bamboo limbs...I'll let ya know what I think tonite after 3d shooting till muscle failure <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>!

Edited by - Lilhunter on 01/21/2002 15:06:26

RE: Bamboo limbs
 

Talk to the bowyer and see what he thinks. Some bowyers I have talked to and/or researched love it, some say it doesn't make any noticeable difference in their bows, and some just won't use it. I have limited experience shooting longbows with bamboo limbs, and I will (cautiously) say the few I shot were not remarkable in performance, nor could I tell any difference in them over one with wood limbs. If possible, shoot two of the same bow except one with and one without bamboo, and draw your own conclusions and/or talk to as many bowyers as you can and get their opinions.

Chad

RE: Bamboo limbs
 

Wasn't bamboo Howard Hills favorite limbwood? Heck I ain't arguing w/THAT! But then of course that was before the advent of &quot;actionwood&quot; wasn't it?...Heehee!!<img src=icon_smile_clown.gif border=0 align=middle>

All joking aside, I'm w/LBR - it's according to which bowyer you talk to (& maybe what day). I've also heard a chinese (I think) bamboo called tonkin cane to be superior even to other bamboo limbwoods. Right now I have two longbows w/bamboo limb cores, both supposedly tonkin (who can tell?). There's a slight but not remarkable difference in them & similar bows w/other limbwoods, so The benefits of the lighter mass weight of bamboo coupled w/its supposed better resilience have been nominal in my experiences. Sounds alot like the deal w/carbon limbs doesn't it??



Edited by - Arrowsmit on 01/21/2002 19:31:44

RE: Bamboo limbs
 

I have tonkin cane limbs - I think they are beautiful. Golden honey color, and very good performance too. I have been told that tonkin cane limbs with carbon back is the top performance bows. If you put anything over the carbon (its black I guess) other than a very clear laminate, like snake skin or another wood veneer, you are hindering the performance somewhat.

I love bamboo, and the bamboo/carbon might very well be my choice if/when I get another set of limbs for my longbow.

[Deleted]
 

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RE: Bamboo limbs
 

hey Vic, I wonder if that has to do with it becoming a lamination under glass kinda touching on what stealthy said about putting anything over it reducing its performance. Still didnt hit the range with Plywoods bow but I will definatly post my limited experience with bamboo limbs. That schulz bow I shot was a dog and stacked like crap, then again it was made for a midgit (sorry pard if your watching in the blinds <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>!

RE: Bamboo limbs
 

My last several bows that I have built have bamboo actionwood cores. I believe that there is a modest increase in performance. Actionboo seems to smooth the draw a bit. I've quit looking for the &quot;Break Through&quot; design for my bows. IMO, materials do matter but not greatly. Design is more important. Dick

RE: Bamboo limbs
 

My Sley Recurve has bamboo limbs.
I kind of like the way they look.
They look best with a bocote riser, imo.
My Sley shoots 12fps. faster than my Dakota Recurve so I'm pleased with the bamboo limbs so far.


Sag.

RE: Bamboo limbs
 

Wow Sag, thats a lotta difference! How similar in draw/arrow weights?

RE: Bamboo limbs
 

Arrowsmit,

The Dakota is rated at a 29&quot; draw and the Sley is at 30&quot; I ordered the Dakota first and went by the formula that you lose 2&quot; when going from compound to recurve. I found, I only lost one inch.
The Sley is 3# heavier than the Dakota Recurve at my 30&quot; draw. That is one reason it shoots the same arrow a little faster.
I shoot weighted ACC arrows that weigh in at 625grs.
I got 173fps with my Dakota Recurve and 185 with the Sley. I thought that was decent speed for a fairly heavy arrow.
Nowhere near what some of those Big East shooters are claiming though. LOL.
My Dakota is built by Rick Welch. Not Bob Morrison. Bows with the same name cause some confusion at times.
I used the chronograph at my archery shop and realize that these figures could be off. I plan on checking the bows out with my uncle's chronograph when I get the chance.


Sag.

RE: Bamboo limbs
 

I was talking to the bowyer down at Great Planes bows this morning. I was asking him about the tonkin bamboo limbs on my bow,he said that he felt that all the limbs were pretty much the same but that the bamboo were maybe a little better than the others.I find that they draw very smoothly and I like the dark golden yellow and dark spotty color a lot. Cam [8d]

RE: Bamboo limbs
 

I was talking to the bowyer down at Great Planes bows this morning. I was asking him about the tonkin bamboo limbs on my bow,he said that he felt that all the limbs were pretty much the same but that the bamboo were maybe a little better than the others.I find that they draw very smoothly and I like the dark golden yellow and dark spotty color a lot. Cam [8d]

RE: Bamboo limbs
 

Thanks 4 da info Sag!

RE: Bamboo limbs
 

stealthycat (and Hi Sag!)

My friend is a bowyer, builds the best longbow I have shot. Now I know that sounds like favoritism, but it is not.
I have shot a half dozen longbows all high buck.
His &quot;new&quot; design has Bamboo/Carbon core. It is VERY fast very smooth and quiet.

The speed comes from the fact that bamboo is strong and LIGHT in weight. Ditto for the carbon! Both in combo produce something specail.
Like most bows with glas overlays,you don;t even have to see the bamboo/carbon if you use other type of wood veneer &quot;lams&quot;. You can make them look like anything you can think of!!

I am having a bow made as we speak, Carbon/Tempered Bamboo Core, Black glass over the carbon on the back side, and Tigerwood lams on the belly to make the bamboo &quot;purtier&quot;. Cocobolo/Tigerwood riser.

Yes, Howard Hill did use Bamboo alot, as does Ron LaClair's &quot;short&quot; longbow, the &quot;Samurai&quot;
The top line dan Quillian LongHunter longbows are bamboo core!! <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

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