The sport of archery has come a long way from the simple longbow of ancient times. Now, the recurve bow is the weapon of choice for archery competition. At one time a single unit, today's recurves are made of multiple parts assembled to form the final bow. High-tech materials such as carbon fiber, Kevlar and sophisticated aluminum alloys are now used to build recurve bows that are more stable, consistent and accurate.
History
Originally, a bow was simply a long staff of wood, thicker in the center and thinning toward the ends, with notches for the string. Often referred to as a long bow, it was a formidable weapon, but had limited range and power. Eventually, a recurve was incorporated, changing the physics of the bow, making it able to shoot farther. Many ancient cultures developed recurve bows. In modern times, the recurve bow has changed from a single-piece wooden design to a sophisticated device made of high-tech materials.
Design
While single-piece recurve bows are still available, most competition bows are made of multiple parts that are assembled to form the bow. A bow can now be constructed and customized to best accommodate the archer's strength, size and shooting style. Most bow parts are relatively standardized and easily interchangeable to allow for adjustments and upgrades.
Primary Components
The body of the bow is called the riser. It contains the grip, bow sight and arrow rest. Most risers are made of machined metal. The ends of the risers contain pockets that hold the limbs, forming the complete bow.
The limbs are the curved, flat sections that give the bow its flexibility and define the amount of draw force required. The limbs are gauged by draw strength and length and can be adjusted for alignment as well as minor changes in draw weight.
Bow strings consist of the string itself and the loops, center serving and knocking point. The loops fit into notches in the end of the limbs. The center serving is a section of wound line in the center of the string where the archer grips the string. The knocking point holds the end of the arrow firmly in place in preparation to shoot.
Materials
Most risers today are made of metal, usually an aluminum alloy, that is forged, cast or machined. Limbs are usually constructed of laminated wood and fiberglass, a combination of wood, fiberglass and carbon fiber, carbon fiber with a foam core or ceramic. The string is composed of Dacron, Kevlar, Spectra, Dyneema, Dynaflight or Fast Flight 2000. These synthetic materials have a range of strength-to-stretch ratios and provide different shooting characteristics, such as a slower or faster speed, or stiffer or softer release response.
Accessories
Accessories include the arrow rest, bow sight and stabilizers. The rest is where the arrow actually sits when being drawn and is highly adjustable. The bow sight allows the archer to aim accurately at many ranges. Sights range from simple pointers to precision optical devices. Stabilizers are rod-shaped weights, attached to the riser. They provide balance, make holding and aiming the bow easier, reduce the effects of torque on the arrow and minimize vibration.
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