Border limbs for string walking

[Soundarc]

Hi I’m a FITA Barebow shooter who string walks. I‘m wondering which Border limbs would work the best for me. I have seen Sid mention that the Hex V are not recommended for string walking because of them being sensitive to tiller changes. Does this apply to the Hex IV as well? I’m attracted to the extra speed of the HEX limbs since I like to shoot unmarked FITA field.

I have another unrelated question. I noticed that Border offers the option of bamboo core on their limbs. What would the benefit of a bamboo core as opposed to wood?

Thanks

[BorderBows]

Ill pick the easy one first.

We have noticed that core sizes are 2-3 thousand of an inch thinner with bamboo over maple, giving the same draw weight.
This must give a lighter limb, and must be better core if the density remains thereabouts equal.
Bamboo is also more elastic, and must have a better recovery rate.
Our personal opinion about the bamboo we use is that its a nice traditional brown and not the white of maple.

The second one is that the hex series having a more radical recurve, (speculation on our part, due to lack of feedback) The further out the recurve is, the more it can be subject to vertical interferance. We err on the side of caution when dealing with information we dont know. We have several customers that are string walking, saying the TX series is a awesome limb for this porpose.


One of the reasons for us spending time on this forum is to get exactly this kind of feedback, so we can help people better...

The TX series is up there with the fastest, smoothest limbs on the market. So they are not a wrong option. Just giving advice all day is a very hard job. especially when you dont string walk yourself.

Hope that helps...

[Dave]

Originally Posted by BorderBows

Ill pick the easy one first.
We have noticed that core sizes are 2-3 thousand of an inch thinner with bamboo over maple, giving the same draw weight.
Bamboo is also more elastic, and must have a better recovery rate.

I'm in no way an expert on these matters but I was wondering if the 2-3 thousand of an inch really makes that much difference - it's an awfully small measurement! I've also been told that limbs should be shut down as soon as possible after the arrow has left the bow, won't the elasticity of the bamboo affect this and perhaps require more stabilisation and/or weight which would negate the lesser weight the bamboo core would provide?

[rusty craine]

Soundarc, I would for sure speak to Sid aboout selecting limbs for stringwalking. I can tell you that I have been more than pleased with a pair of TXG's (36# long). I shot a pair this yr in the States at the '07 IFAA Nationals in the barebow sr for a silver medal. I was very please with there preformance. Of course Skip Trafford won the gold. I think Skipp could beat me with a string and a tree brance. He is indeed a fine shot.

Border is in the process of make custom limbs (see the thread "our problem") so you can more or less select the attributes of your limb, that is speed v stability. Man I think the idea is right on the money. Not having the best form or the smoothest release I will sure give up a few fps for a stiffer limbs (torsional stability).

I am very satisfied with the TXG's as they are but Sid said he could make them even stiffer . I have got another pair of TXG's on order (42# med) but as soon as I get them paid for and save up a little money I am going to try a pair of the stiffest TXG's. You can not go wrong getting a pair of TXG's for string walking but Sid might have a pair he thinks even better.

rusty

[rusty craine]

BTW - I tought I would mention two more things about the TXG's. I put all the limbs I have and few I borrowed thru the chrono from my 20yd crawl. I was shooting Easton Lightspeeds using a custom cordavan tab and mono severing.

Two things that were very telling to me. 1) the TXG's were within 1 fps of the fastest pair of limbs. 2). the TXG's gave me the smallest deviation over the 20 shot strings (3 fps deviation)

Was it telling that the fastest limbs gave me the largest deviation for the 20 shot string (6 fps deviation)

I seldom discuss the data from my chrono test becuase oddly enough the data from a chronograph is much more subjective than any of us what it to be and be influenced a great deal by the shooter.

To me the most important inforation from my chrono is the deviation. I think that reflects on how good a job I am doing (with a certain pair of limbs)espically regarding string walking. Since with a deep crawl the shooters form can really influence the speed.

So what this ment to me......with a 20yd crawl I am having to "over draw" the limbs to get the arrow point thru the clicker if compared to my draw shooting a 60yd shot. Where I will get my largest deviation on the chronography is with my short yardage shoots. I think this is where the less radical cord and the lateral stiffness of the TXG's shine for a string walker.

I use the chronogarphy as a testing tool for my form as much as a test for arrow speed. If you don't worry so much about the actual results but look more at the statistics from the data it will help you select the limbs that are going to work best for you. (IMO)

rusty

[BorderBows]

Originally Posted by Dave

I've also been told that limbs should be shut down as soon as possible after the arrow has left the bow,

Dave, What do you mean, by "shut down"?


on a side note

Yew is also a good wood for bows, but we dont offer it for ecological reasons.
Bamboo grows in 6 months for example, and it is planted in farms. Yew on the other hand takes a very very long time to grow and is not planted and maintained for good bows! We dont think thats responsable.

Rock maple is "farmed" in a managed way. takes a bit longer to grow though.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by BorderBows

Dave, What do you mean, by "shut down"?

Stopped moving

[BorderBows]

I would have thought it would be the string that stops the limb from moving. Thats one of the reasons some of the faster newer string materials are faster. (there is less give in the material) If your string was like a rubber band then the resistance of the nock possible would never be overcome by the stopping of the string.

once the arrow has left the bow... nothing then matters?

but also, we have destruct tested many bows, and we have found that if the bow is gripped properly in clamp making effectivly a large crossbow, and the trigger in the right place then there is no vibration what so ever. The bow finnishes its movemets equally on both limbs. no matter what material is used in the limbs or string. So we have discovered that its the release and grip (push point, through the riser) that causes vibration.