Right to left

[cloutman360]

Two months ago I swopped from shooting right handed to shooting left handed.
One of my 70 lb bows is a Bickerstaffe and he makes his bows either right-handed or left-handed.
Therefore,I have a right handed bow which when I build myself back up to pulling 70 lb I will be pulling left-handed, what will be the consequences?

[acehero]

I may be wrong, but I thought the only difference between a right handed and left handed longbow was the side of the grip the horn arrow plate was placed, if there is one.

[djthompson]

I think the answer is as follows;


If you look down the bow from the bottom nock up to the top nock, the string may not line up exactly in the middle of the bow - but rather off to one side (slightly). If off to the left, this would suit a right handed archer.

I belive the rational is that the arrow will bend less round the bow.

If this is correct (happy to be corrected); you may find that the arrows are doing much paradoxing when shooting off the other side of the bow. But try it - and see :-)

Best of luck,

Dave

[English Bowman]

Dave is correct. Bickerstaffe make their bows handed by having the string off centre as well as the arrow plate, so it will be much more critical of arrow spine when shot "wrong handed." Obviously when shot "right handed" the bow will be more tolerant of slightly out of spine arrows.
Most longbows aren't made this way so it's only the arrow plate that matters, and I know of at least one bowyer who makes all his bows ambidextrous.

[gwynn]

What English Bowman says.
My Bickerstaffe bow is handed.

Hi Dan!!

[steve58]

Originally Posted by gwynn

What English Bowman says.
My Bickerstaffe bow is handed.

Agree. My Bickerstaffe bow is pretty tolerant of a wide range of spines.

The question that occurs to me is why switch hands at all?

[cloutman360]

Thanks all.
I've been shooting the Bickerstaffe for a few years and the way the string is laying at present suggests it would suit a left handed Archer.

[cloutman360]

I feel I didn't have total control of the shot with my current technique,therefore as I've been shooting right handed since 1970 I feel it's easier to swop hands and start again.

[cloutman360]

The recurve bow with clicker is going well left handed , already back up to 40lb on fingers and can shoot for a few hours into blank boss and the shots feel good.
May revert back to right hand shooting for longbow, I feel it's not going to work out.
Does anybody shoot both left and right handed with a different style?

[English Bowman]

I don't know about that but I know that Mike Berriman shoots right or left handed depending on his mood, and to a very high standard. Bob Gunther who taught me how to shoot could also shoot with either hand

Daniel