Special recurve in the early 90's

[Thorvald]

Hi.

I remember when I bought my hunting compound bow in the early 90's (1992), the retailer had some special recurves - like a mix between recurve and compound. It was a recurve but the limbs had some sort of cable system.

Does any one remember what is the name of these bows and perhaps where one could read more about them?

I also remember - perhaps earlier than early 90's - that I saw in magazines wooden compund bows. Does any one in the world still make compund bows with wooden risers? I understand that the great forces in a compound bow may be difficult for wood to handle - but to my opinion it would just be a matter of correct engineering and design of the riser to make a compound bow with wooden riser as good as a metal riser. I am "wood man" of profession (engineering wooden houses) - so I thing it might be possible.

[geoffretired]

Could it have been the Dynabow? Looks like a recurve above the arrow rest but below there is a short limb with a pulley on the end.

[Thorvald]

Is it this dynacurve bow you are thinking of? No, it's not it. As far as I remember it was like the bottom at the limbs where they were attached to the riser was attached with some cables and perhaps a wheel near the riser, somehow.

[allanm]

Do you mean the Oneida range of bows?

[worthipa]

DynaBo ...

[Thorvald]

Yeah actually I think you'd hit the correct answer with Oneida. I think it is this type I saw at that time. Why it does not exist more? What is the problem with it? Any one have experience with it?

[bimble]

They do still exist, there was a thread just a couple of weeks ago for the owners of such bows - Oneida/Monster Shooters

[Thorvald]

Here are also some from 2000's. I didn't think they lived so long...

[peran119]

Take a look around on http://www.archeryhistory.com

[Tom]

Originally Posted by Thorvald

Why it does not exist more?

They still do.

http://www.oneidaeaglebows.com/

[mk1]

Perhaps it was a Jennings Arrowstar

http://www.archeryhistory.com/compou...jennings53.jpg

Back in the late 1980's one of my Club mates was refurbishing a wooden compound bow I think its was a Samick though - it was a bit of a legacy bow then.

[Thorvald]

Yeah - I just found it - interesting - I didn't think they existed more.

But what are the advantages / disadvantages of such a design? They have let off like compound - do they shoot an arrow as fast as compound?

[geoffretired]

They are fast and they do have advantages.
One is that the cables are not in the path of the arrow, so no cable guard needed.
Another is the limbs follow a better path than some bows with cam lean and limb twist.
Also, at full draw the chances of torquing the bow are pretty slim.
The let off is adjustable all the way to 100%. At that stage though, the bow doesn't shoot as the holding weight is zero.
One disadvantage to my way of thinking is that the control cable that keeps the limbs in tune with each other, runs through a groove in the riser, a recipe for some friction.
Some of the bows are made from parts that don't seem to have improved with the passing of time. However, Monster Bows do their own modifications that get round that very well.

[Thorvald]

Is it only Oneida that manufactures these bows or are there others that could be interesting to look at?

[spark]

Do you have to use a release aid with these or can you shoot of your fingers? and would they come under compound in target shooting?