Different Parts of a Recurve Bow

The modern recurve bow dates back to the early 1950s. The design is based on ancient bow designs from Asia. Recurve bows are simple and elegant. Their design has only a few basic parts. The main sections of the recurve bow are the riser, the limbs, the arrow rest and the string. Each of these sections contain some smaller details that are worth noting.

  1. Riser

    • The riser is the solid center portion of the bow to which the upper and lower limbs are attached. The riser contains the grip where the archer grasps the bow. Risers can vary in size from bow to bow. Larger risers generally have shorter limbs attached. The shorter limbs increase the bows draw weight, which can add additional power to the bow.

    Limbs

    • The upper and lower limbs are attached to the bow at the riser. Limb lengths and materials can vary. At the limb ends, opposite from where they attach to the riser, there are notches. These notches are called string nocks. The string nocks are where the string is attached to the bow.

    Arrow Rest

    • The arrow rest is attached to the bow just above the riser. The arrow rest holds and guides the arrow through the draw phase of the firing process. Arrow rests are normally adjusted to align the arrow into the optimal firing position.

    String

    • Bow strings were traditionally made from animal hair and plant fibers. The hair or fibers were braided together to form a finished string. Today, most strings are formed from waxed fibers spun into strings. These are available in both braided and nonbraided versions. A bow string has loops at both ends where they attach to the limb's string nocks. At the mid-point of the string is the center serving. The serving is a wrapping attached to the string. Near the top of the serving is the nocking point. The nocking point is placed opposite the arrow rest and is the point where the arrow meets the string during firing.