I've been shooting mostly older RD, recurves (Bear, Pearson, Bodniks) for a while. I'd like to refine my abilities and have no idea of the shelves I've been using. I'm guessing not one is center cut. I think the concept is a good one. Any opinions? I see a lot of used long bows for sale but very few sellers talk about where the shelf is cut? Definitely want to try try center or past center cut. Comments appreciated.

Ive pretty much shot widows my whole stick bow shooting. They are cut past center and will shoot a wide range of spine arrows from what i understand. Everyone ive owned or shot have shot right where i look.I have no experience with non past center.

You can check it yourself. Find the center of the limbs through the riser, then measure where the shelf is regarding the center line. The closer to center the less an arrow has to bend.

Most Bears are cut to center. Bodniks are cut 1/8 past center. Or like George said, you can check it yourself.

Thanks for the replies. Measure I will.

You will not find many longbows (True longbows) cut past center, the riser is too narrow. But easy too check as George said.

Bob

Bows cut past center, or to center have a bit more adjustability, i.e., They will generally accept stiffer spined arrows, and you can (and usually have to) build out the side plate to accommodate underspined arrows.

I don't think there's much advantage for risers cut a lot past center for finger shooters. The best arrow orientation for most folks is to have the tip of the arrow just outside the bowstring when the arrow is nocked on the bow, as viewed from the rear. That means the side plate on bows cut a lot past center almost always have to be built out. Of course, some folks, particularly target shooters, like this feature.

An arrow that bisects the string works well for trigger shooters, but not as well for finger shooters, because the string starts occillating sideways as it leaves the fingers, often causing inconsistent arrow flight. Of course it occilates a bit when shot with a release as well, but not as much. An arrow that points a little outside of the string better accommodates the sideways movement of the string induced by finger shooting.

I like 3/16 or 1/4 for a stick on rest. Sick of feathers, only shoot vanes.

I think that is really where the ease of adjustment is with an elevated arrow rest. A bow cut past center is easier to get clearance with vanes and gives you more options with the center shot location. You can build it out. I am shooting a Super Cobra Jet by Dean Hogue that is a metal riser and cut way past center. I built it out and the arrow is very slightly outside of center with elevated rest. Vanes clear no problem.

I prefer non center shot longbows and they will shoot a variety of spines as long as they aren't to weak... actually like them a little stiff.

For myself only real advantage to a "cut well past center" riser is using higher spines shafts which usually weight more, carbon I refer to. But like said before most LB's even hybrids are cut to center or maybe -1/8. Maybe if you found one of those hybrids with a recurve riser it might be cut further?

Something seemingly overlooked here is - cut past center will allow the use of a wider variety of arrow diameters.

Rick

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