I doubt "smooth draw" means anything except, maybe, the difference between a bow with a big hook and a bow without.

What do you mean by "smooth draw" if you don't think that's a joke?

As you draw the bow it loads with a consistent progression with no stiff spots at the beginning or stacking near the end.

Not a joke.

I draw 27" with a 43#, 66" longbow and also with a 45#, 58" recurve. The draw weights are similar, but the longbow is 8" longer. I'd describe the longbow as having a smoother FEELING draw than the recurve because it FEELS as though the draw weight increases more slowly. Conversely, the recurve draw FEELS like I did more work.

So the recurve has hooks compared to the longbow, the early draw weight is higher, I did do more work. (don't make me draw and post Force/Draw curves) A progression would be more hooks, more power, more speed.

I found an interesting discussion on the AT site dated 10/29/15; 'super curves'. I'm sure that there are others. They discussed a higher early draw and a slightly lighter loading per inch draw at the end of the cycle made it easier to expand through the shot.

Smooth is exactly what pdiddly said and can easily be measured by plotting the Bows poundage at 1” intervals on a graph

Pdiddly X 2

A smooth draw is a bow that draws smoothly with a consistent progression and NO stacking all the way back to my 30" draw

Smooth draw: Zipper recurve out to 30"

Not so smooth draw: Older Howatt Hunter past 28"

God and Christ Bless

Agree with Pdiddly. A substantial early load can still be smooth drawing, though some folks might not find it as comfortable as one that starts out with less early load.

I agree ..sot of. Actually what MOST people refer to as "smooth" is subjective. Some folks feel that a bow that starts to load early in the draw is smooth. Others feel that a bow that loads later in the draw is smooth.

That isn't the sames as a bow that builds weight evenly over the force/draw curve.

There have never been very many bows that actually build weight the same amount per inch from brace height to 28". The do work out to an average. But it's unusual tofind one that builds for instance 2lbs. every inch.

Not a joke. I have a very well known recurve and a not so well known recurve. Both are 60# at 28"

The not so well known recurve feels about 5 pounds lighter than the well known bow. I was suspicious of the weight indicated on both bows so I measured them both on the same bow scale. They were within a pound of each other.

I can't tell the difference with trad bows! I think some people may be more sensitive than me!

I will say that with my 31” draw I have a different definition of smooth than most my idea of smooth starts at 28”

You can't judge bows unless they are of like design...same limb length versus riser, same geometry, etc. I know of 56" bows that pull "smoother" than bows of 62" but they are quite different in design.

I'll X3 on Pdiddly.

A well designed Hill style bow of 68" or even a bit longer can deliver a near straight line FD curve right out to the end of it's useful draw. "useful" defined as just before it begins to stack. Literally "smooth" without bumps in the road. When the draw weight is matched to the shooters strength and ability to draw it, an ASL is one of the most pleasant shooting bows out there.

Being a bit reflexed might add a bit of early draw weight but it's not all that perceptible.

I have never liked a smooth drawing bow. They do not demand enough attention to your draw form. I want a bow to draw unevenly and have some stack.

DDave

Stacking is when the bow progresses through its draw with about the same weight gain per inch- let us say 3 lbs per inch. Then right at the end of the draw the weight gain jumps to say 6 lbs per inch. That is stacking. Stacking happens at the end of the draw. When weight gain happens at the beginning of the draw that's a good thing and increases energy storage.

Recurving and reflexing may yield a large initial weight gain and then smooth out to a constant gain per lb.

Then there is the effect of string angle on smoothness; recurving, reflexing, and bow length decrease string angle, increase energy storage and make for a smooth draw.

Jawge

I have drawn bows that I would swear were 40 pounds but tested 50 and 55. To me , THAT was smooth. They were custom bows.

You won't get much smoother than a 58" Red Wing Hunter recurve. Add to that Bob Lee's, Wing Presentation II will match any custom bow ever made...including modern ones. Put them on a force/draw curve sometime. Feel is an ambiguous thing and quite different from one person to another. Measured draws will tell the tale.

I attach the term “smooth drawing” to St. Joe River bows. Also any bow I’ve owned with Bamboo cored limbs.

Sometimes people have a stronger stature with low grip bows, and that makes the bow feel smoother.

Weigh the bow to make sure the STATED weight matches the ACTUAL weight. A "60"#@28" that really weighs 55lbs. is gonna feel real smooth- as long as doesn't stack at the end of your draw or have excessive preload...

I'd say it's defined as an optimum performance force draw curve, but it tends to get tossed around with other meanings.

Sounds like "smooth" means wheels to many and to others it seems to mean "underbowed."

I might go with Presentation II if only because they shoot as beautifully as they look, without any of the decorative claptrap that's so popular ...where "smooth" admits the bowyer is a frustrated interior decorator .

A Presentation II would be just as beautiful ("smooth") if it was crafted out of marine plywood.

Agree DDave. Had a great shooting magnesium risered takedown target bow once which had just enough increase in force at my anchor point to get me feeling set. It was just right. Seen many stackers in some of the cheaper bows in the early sixties, and this one increased just enough at full draw to let you know it was there and ready.

The longer 66" recurves and 69" ASLs sure feel "smooth" to me with my 31" draw. That's all I shoot anymore.

Smooth to me is a bow that I don't feel any stacking on at my draw which is a bit over 30"

Just as I suspected. Vaque and contradictory definitions, a bunch of folks using the same word and meaning differwnt things. Part of what makes this whole traditional thing so fascinating. Shoot smooth and prosper.

It means people think to much...

Smooth, I had a 51@26" Hill Miegs built Big 5 that snoozed down to just over one pound an inch at my draw. It would probably have stacked like a re-rod at 30". However, this bow did too much bending right at the fadeouts and was very sensitive to any bow hand or release torque. I reduced it to 42 pounds at 26", it is no longer what can be termed a smooth bow, but I did not lose any cast in the reduction and the bow is no longer sensitive to bow hand or string hand torque. 'Smooth' is not always a guarantee that the bow will be what you want.

It's a term bowyers use when they are trying to sell soneone a bow.

Smoooth to me means the draw weight increases steadily and uniformly. Some recurve bows have it and others don't. Had short recurve bows (a '62 K Mag) which were as smooth if not smoother than my longer target recurve bows. You'll see "smooth as butter" typed on here a lot. Butter on a summer day at my house is real smooth, like drawing my favorite old Bear bows on my rack now (some 63-inch and 64-inch K Specials).

A sudden change in uniform draw weight as I approach my short draw length anchor is what I call stacking. However, a little sudden increase near the anchor point can be ok and good for a good set after reaching full draw as suggested yesterday in a reply by Camodave on another post.

Most folks find that too sudden of a change when drawing the bow near the end of full draw is uncomfrtable or what some refer to as "stacking". The word uncomfortaable varies among us as much as the hair on our heads. Terms vary here on the LW, so should be a bunch of good replies about what it means to be smooth drawing soon, as it's as different as the bows we shoot. I judge mine off shooting old Bears, Wings, and Damon Howatt recurves, and all of them were smooooth enough for me, but only a few were smooth as butter (summer butter that is).

Stacking seems to be involved.

Ironically, the more work you feel like you are doing on the bow, the less actual work you are doing. An easier to draw bow of the same poundage typically has a flatter back end of the draw and a steeper climb in poundage early, making the area under the force draw curve greater and equating to you doing more work on the bow and then the bow doing more work on the arrow.

jk x 2 . I have smooth drawing bows that don't stack and I have bows that ain't so smooth that stack. Probably the smoothest drawing bow I have is my old Swift Wing.

"It's a term bowyers use when they are trying to sell soneone a bow."

Also frequently used by the new owner who just took delivery of a high dollar custom bow that sometimes ends up for sale six weeks later. :-)

“Smooth draw” is when your worst expectations are not there.

Smooth drawing is the opposite of what bobo would say....'that bow stacks badly' :)

I think it means a steady draw force curve with consistent gains in grains per inch. If the weight and inches of draw were to be plotted the result would be a fairly straight line and not half of a parabola.

Has to do with Stacking per say. When you draw some builders bows you know right away. There is one in particular and that's Black tail that no matter what weight I had from 43 weight to 55 weights they stiffened up as a drew.

I have had a lot of Black tails and everyone has had that characteristic about them when they draw.

The smoothest I every owned was a Roy Hall. I've had some smooth bows but Roy stood out I recall.

I base that statement on hundreds of sticks I had and shot over time. That one Roy bow was a LB and was 58 pounds @ 28 and was very surprised that much weight and that smooth it was.

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