Spoke with John Strunk briefly last night about getting one made up for me, Yew, Cherry Bark backing with an arrow rest . Just looking for some thoughts from those experienced with this type bow. Shoot mostly ASL's,,,, thanks Mike

What are you calling a flat bow? Most American longbows are considered flat bows due to the rectangular cross section. Short bow with wide limbs? It's been a while since I've looked at John's bows.

I make and shoot flatbows that are true to the dimensions as described by Metz in The American Flatbow. They are my favorite design.

George has a point as well.

I make and shoot all-natural flatbows/selfbows. They're pretty much all I've shot and hunted with for over 20 years. Not sure what sort of thoughts you're looking for... probably the sort of things I take for granted :^) They can shoot great and be efficient, worthy hunting bows. My version of a flatbow and John's aren't so different.

A John Strunk Cherry bark-backed Yew bow would be a very, very sweet thing. That or a Strunk Sturgeon-backed Yew. Ooh baby. If I didn't make my own stuff, those are the sort of 'pros bows' I'd be surrounding myself with.

Been laid up for awhile d/t surgery for trigger finger and was browsing around and thought I'd try something different. I've owned many self bows, BBO's, some I've shot off the knuckle and some with just a rest for the arrow, some with a little cut out riser. My inexperience with design parameters leaves me somewhat lacking in my ability to speak like I know what I'm talking about, HA. But yes, a self bow, wide limbs no cut out site window or riser to speak of. Sometimes you can look at a bows design and sorta know the fit would work. I guess "looking for thoughts" wasn't the right question. All of the self bows I've owned always had the more narrow limbs, the wider limbs I suspect, don't really make that much of a difference in the draw or the loose.

Yes! Shoot the flat bow as described above. I would say any bow built by John Strunk will be a shooter and a half! They are quite different from a standard recurve or longbow but just as much fun to shoot in my opinion.

Jeff can you post a picture of the flat bow you make? Also the specs for it. I am not familiar with. What one actually looks like. How difficult are they to build for someone with no experience like me?

Is a flat bow the same as a board bow?

Flatbow is a bit of a general term since there are many varieties... selfbows, backed bows, laminated bows, shorter, longer, wider, perfectly flat back and bellies, or with one or both slightly radiused. How wide, long, and flat the cross section of a particular flatbow depends somewhat on the material used, construction process, personal preference, and so on. Generally it's just a bow that's wider and thinner than an ASL. Most of my bows are basically 'Flatbows' of some sort but I usually don't call them that because it's a bit ambiguous.

So see Candyman, a bow isn't necessarily any more or less difficult to make just because it's a 'flatbow'.

Kohannah has a flat bow. Two tracks calls his Ogemaw a flat bow. My Kanati’s have similar dimensions but they are called longbows. Theres a selway quiver they call hybrid which fits my longbow dimensions. So confusing.

I just got my Yellowstone Renagade which is a flat bow and man I am really liking it. Wide limbs, more like Native American bows.

Yellowstone Renegade flat bow

Self made flat bows are made in length, and width according to the shooters draw length, and poundage. Not short at all in most cases. In inches they are 2 times your draw length plus 10 as a rule of thumb. 25 inch draw = 50 plus 10 in inches = 60 inches minimum length. 30 inch draw = 60 inches plus 10 = 70 inches minumim length. Their are exceptions to the rule as you become a better bow maker, but that is a safe standard to start out with especially with white woods. With Osage you can bend the rules for both width ,and length. It is considered the king of self bow wood.Yew is highly sought after also, but is a softer less durable wood than Osage.

Almost all the bows we shoot are flat.

Somw them are also long.

Some of them are recurved.

Good post Bassmaster. I agree. Osage can stand up to strain others often can't. I like to push its limits and make them shorter, narrower, reflexed or recurved and fully radiused. They seldom disappoint. I still like to use other woods and designs sometimes just to mix it up. I agree with your assessment of yew also. It's a good bow wood, sure is purdy and you can do a lot with it as far as design options, but it still ain't osage.

How about a Strunk Osage bow? Basically a flatbow, but all curvy and radiused and sexy. Cherry bark or sturgeon skin backed? Snapping turtle skin grip? White rams horn tips? That might be worth havin'. Maybe I'll order one :^P

I had one I wish I would have kept can't remember but I want to say a 2 tracks okemaw or something like that I shot it very well & it was unique. Unfortunately that was back during my search for "the one" when I let several good bows go.

HA,,He's got some real nice lookers for sale on his site. He's just a phone call away Jeff:) I had one of John's English Style LB's a few years ago, Yew and Cherry Bark. Really enjoyed shooting that bow but it got a bit heavy for me. I was also looking at his Mollegabet Spirit bows, never shot one of those either but settled on the Flat bow. For those interested in the style I chose click on bows for sale on his website, he has a Hickory and Yew Flat bow pictured for sale. they are the 2 bows on the left in the eighth panel as you scroll down.

John Strunk, and Jim Hamm etc were are great bow makers. You know who else is. Jeff Durnell. I don't know if he sells bows, but is as qualified as any. Not blowing smoke. Just a fact.

I traded Jim a Strunk for this. Not sorry.

Robert, I appreciate the sentiment, but let's not go there. Nope. I don't sell them.

I would like to try out a flat bow. I just like the looks of them. How many bowyers are still making them today?

Great Northern, Kohanna, Yellowstone, and I know there are one or two more but I can't think of who right this minute.

I’m certainly no expert on the nitty gritty facts of all the different types and styles of bows. Some I might call a different name than someone else.

To me a flat bow is a bow that limbs run basically parallel out Of the fades about 2/3s of the limb.then tapper towards the tips.

I agree with Jeff. It’s certainly not a hard design for a beginner to attempt.

I agree with Bassmaster on the basic length rules. If your just starting out you might even try slightly longer. The trick is to get everything bending evenly except about 7”s of tip.

With what I call a flat bow. You will tiller mostly with thickness. The limb right out of the fade will be thickest and will get ever so much thinner as it moves towards the tips. This is how the stress is evenly distributed along the limb

What I call a pyramid design. The limb is wide out of the fade. It then tappers immediately all the way to the tips. The thickness may still have to be tapered, but probably not as much as a flat bow.

I personally like flat bows and have had good success with them. It’s what I started making when I began this journey.

I agree with Bassmaster. There are some good bowyers out there. Some not so good to. I know lots of good ones who have become really special friends.

I’ve never met Jeff or even seen one of his bows, but I’m willing to bet he makes a good shooting well tillered selfbow. I can tell by his advice and well meant critique of selfbows.

When a bowyer watch’s someone shoot a bow. He or she ( I know some darn good lady bowyers to) always watch the bend of the bow. We watch to see if it’s a smooth even bend. If any spot is bending to much and sharing to much of the load. If a spot is stiff and not doing its share of the load.

I sometimes make a basic flat bow but put static recurves in. Or reflex the entire limb. I’m not sure if they are technically still a flat bow but they pretty much start out the same as one.

Bjrogg

All the selfbows I've made were 64-66" flatbows. Worked on the deer I encountered!

A flatbow is a bow that uses longbow technology and limb width, to produce the DL/OAL length ratio. Those two things. But it builds off some standard set of dimensions that nobody will agree with. In natural wood, it would be anything much wider than say osage or yew could do in a longbow. There is a formula for the width increase relative to wood density, that was discussed in one of the Bowyer's Bibles.

I wouldn't call it a board bow thing except that since we mostly can't get osage or yew boards, on boards that follow a single growth ring, it would work out that way for most of us.

Good flat bow design here but Strunk knows his stuff when comes to bow making I’d let him decide.

Top view of one.

Top view of one.

One more

BigB ,, now that’s a real saweettt “flat bow” ,, best of luck with her !!!

Nice looking bows Arvin.

Very nice Arvin.

Nice bows Arvin.

Where’d you find that squiggly one?

I was just looking at that one I was working on last winter. From the stave you sent me. Getting a few more jobs done and still have a bunch to do. By Thanksgiving I’m hoping to get back at her.

Bjrogg

I suggest whiperwil archery. Bill Darr does some good work for a really good price. I have one of his osage flat bows and love it.

I got that stave from Jim Hammer out of mo. That’s where I get most of my staves. We where at ojam and I seen that stave . I said I need that so I can show these guys I can do snaky but prefer not to because most of the time they are full of shock. Here is a pic of it finished.

I gave it to Bob Barnes . He killed a deer with it so I guess it works. Arvin

I’m sure Bob loves it Arvin. That full draw looks pretty darn good from here.

Bjrogg

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