Assuming bow design and brace height are optimal
FF string add 2-3 FPS over dacron
carbon 1 lamination add 2-3FPS over wood lamination
carbon 2nd lamination add 0-3 FPS over wood lamination
foam core add 2-3 FPS
So then a 50 lb bow at 28 in draw with the above should have performance i.e. arrow speed equal to a 60 lb bow with dacron?
The first statement is the problem. There are hundreds if not thousands of bow designs. Some glass bows approach maximum storage and efficiency. They are few and far inbetween but still it is not possible to gain much from those designs except for a slight decrease in physical limb weight which becomes the only factor that adds to either storage or efficiency. If that is the only gain then your entire hypothesis falls apart. In fact some bowyers go the entire route of carbon , foam cores, ect and then back off because they discover that they have designed limbs that will almost perform as well as a limb that costs 200. more to build plus the glass is more amenable to longevity. The super great limb design outweighs any gains of carbon and foam so why talk a customer into it. Examples are John Fazios Soverign Ballistic, Howatt Martin bows, Gamemaster Jets, ect ect, Kirk and I have talked about this extensively and both of us have built carbon and carbon foam core bows for years. I have been building carbon bows for 15 years and Kirk probably that long. We have come to the conclusion that with His recurve design and my recurve design there is just no real justification in using carbon and foam core on those limbs. Now with the longbows and the hybrids and D and R bows there is some justification although I can build a deep core narrow limb longbow that is right there with a triple carbon in every respect except for the physical weight issue. Still, A limb can only return to brace just so fast and that is the issue.
My thoughts for what they are worth.
God bless, Steve
Sixby.. always good advice and knowledge! Thank you!
QuoteFF string add 2-3 FPS over dacron
This is the only one I know much about, and it depends. Tons of variables to consider.
I know that, for me, the benefit of high performance string materials isn't about gaining a possible 2-3 fps. It's about durability, stability, and consistency.
As noted on Rod Jenkin's site (www.safarituff.com), if you want to really improve your bow's performance without changing a thing, work on your release.
The biggest variable with a bow is the person pulling the string. There are no magic bows, no magic arrows, no magic broadheads, and no magic strings. However, if the person pulling the string works hard to improve, the results can appear to be magic.
X2 on the release part. I have a relatively weak bow, and have a significant increase in arrow-speed(observed, not chrono) when I have a clean, good release.