I was just wondering why all the good recurves and longbows use wood or foam in their limb laminations, while all good compound and "horizontal" bows seem to use all glass and resin limbs.

I have my suspicions (having to do with higher stress levels with very short limbs on compounds), but wondering if anyone had the facts.

Could possible be the mass in the limbs. All glass bows are nothing new. I noticed more kick im the all.glass bows i shot

I think with compounds the cables, cams do most of the work. With stick bows the limbs do the work.

QuoteOriginally posted by The Whittler:
I think with compounds the cables, cams do most of the work. With stick bows the limbs do the work.

I'm thinking this...

QuoteOriginally posted by The Whittler:
I think with compounds the cables, cams do most of the work. With stick bows the limbs do the work.

Exactly. Fiberglass is a great material for the outer laminations on a bow. The problem with it being a limb core material is that it is much heavier normally than a thin strip of wood thus robbing your limbs of performance.

Pronghorn offers a bow with all glass limbs.

Eric

Weight and the shock the more solid & heavy limbs impart.  Shakespeare and Indian made solid fiberglass bows.  Rugged, great for bowfishing, but not as sweet as a good laminated recurve.

gonna be shocky especially if no wood or foam is there to asorb the energy the limbs give

Pronghorns all glass laminated limb is pretty nice.

Sorry, but all the energy comes from the limbs; all those cables and cams are nothing more than levers.
I guess a better question might be, why don't they use wood or foam laminations in compound bows anymore (the did originally)?  If it's faster and less shocky in trad bows, it should be the same for a compound.

Cost more to make laminations.  ?