Bows and Arrows Basic Reference

Archery is usually done using recurve bow, longbow, or compound bow. Of these, the recurve is overwhelmingly the most popular. All bows have largely the same essential components.

• Limbs which bend when the string is drawn, and store the energy used to propel the arrow. The limbs are usually made of wood, glassfiber, carbon fiber, or some composite of these. There have even been aluminum limbs constructed for bows.

• A riser which is the handle part between the limbs. In a one piece bow, the riser and the limbs are, of course, the same piece of material. The riser will usually be made of wood or metal.

• The string, usually made of dacron. The reinforced bit in the middle is called the serving. Towards the middle of the serving is the nocking point, where the arrow is mounted.

• An arrow shelf or arrow rest on the riser. This supports the arrow while it is drawn. A shelf is a cutting into the bow riser itself, while a rest is something mounted on the side of the riser. An extended shelf cutout is sometimes referred to as a sight window. Some bows have both shelf and riser; traditional longbows have neither.