# One piece vs take down



## rattus58 (Jul 9, 2007)

I don't know about speed smoothness and the like, but in my opinion, the takedown is going to be the stronger of the two, and obviously the more versatile of the two.

If you've a long draw, I'd stick to a longbow or a takedown recurve.

Aloha...  :beer:


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## Rustam Bana (Sep 21, 2008)

rattus58 said:


> the takedown is going to be the stronger of the two...


Rattus, can you explain why that is so?

Thanks.


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## Viper1 (Aug 21, 2003)

d - 

Gonna have to disagree with Tom again. The Take down is more versatile in that you can change weight and length at will and frankly does make transport easier. They are usually a bit heavier in mass weight and that can be a plus or minus depending on what you like. While both types are quite durable, the coupling system is technically a weak point. Does that mean it *will *fail? Certainly not, it it's one more thing that *"can"* fail or become problematic.

A long draw simply requires a bow designed for your draw length or simply a longer bow. There are short and not so short take downs that will stack with the best of them. If you go the ILF route like the 3Rivers Dalaa or TT Titan and a few others the weight is slightly adjustable and that can factor into adjusting for long or short draw lengths.

Viper1 out.


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## rattus58 (Jul 9, 2007)

Rustam Bana said:


> Rattus, can you explain why that is so?
> 
> Thanks.


My detractors aside..... :wink: I have good reason to believe why I do. I've had numerous bows over my brief association with archery, starting with handmedowns from Browning, Wing, and Bear. Result? Every one of these cracked or broke. The first production bow that I saved up for was a Martin Hunter. I loved that bow till it too cracked. Martin treated me very well on that failure and within a week or 10 days or so, I had another Hunter in my hands. Result... another cracked top limb. Replaced with a Mamba... this was a dramatic mistake, and this was replaced with a final Hunter. 

Me and my dog Rusty were kicking back one day, having a couple of beers and shooting my bow down in the Kapoho cinder cone/ quarry on lighthouse road. We were having a blast... crawling all around the tp of the cindercone and shooting at stuff inside the quarry then after a couple of dozen arrows, we'd hike back down and go collect our arrows. 

We'd gotten into shooting at targets from within pretty heavy cover when it happened... this was the worst catastrophic failure I've ever had with a bow... I was at full draw when I got whacked across the nose and cheek with enough force to cause some pretty profuse bleeding and a hell of a raccoon impersonation. My dog licked my face enough that the bleeding actually stopped and sorta healed... almost on the spot... that too should be a discussion someday... 

Back to Martin... they were tired of me breaking bows and offered me a Hatfield with two sets of limbs. Done. Never ever a problem since.

I've had three Kodiak's break, but as soon as I bought a Bear 60# takedown, with really flimsy limbs and a riser that was so small, my fingers could touch my palm if I wrapped them around the grip... but that bow never gave me a problem and is still going strong today with another archer I sold it to.

I've had Martins, Bears, Brownings and a Wing which I quit shooting before it crashed ... which everyone of them failed. I bought a 60# Browning takedown recurve and it is still with its new owner some 12 years later. 

There is something about my shooting style that is hard on bows... recurves that is. Longbows, on the other hand have never failed me with a dryfire exception. This is due I'm sure to the length of the longbow and with the exception of my Martin Viper, generally thicker limbs.

I know that there are those who have recurves for years with never a problem... and by years I'm talking 15 or 20 or more. One piece recurves have NEVER lasted more than a few months with me. I felt that it was my draw and drawlength that created these issues with these bows.

So... my OPINION is that one piece recurves are not as strong as takedowns when you compare them pound for pound and side by side. Ever since I started shooting longbows and takedown recurves with one EXCEPTION noted elsewhere, I've never had a failure since not caused by a dryfire.

So in all due respects to my DETRACTORS on the subject, I'm sticking to MY OPINIONS on the matter. I know its irrational, but empiracle experience is what is driving MY OPINION...

Much aloha...  :beer:


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## Two Blade (Jul 13, 2008)

rattus58 said:


> Me and my dog Rusty were kicking back one day, having a couple of beers and shooting my bow down in the Kapoho cinder cone/ quarry on lighthouse road. We were having a blast... crawling all around the tp of the cindercone and shooting at stuff inside the quarry then after a couple of dozen arrows, we'd hike back down and go collect our arrows.


You shoot and drink at the same time! Do you hit what you are aiming at?


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## rattus58 (Jul 9, 2007)

Why do you think I have 2 dozen arrows.....  And it aint what you're thinking.. you don't go out wit yer dog fer a few beers now and then, besides I mighta needed a designated driver...

By the way.... Try this... Dog has to be 80 or 90 pounds if he's gonna be shootin your bow.. but here's how it goes, if he hit the target within the first 5 shots, I had to buy the round, if I did, it was his round... try it sometime...

And have a beer..... :darkbeer:


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## WindWalker (Jan 23, 2005)

Prior to 1971, all my recurves were 1-piece..._oh duh! _They were all good shooters. In 1971 I purchased my first "takedown" and have never looked back. Too many advantages with a TD vs. a 1-piece. TDs are so much more versatile over a 1-piece. I presently own 5 TD bows.

Am I saying that you would be wasting your $ on a 1-piece? Not at all...not even close. However, considering today's prices on a quality 1-piece, I personally would opt for a TD. If a limbs twists or breaks on a TD, new limbs can be purchased or made.


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## Rustam Bana (Sep 21, 2008)

Hi Rattus,

I can now understand why you said what you did but it's either something about your shooting style or just plain bad luck of the sort I hadn't heard off until I read your post. 

Cheers!


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## Jamesw (Sep 14, 2007)

One piece bows are generally a little lighter in mass.They also look better most times because they have cleaner lines.TDs are great for travel and if you want to shoot different weight limbs however.Unless you have a very long draw durability should not be an issue with any well constructed design.I use tds a lot because I like the ilf limbs but if getting any other type recurve I would go with a one piece just because I like the fine lines on them more than the tds.


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## C-NOGLE (Jan 6, 2003)

I shoot better with a takedown which I feel is due to the increased riser mass weight. I notice that from 20 to 30 I need a bit more mass to keep me holding dead on. Inside 20 they all shoot well for me.


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## LongStick64 (Aug 29, 2009)

Most of my bows are one piece, love those 50's style recurves. I've also had some Hill style longbows. Never ever has one let me down. I keep reading about bow problems, never had one. If you want a one piece made like a rock, look no further than Great Northern. Hold one in your hands and you'll see. Especially the Red Elm bows they make. Always considered takedown's as having the increased possibility of failure due to the increased stress points. Then again my Border Black Douglas is holding up real well all these years. Find a well made bow.


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