"slimline" definition

sffar · September 08, 2010, 10:14:00 PM

I've seen this term used to describe bows and limbs, but can't find a definition anywhere. Can someone explain what's meant by a bow's having a "slimline" design?
Thanks,
Sam

Jason Scott · September 09, 2010, 03:50:00 PM

I think that is a proprietary term used to diferentiate one bows design from another design offered by the same bowyer. Or maybe 1 1/2" wide recurves would be slimline as opposed to the customary 1 3/4" and 2" versions. ???

Jason Scott · September 09, 2010, 03:53:00 PM

R/D longbows less than 1 1/2" could be slimline I guess. Less bulky dimensional risers are slimline. Your guess is as good as mine. I don't think it is an industry standard term.

sffar · September 10, 2010, 06:14:00 AM

Thanks, Jason. I couldn't find anything in glossaries of archery terms, though the term does get used occasionally. Your explanation makes sense to me. So when a bow is manufactured in two versions, otherwise identical, the more slender version, probably with more narrow limbs, gets referred to as a "slimline."
A marginal difference!

Jason Scott · September 10, 2010, 12:59:00 PM

I guess, I was thinking along the lines of the Black Widow recurves when I stated. They have the big and wide PTA / PA versions and the PSR on the other hand is slimmer than those.

sffar · September 10, 2010, 04:58:00 PM

I see what you mean, Jason. Less mass on the PSR, but otherwise similar to the PA. Slimmer.
I spoke to a bowyer today who makes a slimline bow, by which he means the limbs are made narrower and the core's cut deeper than what would have been the standard years ago. The bow I refer to being the Montana D Bow, which seems a pretty traditionally styled bow to me! Here slimline being more a refinement, I suppose, of a classic pattern.
Thanks for your help.
Sam

PhilNY · September 11, 2010, 02:24:00 PM

I remember in the 70's when Wing under AMF came out with a SlimLine group models and that it was just a narrower design.
I think it might have even been a trademark, but I don't think that it was any kind of standard, just a way of selling more bows.

Robertfishes · September 11, 2010, 04:12:00 PM

I bought this double carbon longbow from Dave Robertson, its less than an inch wide on the back and is trapped to the belly. it shoots nicely, very quiet and fast

sffar · September 11, 2010, 05:56:00 PM

Robertfishes, I'd call that bow a slimline for sure. It does seem to be a "go to" term in archery, even if it has no standard attached to it. Maybe "slimline" has earned a formal place in some dictionary of archery.