Micarta risers?

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#5158

Anyone have, or have shot, a bow with a micarta riser? I know that they are dense, and provide a good amount of mass, but I’m curious how they actually feel when shooting, and how they perform in comparison to a dense wood, such as cocobolo, ironwood, etc. Thanks for your thoughts.

[jpc]

#37728

First time I eard about mircata in bow building

Why not but certaily very far from carbon, for sure

Anyway mircata is used for first price knives ans some other gadgets:roll::twisted::!:

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#38117

jpc wrote: First time I eard about mircata in bow building

Why not but certaily very far from carbon, for sure

Anyway mircata is used for first price knives ans some other gadgets:roll::twisted::!:

It’s been used in bow building for a long time, particularly for tips, less so for risers, though it’s not that new in risers either. I’m curious, as there is a particlar bow I’m looking at that has one. But I think that at heart, I’m a wood guy. Not sure I could warm up to a hunk of micarts in my hand – though I have several knives with micarts handles, somehow on a bow it’s different for me.

[Stephen Graf]

#38865

I have a bow with a micarta riser. It’s a short riser, so I asked the bowyer to just use micarta to bump up the mass.

I don’t think there is any other performance aspect to it.

There are two types of micarta typically used in bows. Linen and paper. Bow tips are usually made with linen as it is stronger but lighter, and more expensive. Risers are usually made with paper as it is heavier and less expensive.

Bob Lee makes a lot of risers with it. Black Widow puts it in all their risers too. It’s a fine material to make a riser from.

I wouldn’t hesitate a bit about getting it. In fact, I would prefer that to tropical woods. I don’t use any tropical woods in the bows I make ’cause I don’t want to participate in any way in the deforestation going on. So I have a hard time getting the weight of my risers up. Micarta is a good way to get a heavy riser without the heavy ecological cost.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#39354

Steve – thanks again for more excellent insights. I thought I had made up my mind, until reading your post and now I’m back to being curious about trying this particular bow again…

[Stephen Graf]

#40649

oh tease me some more! What do her long slim limbs look like? strong with just a supple curve? When she is braced, do her tips hold against the string with grace? When drawn to the cheek do they please the eye? Do tell…

When her string is loosed, does she go about her business like a wise and knowing lover, or is she all over the place like a young and over excited filly? Do tell…

just a smidgen of cabin fever here 😳 🙄

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#40696

Steve Graf wrote: oh tease me some more! What do her long slim limbs look like? strong with just a supple curve? When she is braced, do her tips hold against the string with grace? When drawn to the cheek do they please the eye? Do tell…

When her string is loosed, does she go about her business like a wise and knowing lover, or is she all over the place like a young and over excited filly? Do tell…

Aye, and verily, fellow toxophilite. 😉

I will but permit thee a wee glimpse of her leggy finery:

[David Fudala]

#40862

Anybody else getting a weeee bit uncomfortable!?!?:oops:

[Stephen Graf]

#41394

I can see why you are so smitten. If you take her under your roof, treat her with respect!

[Patrick]

#41447

Love those limbs! Be careful though, that riser is made from paper! 😯 😆

You learn something everyday. I didn’t know how micarta is made. 8)

[Stephen Graf]

#41824

Patrick wrote: …You learn something everyday. I didn’t know how micarta is made. 8)

Linen micarta is made by pressing multiple layers of linen soaked in resin together. Let it cure, and you have a hard material that can be shaped however you like. Ditto with paper micarta.

Micarta and phonelic are the same thing.

Some guys make their own out of all kinds of things, even old blue jeans. lay it up with epoxy, and press or clamp it flat till it cures. Cheaper than buying it if you have the time and materials.

[Robin Conrads]

#41855

Here is an older Tip of the Week on How To Make Linen Phenolic.

[Steve Capps]

#42872

I used to have takedown longbow with a micarta riser. One of my favorite bows ever. Lost it when I was out of the country to a worthless thief who broke into my storage unit and cleaned me out.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#43758

Thanks for the link, Robin!

stchunter48 – sorry to hear that. Few things lower than a thief, imo.

Well, the bow above is on the way to me right now, for a “try before you buy” period. But we all know how that usually goes…:wink:

[Ralph]

#43847

dfudala wrote: Anybody else getting a weeee bit uncomfortable!?!?:oops:

What goes on with a bow stays with the bow. Right:D:D

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