many a person will say there’s no difference in limb core’s especially on a recurve . But out of those choices I would go with the yew just because of the looks. But I have two bows with boo cores and I believe boo has some enhancement value.

 

Okay.... from here on out... don't be that guy who says core material doesn't matter...I think it does matter...I've shot enough bows that I know there's some I just don't like the feel...especially apple to apple comparisons on the same ilf riser...if core didn't matter they would all be made of the exact same material and it would be the cheapest material available....so.... looks aside because I agree yew looks great...any of you have experience with more than one of those core woods.

 

I know someone has archery addiction just like me and has shot several different bows with different cores and can give me some feedback…

 

Bamboo v Hard Rock Maple v Foam is really the only comparison I could offer. Foam just feels weird to me now that I have shot wood cores for so many years. HRM feels heavy and fast. Bamboo feels light and fast. HRM feels like more of the wall whereas bamboo feels like it can go forever almost. Probably won’t see a difference in the draw force curve, but I trust my senses just enough to pic my favorite. Bamboo.


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I do think bamboo is superior in most longbow limb designs simply because there is so much stiffness built into the limb design as is compared to a RC limb.


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I have a shooting friend that is/has gotten a one piece Mentor. It’s is has Red Elm limbs. Hopefully I will see him tomorrow as I want to try his new bow. I will comment on it.

 

Don't confuse the core materials with the veneer that is showing. I've always liked bamboo core dressed up with nice veneers. You speak about a back wall. That is something desirable in a compound bow but really isn't of much use in a recurve bow. I own an old Martin X-200 with a great back wall. It happens about an inch before I'm at full draw. I put tens of thousands of shots through that bow and then started trying others that are a little longer that don't start stacking at 28". I have a set of the R3 Samick foam core limbs that may or may not have a back wall. I can't draw the bow far enough back to find it. That is a very pleasant bow to shoot and is probably the one that I am most accurate with.
My Mentor appears to have bamboo core limbs. It is a 64" bow so I never feel the stacking on it to the point that I would say that it is a wall. I suppose that if you want that feeling in the draw, just buy a bow that is a couple of inches shorter than what you normally use. I had a little 58" Striker three piece longbow with bamboo core limbs that had quite the back wall from about 27" on. The reason that it had a wall wasn't because of the core material as much as the fact that I was overdrawing those limbs.

You don't say, but I read into your post that you are considering a Mentor. Talk to Wes about this. There is nobody better than the bowyer to recommend what to use to get what you want.

 

Don't confuse the core materials with the veneer that is showing. I've always liked bamboo core dressed up with nice veneers. You speak about a back wall. That is something desirable in a compound bow but really isn't of much use in a recurve bow. I own an old Martin X-200 with a great back wall. It happens about an inch before I'm at full draw. I put tens of thousands of shots through that bow and then started trying others that are a little longer that don't start stacking at 28". I have a set of the R3 Samick foam core limbs that may or may not have a back wall. I can't draw the bow far enough back to find it. That is a very pleasant bow to shoot and is probably the one that I am most accurate with.
My Mentor appears to have bamboo core limbs. It is a 64" bow so I never feel the stacking on it to the point that I would say that it is a wall. I suppose that if you want that feeling in the draw, just buy a bow that is a couple of inches shorter than what you normally use. I had a little 58" Striker three piece longbow with bamboo core limbs that had quite the back wall from about 27" on. The reason that it had a wall wasn't because of the core material as much as the fact that I was overdrawing those limbs.

You don't say, but I read into your post that you are considering a Mentor. Talk to Wes about this. There is nobody better than the bowyer to recommend what to use to get what you want.

I have talked quite a bit with Wes. Well I didn’t mean wall as in compound but I don’t like how bamboo felt like I could pull forever and maple quite the opposite. I think maple feels plenty good. It’s my preferred core on my target recurves. I dont recall wes offering maple so of the 3…yew, red elm or Osage…which of these might feel most similar?