Information about various makes of Korean bows (Page 1 of 2)

I have the chance to try the bows made by Yeung Mo Gung and Song Mu Gung, the last owning the factory who make the semihorn and bamboo belied bows.
I would like try to be short:
1. YMG bows feel to not staking at all, the best looking shape at full draw, very fast and extremly resistant at bad treatment.
If you want to put the bow on the  limit, try this type. Little vibration in the hand.
2. SMG bows
   - regular laminated bow is smoother than YMG, but it stacks earlier than YMG. Is very fast, not noticeable diferences between YMG and this bow. Very fine, long life but not very resistant at bad treatment, the first dry shot can destroy this bow.
   - semihorn bow is the best shooting bow you can get, very tolerant, very very fast, very smooth, but severely stack at the draw limit. Not very long life and it required specialy care, like using a hot box. I like this bow the most, I had my best shots with this bow. The best sensation in the hand, after shooting this bow for a while, you will feel every other bow like having hand shock.
   - bamboo belied bow, excelent look, is a beauty, is very smooth, but is slow. Little vibration also, comparable with YMG bow. Anyway, this bow, even is not the best shooter, is the best looking one. I dont know about the life of this bow, I tested them only for few days.
YMG use maple core, also maple in the fadeouts.
SMG made fadeouts from some synthetic material like impregnated fabric, and use bamboo for core.

José,

Although the hybrid bow does not require the level of extra care that a true horn bow does, still some extra care should be given.  The horn should not be quickly flexed when bracing, especially if the ambient temperature is somewhat cold.  Also, when unbracing, the limbs should be slowly unflexed, taking care that the limbs stay straight.; I usually do this by letting my hand follow up the limb after taking the string off.

This bow is made in China. A friend had one which was very tuff, he shot with 5 to 10 grams short arrows and tonga very long time, the bow broke after one year. But I have seen also some delamination. The worst was that in the delaminated bow (new one) it was no resin between strips.
With this bow is lotery, is are lucky, you can get a good one.

Is very fast, but also unstable.

Super glue works well on the string bridges.

I have several bows Korean type (Hwarang 45lb and 70lb, 50lb and 55lb Kaya). They are comparable and very good. Hwarang is closer to the original Korean HornBows. Kaya but also shoots very well.

Kaya is a good company and their export bow is a good starter bow for someone just getting into Korean trad.  If all goes well, this coming year they will have a new bow design for sale in the West.

The Kaya arrived on Wednesday and I have now had the opportunity to try it out.

Initial impressions, the finish of the bow could have been better, there is a glue thumbprint on the top limb covering,  and several other areas of glue seepage marring the leather. The handle covering is quite poorly done, the piece cut to cover it is not large enough to cover the rubber so there is a gap at the top and bottom, and the edges are not even straight, they are jaggedly cut and covered in glue. The leather arrow pass is also poorly glued on and overlaps. Not much care was taken in coveringthe handle, it looks rushed with scrap material.

However, bows are made to shoot and it does that very well indeed. It is very fast with pretty much no handshock compared to the TRH Crimean Tartar bow I have been using at the same draw weight. The arrows are quite heavy and they are leaving with impressive speed and grouping well, the bow is very nice to shoot so it redeemed itself.  The cosmetic issues I can resolve and chances are I just got a bad one. I already intended to change the arrow pass and wrap the handle anyway so overall I am pleased.

It doesn't feel as smooth/fast as ~HUN~'s Hwarang but the reason for that is obvious, you get what you pay for. But for an entry bow into Korean archery, i'm impressed.

*edit* image of the new Kaya at full draw http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c92/I … ayaKTB.jpg *edit*

We have to remember the price. Little things like recovering the grip are minor jobs. I added wrapping over the grip of my Hwarang (I admit it, I have big hands) they are just personal touches.
I thought the pattern on the covering was more subdued in the flesh as opposed to pictures and I'm sure applying some dye would make it even more so.
As for performance, it did really well and in my opinion it outperforms other 'Asiatic replicas' in its class.
Again, consider the price and it's a very good bow.

I have a Korean bow that I bought in 1960 from a bow maker in Solsa.,near Inchon, I have not used it in years and through the years it has suffered.
I would like to know if anyone knows who the bow maker might be or his son or anyone else who maybe able to work on it as I would like to get this bow repaired.
I can tell you a string pad is missing and some of the leather is starting to come loose. It had a crack in the bone taped up when the first time I used it ,it was not set right and the string peeled off , the bow-maker repaired it for me once buy wraping the bow

Yes ,I have some pictures of the bow and one of the arrows with some writting on it. I don't know how to attach them here but I could e-mail them.

Please attach the photos here, we all would love to see them.

Doug,

I referenced the thread on a Facebook group regarding Korean trad archery.  Maybe we can get some help there.

T