matchedset
PMA Member
I never leave any of my bows strung if I am not shooting it.There is no reason to leave it strung.If I left my selfbows strung the limbs would take a set, which robs the bow of cast.Fiberglass bows in my opinion should not be left strung either.This practice has worked well for me for alot of years.I guess I never wanted to take the chance of damaging the bow.Steve when I was talking to you I was refering to all wood bows.My knowledge as a bowyer is alot on the all wood models.Bows with fiberglass in them are another story.Put it to you like this I would hate to spend big money on a custom make fiberglass bow and then leave it strung for a year just to see if its affects the performance or not.Not worth the risk to me.
As far as glass bows, I believe it is generally accepted that it is safer to leave a recurve strung for long periods than it is for longbows. Longbows have less glass in the limbs and are known to loose weight easier.
I've always left my recurves strung from Sept - January. Can't say I've noticed any loss in weight. I will unstring my longbow if not hunting consecutive days and for the most part, unstring it after every practice session through the off season.
I've always left my recurves strung from Sept - January. Can't say I've noticed any loss in weight. I will unstring my longbow if not hunting consecutive days and for the most part, unstring it after every practice session through the off season.
Shovelbuck
Active Member
I usually unstring mine, but there are times that I don't. If I hunt an evening and am planning on hunting the next morning, it will stay strung. I don't feel it hurts the glass backed bows to stay strung. It's so easy though to unstring I usually do.
The self bows are another story. I get nervous just having one of them strung for a morning or evening hunt. I only string them when I get to my ground and unstring before I walk out.
The self bows are another story. I get nervous just having one of them strung for a morning or evening hunt. I only string them when I get to my ground and unstring before I walk out.
Unless you completely remove the string you shouldn't need to always check brace height. Just slip the upper loop down the limb off the nock and it can't untwist. I don't have a glass bow at all so I always unbrace my bows and never leave one strung in direct hot sunlight unless I'm shooting it. Some wooden bows will take a string set of 1 to 3 inches but if properly designed and cared for will come back to straight over night usually. One of the worst things you can do to a self bow is to leave it in a hot car then pull it out, string it, and shoot it right away, or put it into a hot car strung and leave it.
The older wooden bows are where the unstring admonision came from as they could be all but ruined by leaving them strung. I am honestly not sure if the same holds true for glass laminated bows, but why take a chance because it only takes 30 seconds to drop the string, especially if you learn to do it properly with a push pull method. "They" say that laminated limbs can be damaged or twisted using the step through stringing method but it still only take seconds to use a stringer. One other bit of advice, if hunting always string up before climbing into your tree stand. It can be pretty tough stringing a heavy bow standing on a 18" platform.
The older wooden bows are where the unstring admonision came from as they could be all but ruined by leaving them strung. I am honestly not sure if the same holds true for glass laminated bows, but why take a chance because it only takes 30 seconds to drop the string, especially if you learn to do it properly with a push pull method. "They" say that laminated limbs can be damaged or twisted using the step through stringing method but it still only take seconds to use a stringer. One other bit of advice, if hunting always string up before climbing into your tree stand. It can be pretty tough stringing a heavy bow standing on a 18" platform.
Earl E. November
Member
More recurves are damaged in the stringing process than are from leaving them strung. Standing them in the corner on one limb tip is another no no.
If it is a modern fiberglass recurve, don't worry about it. If it is a wood bow, yes by all means, but be certain in your stringing and storage process.
If it is a modern fiberglass recurve, don't worry about it. If it is a wood bow, yes by all means, but be certain in your stringing and storage process.