Is it okay to leave glass backed bows strung or should they be un-strung before hanging them up? Even though I've heard it's okay to leave them strung I usually leave my Montana un-strung, but I was curious as to my new aquisition (a freebie). It was given to me by an older gentleman when I helped move his gun case. It ain't much - a Shakespeare Archery "The Mancos" 54" recurve - 45# @ 28", but I've been practicing with it and I'm actually blown away by what a sweet shooter it is. Oh yeah, second question: When did Shakespeare make bows? I had no idea...
Alot of people say it won't hurt a bow to leave it strung but I unstring all of mine when I'm done shooting...only takes a second or two. Shakespeare made some pretty nice bows...your's looks to be in very good condition. They made bows from the late 50's to the mid 70's. I have 2 Shakespeare's. A 55# Super Necedah and a 24# Sierra(my gf's). I plan on hunting with the Super N this year.
I unstring all of mine. That said, I do believe keeping a recurve strung could keep the limbs from twisting.
I never unstring my recurve and It's going on 16 years old and "used" to get shot religiously all the time. From what I gather from others a person should take the string off of their longbows when not In use. You guys that do, do you unstring your longbow just In the off season or during the deer season too In between outings?
Hey Steve.... didn't you have a thread at one time or another (possibly on another forum) addressing a loss of draw weight on your recurve? If so, could leaving it strung have caused that?
Sure did. Alot of the bowyers I talked with about It said they've left recurves strung for many, many years just to see If they lost weight. None of theirs did. If I didn't shoot mine at all I'd unstring It here and there but I can't stand stringing my recurve. It's a pain In the ass being I don't have limb tips on mine. Some of these bowyers also told me a few of them got twisted limbs when they left these recurves strung. They told me the biggest reason for that wasn't really from being strung but rather from being strung and not shot. They pretty much told me If your going to leave It strung you better shoot It here and there or at least pull It back from time to time. Kinda makes sense to me. The trouble I had was my top limb. The fiber glass started splintering on the outside edge. I sanded It down and re glued the outer edge of the limb. I never did gain back the 12 pounds I lost In draw weight but at least now the splintering hasn't returned. Was this all caused from leaving my recurve strung 95% of the time? Could be I guess but allot of these guys didn't think so but they also said anything Is possible.
Just curious, Steve. I believe that I'll just go ahead and unstring mine just like I've been doing all along with my longbow. Incidentally, what's the draw weight on your recurve now?
I keep the bows I'm not shooting regularly unstrung hangin in the rack. My bow I'm shootin now probably won't get unstrung until who knows when, if I'm shootin it it stays strung!
