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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: NIGEL01 on December 07, 2017, 05:59:00 AM

Title: best way to reduce weight on vintage bow?
Post by: NIGEL01 on December 07, 2017, 05:59:00 AM
Its a 65 Bear Grizzly.  It says 55# but feels like 65#.  Haven't weighed it with my scale yet, but would like to bring it down at least 5lbs.  Would rather not sand the the flats, but was wondering if I carefully sanded the limbs edges equally would that work?  I read the thread on "trapping" would that work?  Would rather not wreck the bow because of the beautiful zebra wood.
Title: Re: best way to reduce weight on vintage bow?
Post by: Pat B on December 07, 2017, 08:01:00 AM
I think I'd trade it off for a bow with the correct weight.
Title: Re: best way to reduce weight on vintage bow?
Post by: Crooked Stic on December 07, 2017, 08:19:00 AM
Depending on how rounded the sides are now you can maybe get 4-5 off getting aggressive. Kinda small trap on both sides.
Although I would vote for getting the correct weight bow and sell that one.
Title: Re: best way to reduce weight on vintage bow?
Post by: LittleBen on December 07, 2017, 04:07:00 PM
Make personal feeling on reducing weight is that if you wouldn't be comfortable doing the tillering during the building process, you probably shouldn't try reducing the weight.. Especially on a bow you cherish.

Reducing weight isn't necessarily going to go a smoothly as 10 strokes on each edge and done. Particularly if you have to take off a fair amount of material. It can be hard to do both sides the same.

I put this kind of thing in the category of "if you have to ask".

I'm just saying I would not be cutting my teeth on a bow I care about.
Title: Re: best way to reduce weight on vintage bow?
Post by: NIGEL01 on December 07, 2017, 04:50:00 PM
Thanks all.  I've refinished a couple of bows, that I know inadvertently reduced weight a couple pounds by over sanding the limbs.  This bow has numerous stress lines and cosmetic issues, so I thought it would be a fun winter project.  I've also realized that if alter a vintage bow I will never sell it to anyone else.  So I guess it goes back to the classifieds!  Thanks again
Title: Re: best way to reduce weight on vintage bow?
Post by: JamesV on December 15, 2017, 02:55:00 AM
Sand the face of the glass like the factory did.  I recently bought two vintage bows and both had heavy sanding marks and ripples in the limbs, under the factory decals.

James