Trad Gang

OK here we go again. I know that the majority of the recurve bow shooters say that they keep their bows strung as long as they are shooting them and it makes no difference.

So what about you longbow shooters, especially those with longbows that have the very fine pointed tips? Do you keep them strung also? Or do you have to unstring a longbow every day.

Appreciate opinions as always.

Thanks
sam

I unstring all my bows after use. It's not hard to do with a stringer. Plus, it gets pretty warm here, so I like to rest them.

I'm an unstringer as I have to drive to the range to shoot.  Even when I'm at home, I unstring, habit I guess, don't really know if it makes a differece to the bow.

unstring every time i'm done shooting,can only help prolong your bows life the way i see it.

i keep mine unstrung as well

I only unstring self bows. Glass lam bows that get shot regularly stay strung.

If I'm not going to be shooting a particular bow for 3 days or so, It never stays strung. If shooting it regularly I still un-string it a couple nights a week.  To me,  I have too much invested to chance any harm to it.

Gene  :wavey:

I always keep glass laminated bows strung. I hang them horizontally from the string by two nails placed about 3 feet apart. It doesn't harm glass laminated bows to keep them strung.

I shoot a Beeler longbow/hybrid.

I have it from my bowyer himself that you can keep them strung. (He's a mechanical engineer by background and knows all about stress, tension of materials etc.). Black Widow says it's better to keep them strung, no? On glass bows the idea that leaving them strung will lessen the poundage or life of the bow is an old wives tale. That being said, if I am going to have my bows in a hot truck, I will unstring them as with enough HEAT under tension, they could delaminate.

I un-string all bows.

I grew up keeping my bows un-strung when not in use. So I just continue to un-string each after use.

Hey Curveman, I have a wife and twin daughters so I too, know about srress, tension etc. :)  I unstring almost always and always in hot vechiles.

I unstring my longbows after each use normally.  No reason other than it's easy to do and they store more compactly.  The push/pull method is safe, easy, and good exercise (Google that word if you don't know what it means).  And, common sense (Google that term if you have never heard it before) tells you that a bow tensed, is a bow partly drawn.  Perhaps it will take that for ten years, perhaps it won't.  Yet it is more easy for some dufus to come along, pull it back and dry fire it.  And yes, they are among us 8^).

I find stringing and unstringing to be an integral part of the sport that I started about a hundred years ago; just like sharpening broadheads after each practice shot; drying your socks by the campfire; washing your wool shirt and pants by hand, etc.  Somethings should just be done because  that's the way it always was.  It's the curmudgeon in me.    

I always unstring my bows.  I'm sure nothing bad will happen if I leave them, but why take  a chance.

Thanks for the suggestion.
I will unstring!!
Sam  :bigsmyl:    :bigsmyl:

Not saying it is the right thing to do, but I built myself a longbow back in 1992 when I was building a lot of bows. This is a 64# @ 27" R/D bow. It has spent the majority of its life strung, and when I wasn't actually shooting it, standing in a corner. It is strung as I type this, ready to shoot. I wanted to see just how durable it was. I'm still checking. This is still my favorite bow and the one I shoot the most by far.

Now, I wouldn't do this with self bows or recurves, especially the standing in the corner bit, but I don't think leaving a glass bow strung for awhile will hurt a thing as long as you keep it away from high heat.

I'm with you George.  :thumbsup:

As an archer, I believe you should unstring, at least know how. Since I shoot mostly all wood bows, I like to push pull. I use to use the step -thru and it cost me the tiller on a good bow!

 Just like serving a string, setting brace height, fletchting arrows, etc. the more you know and can do, the better. You never know when in the feild you may have to , no stringer on your person. Good shootin, Steve

I can only speak to the longbow I have, which is a Black Widow...The owner's manual recommends UNstringing the bow after shooting...My bow has narrower, thicker limbs and has a higher thickness ratio of wood/boo to glass than you usually find in a recurve. If your limbs have more thickness of glass than wood then I would think it would be less likely to lose poundage over time. I know the widow owners manual for recurves says its ok to leave them strung.


David

All my glass bows stay strung.  The only time they get unstrung is for travelling.

Unstrung after use always with a stringer.

I almost never unstring my Longbows unless it is to case and transport them.
Mine hang vertically in a downstairs room with no direct sunlight or temperature swings.

I unstring all of my recurves.  Why?
1. Strings fail
2. Dopes can dry fire them when you aren't looking
3. Grandkids can fool around with them.
4. Sharp objects and strung bows don't mix.

I've done this since the 50s.

I unsrting my longbows.  Most have dacron strings that will stretch.  Bill

Reddogge said it all. I'd never leave a gun unlocked and likewise never leave a bow strung. I have three kids in the house and even if they don't mess with them, their buddies might.

So what's the differnce between the push pull method and the step thru method of stringing?
sam

I have always  been an  unstringer. My bowyer recommends that his longbows be unstrung.

Afraid to say... Might "Void" my warrenty??

I always unstring my bows also. It's easy enough to do and with three grandsons running around here all day, I can see total catastrophe, a real nightmare,  from the string being damaged or cut accidentally on a strung bow in the garage. Not a welcome thing to happen I'm sure. Preventative measures are applied of course but if all were effective accidents wouldn't happen. Besides, I have enough of a problem keeping me out of trouble much less being outnumbered.

Okay, in my humble opinion and experiance, glass bows need to be unstrung when not in use.  the reason why isn't just the bow.  The string will stretch and/or creep, (all material will).  It is a good practice when you make a new string for bow to leave it strung a few days to get the initial stretch out, if you haven't prestretch it.  then adjust and tune, then unstring from then on.

strung

Reddogge and Uk I understand what your saying. But what about some of you who have wheelie bows? My son's blew a cable while siiting in a case! Or when you go to a show and Widow and others leave them strung on the rack!

Ssamac, do a search for the two methods, better than myself to try to explain. If your in the woods and need to string a bow because of a broken string, it's good to know. That is if you have a spare string on you! Good shootin, Steve

I shoot everyday and mine stay strung...PR

I keep my bows stored in a bowsock, or if it's a T/D, I sometimes unstring it, take it down and store it in a bow case.

Bill

Frank, I've never owned a compound so I can't say what I would do with that. Probably keep it in a locked case.
Personally I always have a spare string and a stringer in my pack. Both of them take up very little room and as long as you have a good stringer and know how to use it, then it is the safest way to string a bow. Both for the bow and myself.

Thanks Steve
I'll remember that
As for compounds, In Illinois you can't transport unless you have them disabled. What they do is put one of those plastic straps around the string and over that guide thing so you can't pull it back.

sam

longbows ... unstring
recurves ... leave 'em strung

Link to this same topic from the past:

http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=042491;p=1

I shoot just about every other day, I keep my longbows unstrung when not in use. Besides, in many states (and here in New York) it is illegal to have a bow strung in a vehicle. I certainly wouldn't want my bows confiscated for a game law violation.

Illinois is the same. Have to unstring the bow. But I still can't find the push pull method

sam

If it is my current homemade laminated go to bow, leave it strung and hung horizontal by the string on pegs.  The non shooters...unstrung.