Typically how much weight can be taken off a bow's poundage?
5# is typical and with some bows you can do more. Talk to whip at the bow hospital.
There is quite a bit in the archives regarding how much, how to do it/or how its done and the benefits/drawbacks of each.
Joshua
The limit I try to work with is no more than about 10% of the bows original weight. While some bows may go a bit more, others maybe not even that much. Certainly if the bow has ever had weight removed before or if the bowyer was chasing weight at the time it was built that can be a factor.
Ive taken wt. off at least a doz, bows--glass recurves and longbows. I just take it off the edges- a TOTAL of about 3/16" takes about 6lbs off on typical bows. Takes me about 30min. Just go slow,--take a little off both limbs, string bow,check tiller--Repeat. Ive never had a prob. w any bow I did this to. I just did one a wk. ago--this one was a longbow which was a pretty narrow design to begin with and I wound up taking a full 1/4". Now the bow is only 7/8" at the fades and 7/16" at the tips. It reduced the bow from 62# to 52#. This is the most Ive ever stretched the "envelop" Ive put 100arrows thru it. So far so good--but the juries still out on this one.
Thanks for the info guys. Presently I have bows in 40,42,44. Was looking at a much heavier bow for sale at a good price. But I dont think even with 10 percent took off I would ever be comfortable with that much weight. Oh well.