Hello everyone, I recieved a bow as a gift from an old friend. An old Ben Pearson cougar 7050 with a 45# draw weight. However it's an old bow and doesn't seem to have recieved the best TLC. I'm as green in archery as you could possibly be, so I'd like to start practicing and getting a feel for it. However I'm not exactly sure about this bows integrity due to all the scratches and "stretch marks" and a ever so slight twist in it (1 or possibly 2 degrees of a twist). Is there anything unobvious in particular to check for, for integrity? When I first picked it up I gave it a little twist side to side (before I strung it up) and I could hear a slight stretching of fiber. Any help would be appreciated, I don't want to get smacked in the face by this thing lol

Pictures, if possible, would really be a help. You really shouldn't hear any "fiber" stretching unless you had a pair of gloves on.

 Light twisting can be successfully taken out with a little twisting the opposite way.

                             Good Shooting,
                                              Craig

Look for any evidence of delamination, if none detected pull here on back in progressively longer increments. Unless upon quick examination nothing clearly stands out she's probably ok. Good shootin!

Thanks, I tried to counter-twist the bow with a hair dryer, it made barely any improvement.  There are some evidences of delamination (which is why I avoided doing the "warm water" method). I will try to post pictures

http://imgur.com/GeUI8G3

Hm. That's not right

I don't see any signs of delamination in your pictures.

I would try heating it again slowly with a hair drier on both belly and back side right at the base of the hook. once its good and warm twist it in the opposite direction a little past straight. about a 1/2" and hold it there for 2-3 minutes. then put a cool damp rag over it at hold tension on the twist a little bit longer until it cools down completely. Then string it back up, and leave it strung for a few days inside the house where its warm before trying to shoot it....

btw... do this heating with the bow unstrung or you can get yourself in trouble.

Ok will do, thanks for the tip! I'll let you know how It turns out. And I guess the "delamination" I saw was just an over analyzing lol

Make sure you use a stringer when stringer and not using the step thru method.  That can cause a twist or storing standing up ina corner. Always store horizontally or by the string.

Ahh, yea I've always done the step through method and I've been storing it unstrung, maybe that contributed to it's condition :/. I really appreciate all y'all's help with this  

I have straightened many twisted recurve limbs by clamping the risers down on my bar with a wood screw clamp and hanging a weighted string that pulls it just barely past center in the direction it needs to go. I then heat a wet large towel in the microwave until it is steaming hot and wrap the limb tip. Be careful with the hot towel. I wear leather gloves for protection. I let it set overnight and tweak it until it is straight.

Man so many good ideas, I'm glad the guy from Bowie outfitters sent me here! So I have two questions, where can I get a stringer? Or is there a way to make my own? Also, I've been looking into a new string (the string that came with it is too short) and I didn't realize I'd have to choose from a 12,14,16, or 18 strand string. Is there a reason for the strand options?

Right now it's sitting strung up, the twist seems to be finally under control thanks to y'all's help, now it just needs some arrows and a proper string    then I can start training my dead eye  :p

Well, my bow had a relapse. I treat it with a blow dryer and straighten it out, then stored it strung up for a while (like someone suggested) but now it's back to it's old twisted ways. Any ideas of what I can do to make it stay straightened, permenantly?

Might want to send it here....

http://bowhospital.com/

Bow hospital x2

Ok I'll look into, thanks guys