anyone know what the "x's" behind the "#" sign mean?

[fazhu]

Hello all.  In searching for a vinage  bow to buy I am beginning to wonder what the "x"s behind the draw weight mean.  Some bows have none, some one and some two.  Any ideas?  Thanks.

[mooseman76]

Someone will give you a more definitive answer, but I believe they represent pounds over the draw weight listed.  Example 50xx is equal to a 52 pound bow.  I believe they can be before the weight as well (xx50 is equal to 48 pound bow).  Like I said, someone will be able to get you a definite answer, but this is what I was told by one of the "oldtimers" that helped me start shooting trad bows...Mike

[Gray Buffalo]

What Mike said

[Night Wing]

Originally posted by mooseman76:
Someone will give you a more definitive answer, but I believe they represent pounds over the draw weight listed.  Example 50xx is equal to a 52 pound bow.  I believe they can be before the weight as well (xx50 is equal to 48 pound bow).  Like I said, someone will be able to get you a definite answer, but this is what I was told by one of the "oldtimers" that helped me start shooting trad bows...Mike

This method was/is used by production made bow manufacturers where the poundage is measured at 28".

[Rob DiStefano]

yeah, it's just as mike said about the x's.

for the very most part, labelled holding weights on bows are most probably not correct, and some are off by 5# or more.

what's more important to me about any stickbow is smoothness of draw, which has mostly to do with how many pounds does the bow gain per inch, from 27" through 31".  those that gain more than upwards of 3 pounds per inch at those lengths will more than likely feel stiff and stacking.

[fazhu]

So, a bow that is labeled "50xx -28"" in magic marker just below the handle actually draws 52#'s @ 28"?  In theory of course.  Is that correct?

[Elkchaser]

Originally posted by fazhu:
So, a bow that is labeled "50xx -28"" in magic marker just below the handle actually draws 52#'s @ 28"?  In theory of course.  Is that correct?

Correct

[d. ward]

MM76 nailed it that is what it means X's after the number is over marked weight and before would be under marked weight bowdoc

[Bill Turner]

You see this on some older bows. Mike hit it on the head.

[Burnsie]

Why not forget about the X's and just put the actual weight?

[d. ward]

wow that would be a long one Burnsie but to kind of give you an idea they were all mostly just stock bows.And if they came within 2 pounds eather way of what they were working on at that time they called em good.
Nowadays you gotta pay an extra 75.00 if you want no X's eather way bd

[Burnsie]

Understood,  but I guess at some point someone must have actually weighed the bows for accuracy to know that they were 2-3 lbs too heavy or too light so they could then write down the correct number of X's.  At that point, why not just write the correct number instead of going through the whole X thing?  
Or are you saying the X's were added on top of the finish/varnish after the bow was already completed and they did a final weighing.
Not gonna loose sleep over it, just seems odd.

[fazhu]

@ Burnsie  Exactly! hehe
Thanks so much for taking the time everyone.  Question answered perfectly and now I know about the x's! Thanks again

[Shawn Leonard]

I would stress roughly as well. I have seen several with two X's past and the bows as Rob said were several #s over. Shawn

[sticbow]

if you heard it from Gray Buffalo it must be from an "Old Timer"      

[Van/TX]

Normally the exact weight would be marked under the arrow side plate.  Bows back then were normally ordered in 5# increments. So if a hardware store ordered 10 50# recurves they would get 10 that were marked 50# with either 1 or 2 X's before or after the 50# marking.  Just the way they did things.  Remember, these bows were made by the 10's of thousands  :D  ...Van