50 yr old bow. Qu.

[dragonman]

someone just gave me a 50yr old lemonwood self bow, ( made by Slazenger, says on it) ,  should I try it out??? has anyone tried stringing and shooting a bow this old??

[Pat B]

Dragonman, you can get these old bow to shoot again but consider it physical theorapy and start easy and slow and work your way up to full draw and not all in one day. I think I would start with a long string and slowly and gradually exercise but only a few inches at first. When you can get it to a low brace safely do so and let the bow rest at low brace for an hour or so. You have to totally reeducate the wood to bend and recover so do take it slow and easy if you decide to go for it.
  I have a few old lemonwood bows(one York LB and a home made(not by me) flatbow) and I have shot both but before I knew what I was doing.    Now, I consider them to be relics of archery past and more important to me as that so I don't have to shoot them and I don't shoot them. 

[dwardo]

I have more bows than I will ever be able to shoot as it is, If I happened across a 50 year old bow it would become a decoration and talking point rather than string and shoot it. It's served Its time

[osage outlaw]

I have two old lemonwood bows.  I think they are Indian brand.  There's no way I would even try to string them.  They are to cool looking to break. 

[dragonman]

thanks Pat, osage and dwardo for that advice, I was going to string it, I nearly did, but after reading it I decided not to, I think you're right , its worth more as an 'archery relic'.... glad I asked

[mullet]

Most of them can be shot unless they were abused in a past life. Look them over for nicks and abrasions. Then string them if you feel good about the back and belly. Leave it strung for a day and then take it down. Repeat this for a few days and then start pulling it slowly and a little at a time. Like you would warming a self bow, but slower. If it has a backing and the limbs are straight I wouldn't worry at all.

 I have a 72" Victorian Style Longbow, 45#, with horn nocks that is close to 80 years old that I shoot. I've been doing so for about 9 years.

 I've started taking the sad ones and backing them with bamboo. Lemonwood is hard to come by here in the State's.

[Pat B]

Eddie, how does lemonwood work with boo?  I have a stave that James gave me. I was thinking about an American longbow style bow with a backing.

[bobnewboy]

Hi Pat,  I tried a lemonwood belly/bamboo back ELB a few years back.  It was an early bow for me, but the tiller was reasonably good and it shot well, ending up with a fair amount of set.  I would say in that case the boo is bit too much for a lemonwood belly.  At that time of course I didnt know about things like trapping the backing etc, so it might be that a good lemonwood/boo bow can be made if the design is altered to suit.

[druid]

Any pics of that beauty?

[mullet]

Pat,
It worked and shot good. It also gave me a chance to glue it up in reflex and take out the old string follow in the lemonwood bow. I'm getting ready to do another one as soon as I get the sinew off of it.

[Buckeye Guy]

I am with you mullet !

 Bows where made to shoot if it won't shoot it ain't a bow !
Guy

[mullet]

I agree, Guy. There's a discussion on the Leather Wall about the same thing. If it's nice and not a high dollar Collectable I bought to resell I'll shoot it till it breaks. If it does, I'll glue it and hang it on the wall. But, I do hunt with some nice Bear Collectables.