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Author Topic: Refurb Old Lemonwood Bow  (Read 3901 times)

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Offline SamIAm

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Refurb Old Lemonwood Bow
« on: November 11, 2013, 05:13:36 pm »
I've got a 60 year old youth lemonwood longbow that I want to refurbish.  First, the handle is laminated with a leather wrap and it's delaminating.  I will need to re-glue and add a new leather wrap but I also want to remove the old finish and refinish it.  The old finish appears to be a varnish of some sort; any suggestions about a stripper?  Will standard paint/varnish remover be ok?  Secondly the bow is very lightweight, only about 15 pounds at 22 inches, and I want to add some poundage to it if possible; maybe up to 30 pounds.  Any thoughts about a backing or some way of adding poundage?  This is a project for my granddaughter age 14; I'll post some pictures later.  Thanks. 
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Offline BOWMAN53

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Re: Refurb Old Lemonwood Bow
« Reply #1 on: November 11, 2013, 06:51:32 pm »
no one on here would ever be that disrespectful, dont speak for anyone but yourself bandit. i cant believe i just read that.

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Offline huisme

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Re: Refurb Old Lemonwood Bow
« Reply #2 on: November 11, 2013, 07:08:43 pm »
Quote
I'm surprised you are brave enough to post something on here with the words "stripper" and "my granddaughter" in the same sentence  :o  ;)  ::)  LOL. Nah, I'm joking but I bet you get some crap from these guys.

Eehhh... No.

I've always used sandpaper to remove old finishes and haven't had a problem yet. Id personally hesitate to put a chemical stripper on any bow I'm working on, but I can't say for sure it's a bad idea.

Besides sinew I don't think there's a way to add thirty pounds to a bow if you're dead set on not making another bow altogether.
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Offline Joec123able

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Re: Refurb Old Lemonwood Bow
« Reply #3 on: November 11, 2013, 07:09:56 pm »
Quote from: Wood_Bandit99 on November 11, 2013, 05:45:58 pm
I'm surprised you are brave enough to post something on here with the words "stripper" and "my granddaughter" in the same sentence  :o  ;)  ::)  LOL. Nah, I'm joking but I bet you get some crap from these guys. LOL. I would sinew back it and sand the finish off with sandpaper. The sinew would add some weight. I HAVE heard tho, that old wood with a sudden influx of moisture (sinew) makes the belly crack. It doesn't really hurt it but just a thing to think about. I would suggest making a new one.

What ?? I bet he won't get "crap" from anybody on here for something so stupid that was highly uncalled for and immature.
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Offline Fred Arnold

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Re: Refurb Old Lemonwood Bow
« Reply #4 on: November 11, 2013, 07:46:53 pm »
Personally I'd leave the old bow as is. I might lightly sand and then seal or finish it but that's about it. If you want a heavier bow go purchase one. Adding a backing of any kind is a risk and also the old bow will no longer be an original. There are a lot of old bows out there for less than 100 bucks in the weight you might desire.Just my $ .02
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Offline wood_bandit99

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Re: Refurb Old Lemonwood Bow
« Reply #5 on: November 11, 2013, 08:35:55 pm »
Sorry guys, my bow making friend from school thought it would be funny to post this when I left my computer unlocked at school. Yes, I know. I'm probably a little retarded to log into this and go to the bathroom with it unlocked. I am very sorry for his immaturity, and whoever he offended. We are 14 tho and we do some retarded crap  ;D  oh, it's all fun but that took it a little far. I will delete that post. Again I'm sorry.
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Offline JackCrafty

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Re: Refurb Old Lemonwood Bow
« Reply #6 on: November 11, 2013, 09:11:17 pm »
It looked like this thread started to veer off the road but now it's back in the lane and cruising smoothly....
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Offline SamIAm

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Re: Refurb Old Lemonwood Bow
« Reply #7 on: November 12, 2013, 09:17:35 am »
I will be making her a bow she can say "Grandpa" made but I do want to refurb. the old one.  And you guys are probably right about trying to back it, might be a mistake.  I wasn't trying to add 30 but maybe bring it up to 30, maybe just 25.  My thought was that maybe there was something that was not very noticeable that could be added that would stiffen the bow a little.  And don't worry Bandit...I didn't think anything about the comment.  Thanks all.
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Thou canst not then be false to any man."

Offline Slackbunny

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Re: Refurb Old Lemonwood Bow
« Reply #8 on: November 12, 2013, 09:53:54 am »
I don't think there is anything you could do to bring the draw weight up 15 lbs without modifying the bow beyond recognition. I'd sand it down, glue the handle back together, and refinish with the finish of your choice. Then start a new bow for your granddaughter.
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Offline Eric Krewson

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Re: Refurb Old Lemonwood Bow
« Reply #9 on: November 12, 2013, 10:35:15 am »
An unshootable bow is just a piece of kindling, old lemon wood bows are pretty common, little if anything special about them.

Get that sucker shooting again. If it is long cut it off a couple of inches. If you want to back it, flatten the back and add a 1/8" strip of hickory glued in a reflex then retiller.

There are some special old bows that are worth keeping intact even if they are wall hangers, others will end up in a yard sale for a couple of bucks after you are gone, which in my opinion is about what they are worth.

I have an old yew bow that actually had a piece of electric fence wire for a string when my friend bought it at an auction for $2. No sapwood, very narrow, broken on one tip and twisted limbs to boot. Some day I will bring it back to life with a strip of bamboo and little TLC.
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