bracing a static

[dwardo]

Personally for sharply recurved selfbows I prefer the step through method. I know that I am stressing the limbs evenly when I use this method. As for the step through method twisting limbs....well it's not the method per say more how it's executed. You just need to stop and think about what you are doing and get everything lined up.
Otherwise it's push/pull.

I do the same. If done properlyi can't see how stepthrough can cause any undue dress.

[PEARL DRUMS]

I push pull every bow I own, including glass and wood. Stringers scare me.

[SLIMBOB]

Step through, for all of them, forever.  Never broke one or had one suffer in any way that I can tell.  You just have to be aware of how your doing it.

[Mark Smeltzer]

Interesting....The step trough method is the one I like the least but some people prefer it, goes to show you, to each his own. I use the push pull method on every bow I own even the ones with tight recurves. The trick is when you are pushing the string up the limb you have to keep the string tight and feel that it went into the grooves correctly. Then immediately point the bow away from you and check to make sure  the string is in all the groves correctly.

Mark

[PatM]

I just place the tips between two supports and press down on the handle and slip the loop into the nock. I'll use anything that's handy. One tip on the lower shelf of a work bench and the other on a large block of wood etc. Basically an improvised bow press.

[Marc St Louis]

Take it from someone who owns and has owned multiple static recurves. USE A STRINGER!!!!!!  I don't know how many I have seen destroyed by push/pull and around the leg. Longbows OK, but not statics. They are much to valuable to be messing around bracing without a stringer....

I've made literally hundreds of static recurves and I've never seen one destroyed or even heard of one being damaged with the push/pull.  You would have to be every negligent, or ignorant, to do so.  The step through on the other hand can damage a bow fairly quickly if done wrong, but then so can using the wrong kind of stringer.

A friend who used to make high end glass recurves would not warranty his bows unless the proper kind of stringer was used and that was the double cup stringer.

[adb]

Thanks, Marc... I'd hope you'd chime in. I don't like the step through method much either. It's fine if you have some experience, but can easily go south in a hurry if you don't. 

The warranty on my longbows is also void if the owner uses step through bracing. I have strung statics with push/pull, but it seems unstable with the extreme curve on the tip, and I was worried about putting harmful stress on the bottom tip using push/pull. OK, I'll stop being a sissy.

Stringers have their place... heavy warbows, for example, with a double groove top nock, but I'm not sure how you could adapt such a thing to a static recurve.

I was hoping to NOT start a huge debate on stringing methods, cuz it's been flogged to DEATH. Looking more towards statics in particular. Thanks to those in the know.

[Marc St Louis]

As I said, you would have to be negligent or ignorant and one of those negligence is stepping down on the tip but then that is a no no regardless of which style of bow you are bracing

[mullet]

I've got several Kodiak Statics from the fifties, I push-pull them all. I don't like the stringers that sit on the back of the limb and the ones that go over the nocks don't leave enough room for the string.

 A word of caution, though, I did crack a cheek bone when one slipped out of my hand while stringing it in the rain. I wore a bow tip bruise for a week.

[juniperwarbow]

well, you have more advice than you can shake a stick at, but I'll tell you. I always used the step through method. Ever since I was 5. For recurves my dad liked to do it barefoot and put the bend of the lower tip over his toes onto the ball of his foot. ( it would look like he was about to step on it) He felt that eliminated twist. On heavy longbows, it sure takes a fellow with a strong core! 

[criveraville]

Can someone post a video of each method stringing a static self bow with push/pull, step through and using a stringer?

Cipriano

[adb]

Can someone post a video of each method stringing a static self bow with push/pull, step through and using a stringer?

Cipriano

No small task there. Would be  a lot of work.

[4dog]

all i have ever done is step through,ya take the time to aim your bow,dont see any harm in taking time to not twist the limbs and step through. MO.

[Marc St Louis]

Exactly right 4D.  As long as you take the time to set up the bow properly with the handle on your leg and bending it so you don't pull one limb sideways.  Quite frankly it's just common sense.  Don't do to the bow what wouldn't be done as you draw it.

[dmenzies1950]

I've heard that you can damage or break a bow using the step through method, but that's the only method I've ever used and have never damaged or broken a bow in fifty years, but I'm careful!