Older Bow, can you help me bring it back?

[jesswprater]

Hey fellas, any advice would be appreciated.
I have a bow bought in about 2002 in Duluth, MN (I lived up there about 10 years). It is a plains flatbow. If I remember correctly, it stated 70# at 27 in. I shot it awhile then lost the hand made bowstring. I thought it would turn up but never did. Well, this has stretched out until today. I have been back in Oklahoma for 5 years. The bow hasn't been shot since 2002. I bought a bowstring from 3Rivers and strung it up for about 5 hours the other day, but remember somebody at this forum telling me not to draw it back until I could limber up the wood again. I got a thank you gift from Horsefeathers for an order that was a PA from Winter 2003. In the issue there is an article from Michael Barham on how to build a Tillering Board. I think I need to build the board to bring back the flexibility a little at a time. Does anyone know how this should be done? Do I gradually creep the bow until reaching 27 inches, or start an inch or so per session over time until it can be stretched to the 27 inch draw again?

[kid bow]

My grandpa had a real ol one from when he was like 30. I bent the limbs like i was floor tillering it for about a week maybe 2 just doing a few "reps" with it a day. Usually will bring back the limberness of a bow

[PEARL DRUMS]

I don't buy into "warming up" bows. Id simply brace and pull it back. If it breaks, it was bound to anyway. If it holds, it was made right.

[bubby]

Yup i agree with pearlie, if it hasn't been shot in a long time i brace it and let it sweat for a while then shoot it

[PEARL DRUMS]

If it where 30-40 years old Id take a slightly different approach, but yours is still new.

[Marc St Louis]

I wouldn't pull it back to full draw right off the bat but I would certainly pull it back a ways and maybe work it up to full draw in a few pulls

[jesswprater]

Thanks Men!
I still need the Tillering Board if I'm ever going to make one. I will just take limbering up a little slow. It has been in the house for a couple of years now, but it stayed outside in a storage building for 3 years. I thought I would have to leave it braced at 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 for hours or days. If it breaks, it breaks. I have a good Bois d'Arc stave to work on if I ever get around to making the shaving horse. Thanks for your input.

Jess

[bradsmith2010]

yes just leave it strung a a few hours a day to be safe,,, then work up to the draw slowly,, as stated it could probably be strung and drawn,, but a few hours of being patient won't hurt a thing 

[Drewster]

Jess, scroll down a page or two and there is a recent threat "Your tillering tree" that you can check out.  Good info on making one.

[jesswprater]

Thanks for the lead, Drewster!  That is a good topic thread.

[sleek]

Where in Oklahoma are you? Im in bartlesville about an hour north of tulsa. Think about this. We make bows of 100+year old fence post. The wood is fine. Your bow will be fine, unless you stored it in a hot or dry area and made it to brittle.

[jesswprater]

I'm in Stillwater, Sleek! I did store it in one of those storage facilities for 2-3 years while we moved back to Oklahoma and built a house. It was as hot and dry as hades during that time. The bow has been in the house for two years now. I haven't drawn it full yet but have been teasing it and leaving it strung for a day at a time. There are some checks partially across the bow belly next to the handle. It feels ok and limber, so far. This warm patch of weather ahead will let me make a tillering board. I think that will help.

[sleek]

Well you aint to far. 2 hours about. I work allot but maybe we could meet up some time. I bet the bow is fine. Brace it and check its tiller at brace. If it wont take the stress of brace there is no hope. If the tiller looks good stary pulling on it.

[jesswprater]

Hey Sleek, I would really like to meet up with you sometime. I have been thinking about starting this hobby for almost 20 years. Now I am semi retired and better late than never! I have the tillering board set up now. I need to make a run to the hardware store for a yardstick to use as a draw indicator. When you say brace are you meaning strung or full draw? I have been pulling on it but not to full draw yet. It won't kill me if it breaks, but I will have to jump into building a bit further than I wanted as of yet. I have a Bois D'Arc stave waiting on a shaving horse and some new tools.

[sleek]

Lets make plans man. By brace I mean just strung not pulled back. Im working on refurbishing an old delaminated rawhide backed bow myself. Now thats a trick. I work gunshows almost every weekend but sometimes there isnt one. So maybe one of those weekends, or if not maybe we could figure something out for a weekday.