What do you do with your old bows?

[superdav95]

I keep them to experiment with later. Maybe to try out a different way of hear treat, or learn how to sinew back, try the effects of different recurve radius and lengths. Old bows are valuable for learning on. Especially if you have a chronograph and speed test every change you make.

Congrats Airkah.  That’s great news. I just recently found out I’m gonna be a grandpa.  Fun times ahead.  I do much the same as sleek here.  I like to experiment and test out things also.  They also show a progression of learning too. 

[sleek]

Yep my baby! Thank you all so much! I'll probably do a combination ofalot of this and keep way too many, some for me to shoot and others to experiment or rework into kids bows or whatever. I really don't like giving bows away unless its my best work.

Got any really wide ones?

[Marc St Louis]

So the room in my house I keep all of my bows in is about to become a baby's room here in a few months. I have some bows that I love that I'll probably hang on a bow rack in my office. But I don't know what to do with the others - mostly early bows that I don't really want to display. So I'm looking for ideas - what do you all do with old bad/mediocre bows?

I was going to suggest you keep some bows in the baby's room especially as your baby gets older, give he/she something to look at.  Also bracing some bows every once in awhile as a change, for visual affects

[WhistlingBadger]

Congratulations on the upcoming bambino!  That's great news.  If I have a bow that I'm never going to shoot again (it takes me a while to admit this sometimes, but I usually know, deep down), I'll try to find a new home for it.  If it isn't good enough to give away, I chop it up and burn it in the chiminea.   My goal is to have one "near perfect" flat bow for elk hunting, a sinewed shorty for hunting antelope out of a blind, and my fiberglass recurve for blasting carp. 

I just don't have the storage space for much more than that, and even if I did, I'm a bit of a minimalist at heart and like to keep things simple. Hey, now that I mention it, that's the same reason I shoot wooden bows!

[wizardgoat]

Congrats on the baby, we have 2 little ones and it’s the best.
My rack has really lightened up over the years. There’s around 25 bows on it but 15 or so are built by others. If the bow is ok, just an overbuilt early work, I like to rework them and make them new again.
Especially for friends or gift bows.  No more room for old wall hangers with  iffy knots or bandaids, they get torched.

[airkah]

Yep my baby! Thank you all so much! I'll probably do a combination ofalot of this and keep way too many, some for me to shoot and others to experiment or rework into kids bows or whatever. I really don't like giving bows away unless its my best work.

Got any really wide ones?

Umm a couple early red oak board bows. Why? What are you thinking?

[airkah]

I just don't have the storage space for much more than that, and even if I did, I'm a bit of a minimalist at heart and like to keep things simple. Hey, now that I mention it, that's the same reason I shoot wooden bows!

Me too! I hate having clutter in the house!

Congrats on the baby, we have 2 little ones and it’s the best.
My rack has really lightened up over the years. There’s around 25 bows on it but 15 or so are built by others. If the bow is ok, just an overbuilt early work, I like to rework them and make them new again.
Especially for friends or gift bows.  No more room for old wall hangers with  iffy knots or bandaids, they get torched.

How often do still find the time to create?

[WhistlingBadger]

How often do still find the time to create?

In my experience, parenthood changes just about everything.  Having a baby definitely cuts down on the creating time, at least for a while.  But not forever.
 Parenthood is really interesting that way:  Babies are intensely needy and demanding, but what they need is really simple:  Food, sleep, cleaning, affection, entertainment and interaction.  That's about it, but they can't do those things for themselves, so they need you constantly.  As they get older, they become much less demanding, capable of doing most of those basic things for themselves, but what they do need becomes much more complicated:  Spiritual guidance, social counsel, loving discipline, help with developing hobbies and interests, that sort of thing. 

For me, a lot of my own hobbies went on the back burner when I had a baby lying around.  Nowadays, I still find a lot of time to create, but I have to be a bit more deliberate about when and how.

It's all worth it.  It's cliche to say it, but it's true.  I've made a lot of sacrifices for my Badgerling, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. 

[bjrogg]

Agree WB.

At first they required constant attention. Then they tend to hang on you pant leg not wanting you to leave their side.

Then you notice they find a friend and then another.

Suddenly you are wondering where they are. But like WB said they still need guidance.

Then they maybe find a special friend. Their soul mate and their family begins.

Now their lives are busy. They drop off their kids from time to time and you get to enjoy them.

The next thing you know those grandkids are driving and meeting their special friends.

I know everyone says it but it is so true.

Enjoy it. It flies by. Start making some of those old bow into bows for your grandkids cause they will be here before you know it.

Bjrogg

[sleek]

Yep my baby! Thank you all so much! I'll probably do a combination ofalot of this and keep way too many, some for me to shoot and others to experiment or rework into kids bows or whatever. I really don't like giving bows away unless its my best work.

Got any really wide ones?

Umm a couple early red oak board bows. Why? What are you thinking?

I was thinking if they were osage and especially wide, I've been doing some experiments with my short recurve design and was gonna see if we could work something out for them.

[superdav95]

How often do still find the time to create?

In my experience, parenthood changes just about everything.  Having a baby definitely cuts down on the creating time, at least for a while.  But not forever.
 Parenthood is really interesting that way:  Babies are intensely needy and demanding, but what they need is really simple:  Food, sleep, cleaning, affection, entertainment and interaction.  That's about it, but they can't do those things for themselves, so they need you constantly.  As they get older, they become much less demanding, capable of doing most of those basic things for themselves, but what they do need becomes much more complicated:  Spiritual guidance, social counsel, loving discipline, help with developing hobbies and interests, that sort of thing. 

For me, a lot of my own hobbies went on the back burner when I had a baby lying around.  Nowadays, I still find a lot of time to create, but I have to be a bit more deliberate about when and how.

It's all worth it.  It's cliche to say it, but it's true.  I've made a lot of sacrifices for my Badgerling, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. 

Well said brother!

[airkah]

Yep my baby! Thank you all so much! I'll probably do a combination ofalot of this and keep way too many, some for me to shoot and others to experiment or rework into kids bows or whatever. I really don't like giving bows away unless its my best work.

Got any really wide ones?

Umm a couple early red oak board bows. Why? What are you thinking?

I was thinking if they were osage and especially wide, I've been doing some experiments with my short recurve design and was gonna see if we could work something out for them.

Oh no I don't have any wide an osage. The stuff I'm unsure on is all white woods and red oak boards