Can limb be repaired, or new limbs obtained ?

[dgmeadows]

I had (& soon will have back) a PSE Blackhawk T/D recurve.  A nice looking bow, but it was just a bit strong for me, so I traded it for a longbow.  I just got an e-mail this morning that the fellow I traded it to found the lower limb was delaming near the riser/limb interface point, so I will be getting it back shortly...  My question(s) for those that have superior knowledge to me (1) Can/should the limb be repaired (2) If so, by who ?  and/or (3) are there bowyers out there that could make some limbs to fit this bow ?  I would post pics, but don't have the bow back in hand yet.

Thanks.

[CarvedTones]

I am something of a noob in bows, but in general (laminations in other things I have done) if a lamination is failing near an end, you can work it to the end (so that the laminations are apart at the end) and get some thin epoxy (good 2 part medium or slow set) in between the layers and clamp it up. Trying to repair a lamination in the middle without working it to an end usually will not work. I would take it off and try to repair it. Worse case you replace the limb, which you are prepared to do anyway.

[strungstick]

Depending on the area and amount of delam you can often fix it with the water thin cyanoacrylate glue.  You just clamp the area tight and run a bead of glue along the edge.  Use gravity to assist the glue, but the thin glue will draw itself into the delam area.  Repeat until the glue no longer draws itself in.  I've used this method before and it works very well.  You can also apply tip overlays with this same method.

[CarvedTones]

With all due respect, I have never seen CA glue recommended for laminating.

[strungstick]

You wouldn't use CA for laminating, the question was about a repair of a delamination area on a limb, for this it works just fine. One big advantage is being able to clamp the limb tight and apply the glue.

[Ricker]

By all means please do not attempt to fix a limb that is delaminating for the purpose of shooting it again.  If you wish to repair it with CA so you could hang it on the wall that is fine.
It just isn't worth the chance of injury to the shooter for the cost of a bow....

[strungstick]

You can take all of these options into consideration, and that is what is great about a site like this.  You said the delam area was in a non-bending area in the riser limb contact.  The only limb I had delam did so in the wedge, which was at a high stress point.  I fixed it with CA glue and continued to shoot it numerous times without issue.  I didn't come up with the idea, another well known bowyer suggested it.  I've been making bows for about 17 years and wouldn't just throw that out there if I didn't feel confortable with it.  If you are concerned that the limb will blow up on you don't shoot it.

[CarvedTones]

I guess what I was getting at is that IMO the only fix for delamination is "relamination". I am making the assumption that the OP meant the delam is in the bending part of the limb by saying "near the riser/limb interface point" instead of "at". Anyway, I would not try to fix a lamination with an adhesive I would not consider for laminating. But I don't have near as much experience with bows as strungstick. My opinion is mostly from musical instruments, wooden boats and other wood crafts that I do have decades of experience with.

[frank bullitt]

Darren, I would wait and see first what the damage looks like! Non working area should'nt be a big problem. Yes you can probably get other limbs made, check with PSE or maybe someone like Quinn out of Texas. Also I would recommend posting this on the pow wow section, Good shootin, Steve.

[tommy6]

You could always make your own new set of limbs, its easier than making a complete bow. Just trace the old limbs onto a form.