Putting backing on an old hickory bow

[Shane_Thomas]

Hi all.

I recently came into a couple of very old looking "York" wooden longbows. I'm guessing they're hickory but I'm not sure. One is marked as 43# and the other 30#. I was kind of wanting to hunt them but I like much heavier bows.

They have a black something on their backs but I can't really tell if it's backing of some sort (glass) or just a protective coating.

I was considering sanding down the back and putting on a boo backing to get some more weight out of them and speed them up a little.

What are the thoughts of the peanut gallery?

[Pat B]

Don't do it! Cherish them for what they are...a part of American archery history. The backing is probably paper or fiber board. If you want a bow to hunt with make one from scratch. If you try to "fix" one of these bows to hunt with you will ruin it.

[Eric Krewson]

The backing is probably something called "fortisan". I am not sure what exactly fortisan is but you see it on a lot of late 40s, early 50s bows.

[Shane_Thomas]

It's not really a backing. It's definately somekind of paint or coating.

I know what you mean Pat. However, the one I'm talking about is a little beat on. To me, just letting them sit to look at would be like getting a vintage sports car, just to take it to a car show every now and then and look at. It does'nt want that, it wants to be flogged.

To me, these bows want to be used, they want to go kill something. Doing a little update and modification would facilitate that.

[George Tsoukalas]

Backing won't increase the weight anyway unless you used sinew. I agree with Pat. I've been doing that a lot lately.    Jawge

[Shane_Thomas]

An action boo backing added on won't increase the draw weight?

[rainman]

If you use Bamboo or Hickory it will increase the weight. But probably only about ten pounds.

Dan

[b.glass]

I wouldn't do it either. But if he built in some reflex wouldn't that increase the weight more?

You could hunt small game with them.

Bona

[Pat B]

As I said before I would enjoy them as they are...but, if you have to use them exercise the bows very slowly and incrementally until you re-educate the wood to bend before you add the backing. Do this one a week or more to be sure you don't overwork the wood too quickly. I would not use boo for a backing on these bows either. Hickory, hard maple, ash or elm would be a better choice.

[Shane_Thomas]

Yeah. I've been exercising them just a little every day.

Maple would look very nice.

They both have a little string follow. I was thinking that could be worked out in the process. However, I don't know if I'm brave enough to go all the way to trying to put in reflex.

I know some people are aghast at the thought of modifying these bows. I think about it like they're old cars. Some people get them and let them sit in the garage all original and look at them every now and then. Some people put big engines in them and wring their necks.

[Shane_Thomas]

Did a bit of research now.

Apparantly, these are lemonwood and the black coating on the back is actually a very very thin glass backing.

Also, pulling these bows, they feel way heavier than marked. Will wood pick up pounds as it ages/continues to season?

[Pat B]

As the wood gets older it gets more brittle and that will make them a bit stiffer. As you exercise and flex the wood this will probably "loosen" up a bit. The exact weight marked on these bow could be a conservative range of the actual weight. I don't think folks were as concerned about the actual weight then as we seem to be today. Their concern was whether they could pull them comfortably or not. Most of these old bows were used for target bows in schools and at summer camps. There were some used for hunting but I would venture that most were not.
   Would you use an artifact arrow head for a hunting point or a 200 year old Native American bow as a hunting weapon? I would not because it's historical value over weighs it use as a hunting weapon. A classic car, in my opinion is altogether different. I'm not trying to change your mind. You do as you wish. These are just my thoughts about the intrinsic value as compared to it's useful value. You may successfully complete your project but will it be the hunting weapon you will feel comfortable with?

[Shane_Thomas]

LOL, funny you should say that. I'm a total history dork and I have a late medieval swallowtail arrowhead. Every time I look at it hanging there the first thing I think is "man, that would be the trick on a pig at close range" lol