twisted limb at 45 y. old recurve

[robinier]

Hallo friends, i got a 45 years old Recuve from Black Hawk. the upper Limb is twisted. Do i have any chance to get it straight again, how?
Thanks for help and greetings     Michel

[tim-flood]

run the hot water in the bathtub and hold it under the stream where it needs to bend back.  keep flexing it too far the right way and in a minute you can feel it stay and have someone turn on the cold water and hold bent too far.  have never had this not work, sometimes you need to do it again though.

[robinier]

Hallo and thanks tim. Will try this.
Greetings   Michel

[Shaun]

I recommend using nothing buy hand pressure - no hot water. String the bow and twist with your hand to straighten. Keep checking and doing it again each day. Hang it up between working on it. Learned this method from folks with lots more experience than me and it works.

[SkookumDon]

If the twist is towards the tip, I put it under the tap of hot running water for 30 seconds to make it more flexible, and then twist. Then cold water to help "set" the limb. Works for me.

[Tucson-John]

I'm a new member however not new to archery and VERY glad I found this forum.
Several weeks back I had found two re-curves with this issue of twisted limbs. I am VERY glad this subject is being discussed. On one (metal riser (PSE: mfg 1997) simply stinging the bow and leaving it in that condition appeared to straighten it. The other (origin unk. possible custom; possible mfg date 1990)did not respond to simple re-stinging pressure over time and was placed in strung position with wrappings of leather across sting & limb to force straight position.
In the second case this appears to be making progress. The bow of unknown origin has certainly greater age and the riser is wooden laminate. Therefore the application of the most conservative measure first was a priority. Obviously if this does not result in a sound straightening of the limb application of heat may be appropriate.

The interesting things about these two instances was that they both occurred while the bows were in a FLAT unstrung storage position and both occurred w/ the bottom limb and in the same direction! Other bows (5) both re-curves & a single Long-bow showed NO signs of twisting, etc; stored in the same conditions.

Only my opinion but this MAY be a result of manufacturing issues & bows showing such twists and tweaks may benefit from every effort at no long term unstrung storage (i.e. every effort should be made to string them for a day every few months or a few times per years. The other possibility is string issues. But the fact that the resultant problems appeared for unknown reasons is perplexing.
I live outside of Tucson and the bows were in the home for many years. exposure to climatic conditions were very dry heat of approx 90-100 F.

[4runr]

I wouldn't use water on a 45 year old bow either. It's not necessary and could permanently ruin the bow. If there is any flaw in the finish, the hot water could soak in and cause the glue to let go and delaminate the bow.

[Tucson-John]

There -=may=- be some folks who worked in the boat or surfboard mfg business back in 1965 who could suggest how the techniques of laminates were commonly preformed & if any "open edge" issues were common, etc. That was a long time back & I'm not that sure the production bowyer may have even projected issues such as age affecting porous and less porous woods, twisting from string rotation, & the complexities of age.

I do know that with certain laminates, the "open edge" is of prime concern because that allows not only water, air and temperature levels in influence the material but it allows for the starting of the connective bonding materials to be exposed.

Only my opinion; but each case should be every individualistically evaluated. I am getting a very strong feeling that string deign can affect limb twist more than I had previously thought.

[Big Riser]

THE HOT IN THE TUB WORKS GREAT I'VE DONE THIS WITH GREAT SUCCESS. GIVE IT A TRY.