Stupid Old Bow Questions

[wooddamon1]

Hey guys, first off let me say that I've enjoyed lurking on the bench for a while-lots of great talent around here. Secondly, I recently acquired an old self recurve with a handle section laminated on that I glued back down. I also lightly sanded the entire bow to get it ready for some new finish.

 Anyhoo, I put a newer string on it and the tiller is about an eighth inch off right out of the fades. Didn't notice this with the old crappy string on it. Hopefully you guys can tell me if this is a major concern.

 The bow is otherwise apparently sound, I'd like to shoot it after I finish it and add a grip/rest. Is one limb supposed to be the top? An old glued in dowel that's flush may have been a rest at one time, indicating the left limb is the top? New to these bows although I've been interested for awhile.

The right limb in the pics is the one with more bend.

 

 

I'd also like to know what kind of wood this is, I think the dark lam is walnut and maybe the bow itself is hickory?

 

Here's the back of a limb:

 

No idea who made it but it's pretty old, had "50" ink stamped under the old wrapped handle. Thanks for looking and any help is appreciated!

[Forwardhandle]

Maybe it's the pic but it looks like the right limb in the top pic might be the top limb measure from the ends of the fades the one that the string is farthest from  is usually the top limb if the bow has positive tiller !  In the unstring profile it will probably show it a bit more clear the top limb will some times take a tad more set .

[wooddamon1]

Thanks, Yellowwood, just looking at it kinda was thinking the dowel might be a repair of some kind rather than anything to do with a rest. That would put the right limb as top, it has the larger measurement. Learning already.    

[Forwardhandle]

I don't know for sure but looks that way ,if that's a old bow you might want to shoot it in easy like 1/4 draw for a while then 1/2 and then full  I did that with a old bow from a resale shop and it worked out . nice find there !

[wooddamon1]

I've been slowly pulling it back a little at a time, don't need another lump on my noggin. Got it for cheap, needed a project for when I'm not at my shack, plenty to do there, lol.

[Forwardhandle]

On those old bows & all my wood bows I never brace more then 7 in. from the back, I didn't know that when I first started making wood bows and ended up taking more set then needed , have fun with it please post after you shoot it how it shoots.

[wooddamon1]

Right now it's braced at 6" from the rear of the handle, figured fistmele would be okay? It's slightly under the width of my hand with thumb extended. I'll post up some pics when I get it all finished. Gotta figure out a rest maybe a floppy under the handle wrap, hmmm...

[Bowjunkie]

I respectfully disagree with Yellowwood. Dowels have been used as indicators for the arrow pass/hand position. If that is indeed the case here, which is likely, it would make the top limb the limb on the left. And bows' bottom limbs commonly take more set than the top.

Sometimes, due to how they're braced, the bottom limb will temporarily show more bend until they're flexed a few times and even themselves out. Some guys actually brace their bows by sliding the loop down the bottom limb instead for this reason.

How does it look unstrung?

If the bottom limb looks sound, with no hinges or compression frets, and the bow balances well in the hand at full draw, I'd shoot it before you finish it and see how it does. It might be fine as is. If not, you can adjust the tiller by sanding the limb that proves too strong.

[Forwardhandle]

Thanks for correcting that  I was going by the positive tiller  thing my bows always seem to take more set on the top limb for some reason , glad you corrected that !

[wooddamon1]

Okay thanks guys, the right limb has more set unbraced. No hinges or frets, it looks to be a well made bow, just had a lot of gunky stuff to clean off. Next time I string it I'll try sliding the string to the bottom tip and see if it makes a difference. I'll probably shoot it if this rain ever stops and report back.