Limb Tips and Fast Flight

[GreenGrizz]

Is there anything to be gained from reinforcing the tips on an older bow so that a fastflight string could be used?

I'm guessing to do this you would remove the original tips and replace them with a double layer of phenolic and reshape them right?

[JamesV]

Everything about an older bow is old. I don't know if the minimal advantage of using FF string material would be worth the risk, even if the limb tips were re-enforced.

[Rob DiStefano]

imo, it's not just the limb tips, it's also the glass fiber and epoxy that was used for both limb and riser construction, and how they were "cooked".  stay with dacron and/or get a better built modern stick bow.

[Hatrick]

Although I would agree with Rob when he says "it's also the glass fiber and epoxy that was used for both limb and riser construction, and how they were "cooked"." I've done several older model bows by sanding down the old tip overlays and then reinforcing with micarta. The difference was always worth it to me to be able to use a low stretch string. In every case, overall performance was improved. I've had no failures in the limbs or tips when doing this.

On the other hand, I am very leary of putting low stretch strings on bows without reinforced tips. Most especially real old bows with no overlays at all. I paid dearly for that experiment on an old Howatt Hi-Speed. I'm resurecting that bow now but it's given me a real challange.

[Whip]

I agree, reinforcing the tips is just part of the equation.  The underside of the tip is another part - many of the old bows have grooves that are filed into the glass and a non- stretch string might cause problems in that area as well.  I suppose you could add an underlayment of material to go over those.  But as mentioned, the glass itself and the glues used to bond it to the core are simply different today than they were back then.  

I guess the way I look at it is that sure, I give up a little bit of performance by shooting an old bow.  But heck, we all gave up lots of performance when we decided to leave the wheels off the end of our limbs!  

The old bows can still do a mighty fine job as is.  Fast flight is not required to shoot a deer.  (Or a hog, elk, bear, or whatever)  They've been dying for many years from arrows propelled by non-fast flight strings.  

I have plenty of fast flight capable bows that I can go to when and if I am in the least concerned about maxing out performance.

[Rob DiStefano]

+1 for what joe just typed - many older bows from the 50's, 60's and 70's are excellent shooters with nothing more than dacron bowstrings.  heck, i shot recurves with dacron strings for decades with purty good success at the shoots.

[Swamp Yankee]

I agree with the comments already given.  While you can reinforce the tips of an older bow and PROBABLY get away with the newer low stretch strings, it doesn't seem worth risking the destruction of an otherwise fine older bow.  Even if the new string got you a little more in speed, I suspect the added weight of the reinforcing material to the tips might cost some speed and leave you with very little net gain anyway.  I see a lot of home-brewed modification here ranging from reworking the tips to cutting the riser back for more center-cut; and I wonder how many of these mods end up with a broken bow.  Bowyers leave a certain amount of safety margin in their design, but there's no way of knowing how much margin you have to play with before the bow blows up on you.  YMMV

[Hawkeye]

This was really an informative discussion, and bought out some good points I'd never considered. I was considering doing just that to an older bow, and that thought has now been officially retired!

Good question, great answers... THANKS to all!

[GreenGrizz]

Thanks fella's. I appreciate all of the information.

I too had wondered about the rest of the limb.
Using Stu Millers calculator the dynamic spine increased four pounds or less when I changed the string type. Also, I did select an appropriate string count for the fast flight string.

Again, thanks for the replies received so far and I'm sure ther will be at least a few more with some good comments/information.