Vintage Ben Pearson Age Question

[RustyJames]

Hello All,

A friend of mine dug this out of his attic. I believe its been in his family since he was a kid. Anyone have any idea of the age of this bow, or any other information of interest I can pass along? Also, what is the wisdom (or lack thereof) in stringing it up and shooting it? Any tips/warnings?

 

 

 

 

 

[wadde]

It is probably late 50's early 60's. If you string it, do so gently, flexing the limbs a little at a time and listen for creaking noises. Alot of these are prone to break if suddenly strung after years in the attic.

[RustyJames]

Yes, I suspect it might be better kept as decorative. Pretty little bow, and a piece of history......

Thanks for the info.

[TheUnatural]

Yeah, if you look under the wrap, you'll see that these bows are usually two joined pieces of wood (the limbs). If you want to get it shooting, you'll probably want to delaminate these pieces (including the tips), clean them up with sandpaper, and re-glue them. It's what I did for my Hickory Bow. Also, I would suggest sanding the entire bow down and adding a sealant, as hickory tends to get sluggish when it gets moist. And you should only use Dacron B-50 for the string, as it tends to be a bit easier on these older bows. Finish it all up with a strong (and safe) new handle wrapping.