Adding tip overlays?

[mangonboat]

I recently acquired a 1961 Herter  birdseye maple 62" recurve that was in good shape overall but I discovered on first draw that the glued joint between the two halves of the riser was separating. There was an original leather wrap-style grip that had to come off to get at the joint to repair it, it didnt come off easy and I ended up stripping the bow down to bare wood and glass.
    Now that I'm contemplating the new finish, I am looking at those tiny limb tips, the size of a small fingernail, with no overlays, and about 3/8ths of material , measured across the tip, holding the string, and I'm thinking that overlays of antler, bone, horn or phenolic would support those tips and I could use a newfangled string. But I have never worked with any of those materials except to saw and drill buttons and never shaped tips, much less overlays. The gluing I can handle but then I'd be in strange waters.
A) Am I making this project too complicated, i.e. should I leave those tips alone? and
B) Are tip overlays a poor choice for a beginner project?

[Pat B]

Tip overlays are a pretty simple undertaking as long as the mating surfaces are well matched. Being that this bow has survived since 1961 without overlays, I see no reason, other than cosmetic, to add overlays.

[LittleBen]

I redid the overlays on an old York recurve with phenolic and it wasn't a big deal.

It's easier to do with 2 thin pieces than 1 thick piece. I used 2 1/16" black phenolic. I've since been shooting the bow with a FF string with no apparent ill effects.

I do agree with Pat though ... In general ...  If it ain't broke don't fix it.

[jess stuart]

thin phenolic is the way to go.

[fujimo]

go for it, not necessary, as Pat says, but a cool project to do- makes the bow "yours" and before you know it the virus will have taken a-hold, and youll be building bows   :D

[LittleBen]

Originally posted by fujimo:
go for it, not necessary, as Pat says, but a cool project to do- makes the bow "yours" and before you know it the virus will have taken a-hold, and youll be building bows    :D  

Lol you're not supposed to tell him he's going to be addicted after one try!

[fujimo]

hi, my names wayne ... and i am a bowaholic...

[Krasus]

That's the first step Wayne.  Except in this case is not a problem  

[fujimo]

:D

[mangonboat]

I ordered a phenolic tip overlay set from 3Rivers, so I guess I'm not going to leave well enough alone.