Stress Crack Causes?

[Drewster]

OK, yeah I know, stress on the limbs causes stress cracks.  But exactly what causes those long cracks in the fiberglass laminate?  I bought a Ben Pearson Cougar that is about 46 years old a couple months ago and it has several long hairline cracks running with the length of the limbs......pretty close to center on the belly & back.  I've shot it hundreds of times with no apparent problems or increase in the cracks.

Can these be repaired or should I just keep shooting it?  I certainly don't want more to develop.  The old BP shoots pretty well and has been fun.  May just last another 46 years.

Thanks for any knowledge you can share about old bows with stress cracks.

[Earl E. Nov...mber]

My theory on the longitudinal stress cracks is because all of the glass fibers lay parallel to the limb (No cross fibers). What we see and call stress cracks are slight separations in the resin..

Never heard of any successful repair. You can fill with Loc-tite, but they are still visible..

The good thing is the common knowledge says they don't hurt anything

[Dave Worden]

For repair, try dipping a piece of sewing thread in super glue and laying that on the crack.  The glue will wick into the crack.  Hole the thread between two pairs of pliers, or better yet, forceps or tweezers.  I haven't tried this yet, but it sounds like it should work.  Obviously, I don't know visible the repair will be.