Repairable? Lookin for opinions

[Autumnarcher]

I have an old Red Wing Hunter recurve, my first trad bow. While shootin it many yrs ago this happened. I never could part with it, and would like to try fixin it. The belly glass spit and delammed along the string groove at the tip. My tought was clean it up, get some smooth on down in there and clamp it then sand/file any residual glue out.  You fellas think it would hold, or should I just keep it a wallhanger?

[EvilDogBeast]

Sounds like it has some strong sentimental value.  I would personally rebond it to make it look nice and keep it as a wall-hanger.  Thank crack will most likely spread without an overlay to bypass the damage.

Alternatively, you could probably peel that strip of glass off and replace it without too much trouble.  You would need to reverse engineer a form for it though.

[Mad Max]

I would glue it down good and after cleaning it up I would wrap it with thin string serving and super glue.
I would take it out to shoot every now and then, Be sure to use a B-50 string to shoot with, so it doesn't hit brace  so hard when you shoot.

[Crooked Stic]

This is a prime example of the Y groove failing . I have seen the string cut right down thru the limb at the Y groove. Weakens that area.

[Mad Max]

  stic

[Stagmitis]

Hey Autumn I would strip and redo the glass.  I have reglassed MANY bows. Take a heatgun and go back and forth over the tip while trying to lift the glass from the very end with a razor blade. When it gets warm enough it will lift then chase it down the limb with heat and razor. You will be amazed how easily it peels off  once  started. Measure the thickness with your calipers and duplicate. The hard part may be to build a form to add the new glass to.

[Longcruise]

Take my suggestion with a grain of salt,  but I would clean up both surfaces and clamp it down with EA40 using a short mini form copied from the other end.  When it's cured, clean it up and use the same mini form to clamp an overlay onto face side and fill the old string grooves at the same time. Shape and file new grooves.

[Roy from Pa]

I like longcruise's idea.

What is that core lam in there, looks corrugated?

[Stagmitis]

I think thats a woven FG lam Roy and youre seeing the imprint on the glue.  I like longcruises idea better -

[Stagmitis]

Errr I mean woven belly glass...

[Longcruise]

Ok, that's two in agreement.  Remember, we share the blame. 

[Roy from Pa]

I never said that Mike:)

[Longcruise]

I never said that Mike:)

Oh sure,  back out on me.   

[Autumnarcher]

Thanks for all the replys. I'll kick it around a while yet before deciding what to do. I may just glue it down enough with some smooth on so that piece doesnt snag something and break off, and return it to wallhanger status. I do not want to overly change the appearance of the bow, was hoping a simple fix but I figured all along its days were done.  Been looking for another one for some time, almost impossible to find a lefty. I do not shoot recurves much anyway, I'm a longbow guy but I love the old Wing Recurves.  Its been split for about 20 yrs, so no rush.

[stan v]

I know this is 1 1/2 yrs old.

However, I had the same issue on an American Archery Cheetah recurve I picked up last week.  The tips on one end had been repaired before, the core looks fine.  So, I cleaned up the area, heated a little to pull back the glass and recleaned/sanded and used epoxy to make the repair.  Clamped overnite and didn't mess with it for 24 hrs.  Just restrung after wrapping wool around the string to fit the limb grooves.  Super quiet and no issues at this time.   I will follow up should I see any issues with this repair.  Other than the tip delam the bow is in excellent shape.  If the core is in fact fine this should be a repair that lasts.

Just rechecked repair and noticed delamination below the repair, starting to come apart.  It's not gonna work.

[Jeff tech]

From what I know, when it's on the belly side, it's an underlay. But yeah along with the rest, either heated and peel it off and re-glass it. It. Or glue it down and do an underlay. I would probably if I had the time and want to. Heated up and reglass the belly side. JF

[stan v]

Well, this is all new to me.  I've repaired boats with epoxy/glass, but not recurves.  I could easily remove the glass from the limb, but not sure how how I could apply pressure to reglue new belly. 

I am looking for a bowyer that messes with these old bows, near Houston would be great.

[Kirkll]

Take my suggestion with a grain of salt,  but I would clean up both surfaces and clamp it down with EA40 using a short mini form copied from the other end.  When it's cured, clean it up and use the same mini form to clamp an overlay onto face side and fill the old string grooves at the same time. Shape and file new grooves.

I would 2nd this repair, only i dont think a form would be necessary. I'd just use some masking tape and spring clamps in about 3 locations. If you used small C clamps i would go real easy on the pressure applied. just enough to close the gap and hold it there.

Those Y shaped string groove are bad for doing that..... Stick with a single groove below the loop.   Kirk

[stan v]

Take my suggestion with a grain of salt,  but I would clean up both surfaces and clamp it down with EA40 using a short mini form copied from the other end.  When it's cured, clean it up and use the same mini form to clamp an overlay onto face side and fill the old string grooves at the same time. Shape and file new grooves.

I would 2nd this repair, only i dont think a form would be necessary. I'd just use some masking tape and spring clamps in about 3 locations. If you used small C clamps i would go real easy on the pressure applied. just enough to close the gap and hold it there.

Those Y shaped string groove are bad for doing that..... Stick with a single groove below the loop.   Kirk

Let me make sure, remove glass belly and clean up both core and glass, and reglue with enough pressure to avoid gaps?  Fill y string groove.   That pretty much it?

[Kirkll]

I wouldn't remove the glass at all, just clean it up by blowing the dust out, and use a bit of acetone to wash out the crack where it comes back into the limb.... let it dry real good or use a heat gun before gluing the glass back to the limb.After that has cured..... THEN sand the top of the glass including the Y sting groove with 80 grit, and use smooth on epoxy to put an overlay on it..... Same procedure using masking tape and spring clamps to get it tight.   When filing the new string groove just use a straight groove below the loop area and just sand through the overlay to the glass.   like this

Note*  if you mill that overlay at about ..60-.80 thick and feather sand it from .60 to nothing before you glue it on, its much easier to sand out a clean transition from the overlay to the glass.    .02  worth   Kirk