"Back in the day"

[PASQUINELL]

Many years ago when I was a kid I remember seeing my brother in law (16 years my senior) string/unstring his bow using the leg thru and bending the limbs. I know it is now considered bad to do but he killed a bunch of deer with it.

Does anyone still use that on occasion? Are the newer bows that much different now?

[GCook]

Yes but on recurve bows I am extremely cautious on not twisting limbs while doing it.

[M60gunner]

I broke a bow using the step through method when I was a kid of 14 or so. I haven’t strung a bow that way since

[stagetek]

After watching my uncle almost lose an eye using the push / pull method I would use the step thru method any day... "if" I absolutely had to.

[durp]

Yes I do on my glass longbows...recurves not so much

[trad_bowhunter1965]

I did it when I was a teenage and didn't know about twisted limbs.

[longbowman]

I started bowhunting in 1966, that was the only way we knew how to string a bow for years.  Don't do it now but have on occasion when an emergency came up in the filed.

[Sean B]

I definitely recommend not doing it. Especially with an expensive custom. The easiest and most common way to damage a bow is during the stringing process. Even with a stringer, you can damage a bow or injure yourself. I’ve broken a few bow’s doing the step through and almost took out an eye using the push pull.

[Wudstix]

Bow stringer is allot cheaper than a new bow.
 

[two4hooking]

I've done it forever but with step through you have to be very careful not to twist the limbs.  I will often step through to unstring my heavier ASLs. I try to avoid it and use a stringer for recurves.  I shoot straight limbed longbows mostly now and they are perfect for push pull which is what I do.  Part of the simplicity I love.  Anyway, you just need to learn to keep your head out of the line in case something does let loose and don't try to look at the tips, do it by feel.  When in doubt use a stringer.