Cracked Limb, need advice

[steelerhead95]

Hello everyone, this is my first post here.  I am having a problem with my recurve, and this place was recommended to me by many people.  I was told that all that you want to know about traditional bowshooting can be found here.  I'm a novice trad shooter (recent compound convert).  I have a colt firearms gamemaster recurve.  It is pretty old as far as i know, it is 60 inches and 49#.  I have been shooting it a lot lately, but after shooting yesterday i noticed some cracking on the upper limb.  i'm not sure if it is a surface crack that I can deal with and keep using the bow, or if the bow is ruined.  I really hope i can keep shooting the bow, because i cannot afford a new recurve now.  I am trying to include some pictures, but I'm not a very good photographer and couldn't get a really great picture of the damage.  if the damage is not going to damage the bow, can i stop it from spreading somehow?  I would welcome and appreciate as much advice as possible about this problem.  Thank you very much.  

 

 

[owlbait]

It might help you to post this on the bowyers forum or trad history/collecting. You will find many experts on both those forums that can help you.
Good luck.
owlbait

[Dave Worden]

Generally, cracks that run parallel to the glass fibers are irrelevant.  Note that I said generally.  You can't tell for sure from a picture.  One way to fix these cracks is to fill them with super glue.  Put some glue in a shallow dish, stretch some thread out between two forceps or pliers (you don't want to use your fingers) and dip it in the glue.  Then lay the thread on the crack and let the glue wick in.  I've not tried this method yet as I've not had this problem, but you have nothing to lose.  Do be careful drawing the bow for a while after repair.  Eye protection is a good idea.  I've fixed bows with lim lam cracks and lim delamination and always draw them carefully (listen to them) and with eye protection until I have put at least a couple hundred arrows through them.