Twisted tips on recurve

[Hhop]

Hi,
 I had a Ben Pearson recurve given to me yesterday, 45# @ 28". The tips have a noticeable twist to them. Can anything be done to correct that or is it beyond hope.
Thanks for any help.

[Charlie Lamb]

Hhop... usually these old bows are very salvagable.

String it up and run the recurve under hot water in the tub long enough to heat it up real good. (water should be hot enough that it's uncomfortable to leave your hand under it very long)

Now grab the limb and reverse the twist... hold the string so it doesn't come off the bow while you're twisting.

When the limb wants to stay straight, over twist the curve a little bit and run cold water over it while holding it in place.

Let it sit until totally cool and it's should be good to shoot... depending on how good the job was, you may need to "tweek" the limb a little later.

This fix will hold unless you get the bow over heated... like in a closed car.

[Hhop]

Quick reply and what I hoped to hear! So, if I understand correctly, I do this with the bow strung, right?

It is a very nice looking bow at first glance, until it is strung. I did not even notice it till I pulled it back and then let off, and saw that the string was off to the side a bit on one end, then saw the problem.
Thanks,
Harold

[IB]

Hhop......Exactly as Mr. Lamb stated. I recently did just that with a Bear Kodiak Mag. The limbs were so badly twisted that you could see it unstrung. As I was heating it under hot water you could actually watch them untwist.

My grandson has enjoyed countless arras through this bow..............vance

[Charlie Lamb]

Harold... Yes! With bow strung.

[Hhop]

Thanks guys!
I will do that later today.

[Shawn Leonard]

You do not need the the heated water, this can actually make the fiberglass lose its memeory. Norm Johnson(Blacktail bows)told me to never use heat as well as several other bowyers. When you twist limb make sure you hold the string in place so it does not pop off the bow. I know, I know, other bowyers say to use it, but the heat would do more harm than good. Think about it, ya want the bow to go back to its original new position and it will remember that way without the use of heat. Shawn

[RRock]

Shawn, Thats exactly what I've heard and it does work.

[Charlie Lamb]

I did this exact same thing to literally hundreds of bows in the shop of the late Earl Hoyt. It is how he taught me and the way it was done since the beginning of his business... use heat. It hurts NOTHING! (except if you overheat which is very hard to do with the hot water method... it's the "conservative way".

Manipulating wood without warming the fibers stresses those fibers. Yes they can be forced when cold but it does the wood no good.

Do you cold bend a recurve in the end of a self bow? No... same reason. Wood failure is more likely.

Fiberglass has no "memory" to work with. It's the wood laminations underneath that contain "memory" of how it was originally bent... or in this case not bent.

As a matter of fact, many twists will at least start to correct themselves when heat is applied without applying pressure.

With all due respect to Norm Johnson and whoever, cold straightening of twisted limbs may be expedient for a one man, busy shop, but it isn't the best cure for the problem.

[Hhop]

I have it looking much better now. The twist at tips was quite severe when I started. The tips now align with the arrow pass. I did use hot water and also a hair dryer, and now see there is additional discussion regarding that. There is still just a slight bit of twist to the two limbs, but the tips seem okay. This bow had been stored with the string on backwards for a few years, with tension on the bow. Perhaps that contributed to the problem?
I believe I will leave it as is for now, use it a bit, and adjust if needed.
Thanks for the help!
Harold

[Shawn Leonard]

All I am saying is why risk the heat, when it is not necessary. I have had several bowyers tell me this. Again conservative or not why bother, it is definitely not needed. Shawn

[snapper1d]

(water should be hot enough that it's uncomfortable to leave your hand under it very long) Like Mr Lambs says.The key words to heat is dont get it too hot.Just enough that it is uncomfortable to your hand.And like he says the cold will stress fibers.

[Shakes.602]

THIS sounds like the Makins' of a Domestic Dispute! Time to Move Along............

[Charlie Lamb]

Just a difference of opinion Shakes. Nothin to it!  

[Shawn Leonard]

Yup, we ain't a fightin!! I respect Charlie a great deal. He has done more and lived more than most of us will in two lifetimes!! Shawn

[Ga.boy]

I tried it without heat on an old Wing recurve and it did not work. Heated it under hot tap water and slightly overtwisted it, held until cool (approximately 3 minutes) and it worked perfectly. I have shot several hundred arrows through the bow with no sign of the twist returning.