Be careful stringing that bow!

[Bowwild]

I put two feet in the stringer to shorten it.  Recommendations are to start witht the bow at or slightly below knee level.  I typically have to shorten my bowstringer by tying a knot in it -- boy once I do that the knot is a permanent part of the stringer!

[Bud B.]

I have had this happen but with no injury. I learned to move the step point slighlty closer to the tip where the string is being placed. This changes the angle and the limbs are now canted and not parallel to the floor. It still occasionally slips, but with no bad ending.


I also moisten the leather pad slightly to create better grip.

[dan d]

You guys are scarring me ! I need to check out the leather pocket stringers.
Dan

[seabass]

glad your ok,steve

[dan d]

[dan d]

I ment to add to my last post that I'm glad your ok,  I guess I cannot delete that duplicate posting.

[artelkhunter]

Friend of mine using the push pull method to unstring his bow, had his hand slip off the top limb. tip of the limb whacked him in the corner of his right eye and almost nocked him out. This was in the dark,he was in a hurry. be careful guys.  Its just not worth it.

[barredfeather]

I was unstringing a recurve with the lower limb on my right foot, pulling with my right hand and pushing the upper limb with my left hand.  Left hand slipped off and the upper limb hit me up side of the head and knocked me out colder than a wedge.  Very lucky to say the least.  Bought a stringer....still very careful.

Jerry

[Sixby]

As far as I am concerned whoever invented the push and pull didn't care much for his life. When stringing with a stringer Bud has it right. Step to the side you are putting the string on. also always, Always keep your hand over the limb of the bow. If the back tip has a side that is not in the grooves unstring, resed and restring with the stringer. Never ever try to put the string into the groove. I learned the hardway that you can lose a finger or break the bow. I was lucky . I still have my finger. The bow broke. God Bless you all and be safe. Stringing is the most dangerous to you and the bow . thing that archers do in my opinion. Steve

[Willrett]

I need to pick up some stingers. I use the step through method and had the string not lined up all the way one time and pow, one second I was working on my form and a few seconds later I was cleaning up blood.

Careful everyone.

[Hit-or-Miss]

As previously mentionedby RkyMtnJoe; I also can't understand how the "step through method" is dangerous to anything aside from the bow, provided your head is turned away and you utilize proper form. Although I keep a stringer handy now and use it 90% of the time, I have used the step-through method for over 30 years, and NEVER had an issue. I still do use this on occassion. It was taught in archery classes across the US (including mine in High school, early 80's), and by some big Archery companies. Now with the "push / pull" method, now THAT method, I can see being dangerous. But the step through method, done with good form, under strict control of the torso / back / arm muscles, is safe to both bow and shooter. And after reading the aforementioned issues with stringers, I'm considering thowing mine out and going back to what has always worked for me...the step through method.

[Tucson-John]

Originally posted by ishoot4thrills:
Glad to hear you're okay.

That's just one of the reasons why I leave my bows strung. Doesn't hurt a thing with glass laminated bows to leave them strung, hanging on two nails, horizontal, by the string. Also, I tend to shoot my bow more often when stored this way. I just grab it and go.              

Actually there was a bit of unofficial "research" done on this by a large retail chain that sold archery equipment. Some bows were unquestionably left strung for over a year and maintained weight (albeit some string stretch on certain Dacron strings) but generally NO harm was found in leaving them in that condition.
This MAY not be true with long-bows especially if un-laminated.
However in so far as re-curves are concerned (even take downs) I would concur that it may actually prevent limb twist especially if the stringing were done in the field and attention were not paid to the twisting of the string. I personally would leave a bow that had a straightened limb left strung as it may help maintain the straightness of the laminate.

There MAY be some information on this back in the 1990's from PSE which did a great deal of testing. It was found by one individual at PSE that backing off a bit on the limbs was the best method of storage but when tested w/ FastFlight, fully tightened bows showed NO signs of problems for over 3 years. {NOTE: this was in the days of a much more simple design.]

[bearbowman]

Thank God it was just a tap on the side of the head Dave. I mean that really.........thank God!!

[thunder1]

I got a double lesson real fast. I was stringing up a new to me bow with the string that came with it when the rubber piece on my string slipped. The limb tip came forward and caused my week old glasses to shoot across the room. I still have a dent in the bridge of my nose.  The old string that came with the bow had lost every twist in the end that hit me. I now get a new string for every used bow and I always use my double pocket web stringer.

[xtrema312]

I am happy to hear you were not more seriously injured and I hope you get better soon.

I had the same kind of think happen with a stringer with the rubber part the sets on the limbs.  Didn't get hurt, but it was close.  The rubber thing put streaks on my limb.  That was the first time using that type of stringer.  It went back to the store, and I have been using the pocket type since then with no problems.  I have a BW stringer and another similar one.  A webster is in my future when I order more stuff.

[stagetek]

For whatever reason, my biggest problems stringing has happened with very narrow limbed and narrow tipped recurves. I prefer the soft leather cupped stringers, with the connection to those cups at least 3-4" below the tip. If they're closer it's much harder to slide the string in the groves. I.M.O.

[Bowtie]

David,
Wow!  Glad that you're okay. Good post as to how quick unfortunate things can happen.

[mickeys4]

I've got to think the death was a result of the push-pull method instead of the step-thru.I was stringing my Kodiak recurve with a stringer that had a rubber cup on one end.The cup came apart and the bow flew across the room,no harm no foul.I now use a stringer with a leather cup and inspect it before use.

[Jim now in Kentucky]

All these comments show that any method is only as safe as the operator. Put your block head in the way of any of them an it can get hit.

Also, NEVER use the push pull for a recurve.

Keep your head out of the line  of fire and it will never get hit. I've been using the push pull for long bows and the step through for recurves for 45 years and never got hit after that first time when I was a teenager and used the push pull for a recurve.

[NorthernCaliforniaHunter]

Like echoed before here...

LEAVE THEM STRUNG!!!