Advice from the more experienced

[Furseeker]

I have a few questions for you guys with more trad experience than I have. My only trad bow is a 54” Shakespeare Super Necedah that draws 45#s @ 28”. Its 1968 model number X-30 that has spent 98 percent of its life sitting unstrung hanging on a gun rack. It was my late father’s that I took possession of just before his passing. For the last few weeks I’ve started shooting the old bow quite a bit. I had planned on using the bow for next year’s hunt.
This site has wealth of information and I’ve been researching everything I can about all things traditional. Through some of reading I’ve become familiar with the term “chrysal” and “fretting”. It appears that my “new” old bow has a small area of chrysaling/fretting on the belly of the lower limb about 8 to 10 inches below the handle. Or located just above the model and ID stamp on the limb, one has to look very closely and in just the right lite to see it. The affected area seems to be about 2.5” long.
My question to the group is, does this latest development render the bow just a cherished memory of my youth or is it still safe to use?  I’ve also noticed the slightest amount of limb twist in the bow. When laid on a flat surface, unstrung of course, there is about .080” to .100” of twist detected. Is that considered an excessive amount? I would love to get at least one deer with this old bow before it is hung in my den as tribute to my father. But I would be heartbroken if I break it during a shooting session.
Any advice or input you folks offer will be greatly accepted and deeply appreciated.

If you would be heartbroken if it breaks, then I would hang it up on the wall now. That bow is over 40yrs old. It has made it this long and probably will make it for a long while more but no one can tell you when or if it will break.  Sometinmes, it just happens. I've shot bows with the little crackly marks at the fadeouts and not had one break. I've shot other bows that no indication of anything wrong and had them break. So , If you want to hunt with it, that is cool, but you have to accept the fact that it might break at some point. If you can't accept that risk then hang it on the wall now.

Bisch

[Furseeker]

Bisch, thanks for the reply. I’ll probably shoot it a bit more and see if the area gets bigger or the more noticeable. I wish I had paid more attention to the bow before I started shooting it to see if they were there to begin with.  I really hope the old bow has one more season in it. Like I said it’s my only traditional rig I currently own right now.

[joekeith]

That ol' bow still has a lot of life left in it.  She might break, but a brand new one might break too.  Just use common sense, keep an eye on it, and don't unstring it more than you need to. Unstringing and stringing all the time would be the worst thing for that twist in the limb.  Just twist the limb back the other way and hold it a bit, that'll probably take care of that.  Good luck, and enjoy..  

[Steve Kendrot]

If that is a fiberglass bow, the crackling you see is most likely just the finish which has lost it's elasticity. All my older bows have this to some degree and it has no bearing on the bows integrity. You want to look for cracks or splits between the laminations and finding none, I think you are pretty safe to shoot it. That said, if it's that important to you, don't risk it. But my feeling is bows were meant to be shot.

[Keefer]

I recently let a friend buy  same bow for a very cheap price and it also looked very clean and had quite a bit of strees cracks and the ones you mentioned but I made a string for it and shot it quite a bit in the yard and was truly amazed of how good that bow performed...The stress never showed any signs of delaminating but the materials back then are  different then what is used now...The limb profile on that bow leaving the fade out is really curved and I've seen lots of bows that still shoot great and hasn't caused any problems as of yet...It was made to shoot not hang up and your Father would want you to shoot it I bet...If you get a chance try to post pics for us to see and we can help you decide to shoot or hang it...I say have fun and let her fly >>>---->

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

Steve nailed it. It sounds like normal wear for an old finish.

[katman]

Bows are meant to be shot. You knew your father better than us, would he want it hanging on the wall or out hunting? I am with Steve and Jason. Any bowyers in your area that could look at it for you?

Sentimental value is there if it is shootable or broken. Putting it up now would be the same for me as putting it up if she breaks, either way it is not being shot. I would probably continue to shoot it and watch the area in question. Although not 1000 arrows per day.

[JINKSTER]

I'm no expert by any means but taking into account all that was said here and your personal demeanor with the situation?..here's what i'd do...

1. Take all precautions such as untwisting the limbs and such..also keeping a fresh new string can help reduce limb shock.

2. Then i'd go ahead and shoot that sucker to my hearts content and finally?..

3. If it should ever break? (as it's been suggested even a new one can)..i'd simply pick up the pieces..gorilla glue'em back together and "then"..it's time to retire on the wall.

Shoot'm till they break..that's my motto..as i'm sure that was the original boyer/manufacturers intent from the 1st day that tool met wood.

Besides..think how proud both you and your father will be the day you arrow your first white-tail with it...hang it on the wall?..not so much..and i'll stop there before i cry.

[Shawn Leonard]

Shoot it and enjoy it!! If you could see some of the bows I have shot with their crazing checking even cracks in the riser, your bow would be a no brainer for me. As said a new bow can give up the ghost, use common sense and if ya start seeing seperations or hear creaking than stop. I bet it will shoot another 40 years. I have an old Bear cub that I am shooting right now that has several holes drilled in the riser and a big crack that does not go thru but it is there. I wrapped electrical tape around it and filled the holes with super glue. Guess what it is a great shooter. Enjpy the bow and when it is time to hang her up, you wil just know! Shawn

[Rob DiStefano]

nope, no way no how, not for me - with chrysals showing in the glass that's not a good sign.  far more so with an older bow, with older glass and epoxy.  sure, it might yield thousand shots or it might just let go on the next draw.  seen that more than a few times first hand, back in the 60's and 70's.  in one incident in the late 60's i had a pearson snap/shatter in my hands while coming to full draw - right at the chrysal lines on the back of limbs.  

get it off to a good bowyer and get it fixed, plain and simple.  then go hunt with it.  just use a dacron string.      

or, take yer chances ....

[straitera]

My new to me but older Schulz is hunting again wandering through deep woods in search of any chance to perform...just as John would have it. The fascination of bygone days when traditional value went into every step keeps us (me & Schulzie) young. Shoot it partner!

[Earl E. Nov...mber]

Shoot reasonably heavy arrows.. 9-11 gr/lb a Dacron string and enjoy it.. Probably no more in danger of giving up the ghost than some of the new ones..
Do keep and eye  out for signs of delamination on the edges and get them loctited down if they show, and you sons can shoot the bow years from now.

[Furseeker]

I do truly appreciate everyone’s answers and inputs. I realize with a question like that you will get many different answers. I originally had this next statement in my first post but then decided to omit it just to make sure my post didn’t lead anyone in a one direction or another.  My dad always was a firm believer in if you own use it, if you’re afraid to use it sell it to someone who will use it. I spent the evening thinking about it and to me, owning it and keeping possession of it is the important thing what will remind me of dad.  And should it fail and be rendered no longer shootable it will still serve the purpose of keeping the connection between my father and I, it will just do it from a special place on my wall. Wouldn’t be the first broken thing I got from my old pops.  I’ve received some good information and again want to thank everyone that contributed to my continued learning. I do have some pictures of the area in question, for reference photo number 2 was taken with 14 megapixel camera, that camera seems to show them the best.  You have to get the bow in just the right light to get them to show up, but 22 plus years of aerospace manufacturing has given me an eye for detail. Thanks again everyone.
 

[Rob DiStefano]

imo, those are very fine chrysals and appear to be in the finish, but could run deeper into the glass.  if the bow is of sentimental value, it would be well worth getting it refinished by a good bowyer.  check the trad gang sponsor's listing.

[Shawn Leonard]

Like I said, Shoot It!! I have seen 100 times that bad and I know its just a pic. but really just shoot it. I have older bows that looked brand new and they blew on me and like I said I am shooting one right now that looks 100 times that bad, not sentimental to me but I am shooting it and doubt it will blow, could my next shot with it, but we will see. Shawn

[Rob W.]

I'm with Shawn. I wouldn't give it a second thought.


Rob

[JINKSTER]

you gotta be kidding me..that thing looks just this side of brand new!...i had a bear kodiak that the finish was so checked it looked like a jigsaw puzzle..i bought it like that for $45 and shot the bejesus out of it..then sold it like 5 years later for $100 to a friend who just had to have it and wished i didnt.

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

It's a finish issue, and very common with older bows. Shoot it and enjoy.

[DannyBows]

I just fixed a twisted limb on my old Pearson Ambusher. I had to hold the twisted area under hot running water for a bit while counter-twisting it, then quickly turned the water to cold, still holding it counter-twisted til it cooled off, then left it strung for a couple days.

She's now perfect and is staying straight.