Question to you ol timers

[el greco]

I ' ve only owned recurves but planning on buying a longbow soon.Anyway  I always use a stringer for my bows.Now the question:I know the old days they used to string the bows without a stringer.Was a longbow easier to string than a recurve of the same poundage?

[Canadian Idle]

Yep!!!

[Sam McMichael]

In the old days, a lot of guys didn't use stringers, but they did twist many limbs, especially on recurves. Many longbows seem to better withstand the step through stringing process better than most recurves. I have not found either type bow to be inherently more difficult than the other to string.

Out of long standing habit, I use a stringer on the recurves and either the push/pull or step through method when stringing my longbows. I think I voided the warranty the very first time I strung my Wesley Special by using the step through.

My arms are rather short, but I like 68" bows, and I found it difficult to use a stringer on heavy poundage longbows, thus the step through stringing method became a standard. As I got bigger and stronger, the habit remained.

[Bjorn]

Longbow is way easier.

[Shinken]

Ditto what Bjorn said...

...and longbows have a much lower risk of limb-twisting in the process....

Shoot straight, Shinken

   

[kwc]

never used the step thur method for stringing my long bow or friends recurvs learned the push pull. put the bottom nock end on the ground against the inside of your foot grap the handle backwards with one hand the upper limb and nock end of the string and pull with the bow hand while pushing the top limb and sliding the string onto the nock once you learn youll never twist a limb. but with that said i know always use a bow stringer but for the time you forget one this method is the best.

[Gil Verwey]

I used to use the step through method a long time ago. Then I finally went to a bow stringer.

I always use a bow stringer on my recurves but use the push pull method for my longbows.

I have a tip protector on the bottom tip of my longbows and place it against my shoe at the arch and just on top of the sole edge. I feel I protect the tip this way.

It takes a little practice but I like it on my longbows. I use my drawing arm to pull and my bow arm to push.  

If you are going to use the push pull method, be very careful. John Schulz's brother lost an eye using this method.

Good luck
Gil

PS - like Sam said there were a lot of twisted limbs back then doing the step through method for a recurve.

[Walt Francis]

What Gil said, push/pull for longbows, and a stringer for all recurves made by others.  On my own recurves I use the step through method.  When done properly, ona well designed and made recurve, the step through method works fine.  The big issue with the step through method is "when done properly";

[Irish]

When using the push - pull, make sure  
1.  The bottom limb is firmly place tight into the arch of the foot.  Make sure you have a firm grip on the riser!!!!
2.  Make sure the top loop in correctly into the top string grove, sometimes you can go beond the limb grove and actually remove the string from the bow.  
3.  The first thing you do is check to make sure BOTH string loops are corectly placed into the groves.

I have had enough "woops" to learn my leasons.  I still push/pull longbows and stringers for recurves.

[Dave Pagel]

Be careful with the recurves.  A long time archer I know lost an eye this summer using the push pull on a recurve.  This guy was no rookie and it has changed his life.  I always used a stringer before and this just validated my choice.

D.P.

[straitera]

After too many bows trying to jump out of my hands, homemade heavy stringer only for all my lb's. No issues.

[centaur]

I haven't strung a recurve in quite a while, but my longbows get the push-pull method with no problems at all.

[Hoyt]

Back when I was a kid I used the step through method. When I got a real hunting recurve I was told it would twist the limb so used the push pull.

Didn't know what a bow stringer was back then. I hated the push pull, always worried about my hand sliding too far up the tip and getting popped side the head.

Back when they had those bow quivers without a cover for the broadheads a friend of mine let the tip slip out of his hand while using the push pull and one of the broadheads cut and artery up above his elbow. He was rushed to the hospital by another friend and the nurse said if it was just a little longer he would have bleed to death.

[smokin joe]

Stringers are cheap. Accidents are expensive. Now that I am older (and I hope wiser) I always use a stringer. They are cheap insurance against an accident.

[acadian archer]

Define old timer and/or old days.

[acadian archer]

Define old timer and/or old days.

[el greco]

Ol timer ..don't know..somebody wirh years of experience in somethin and of a certain age?Anyway the reason I asked is I am trying to translate from ancient Greek ,Homer's Odyssey,the part that Odusseas returnes in Ithaki and confronts with his bow the men that have taken over his house.I ll keep you updated

[Killdeer]

I'm not THAT old.

Killdeer  

[TxAg]

I dont use a syeinger for my longbows, only my recurves.

For my longbows, i do a version of the push/pull but in a way tthat directs the limb tips away from my body.  I step thru the bow and use my right knee as the bending point....use my left foot to bend the bottom limb tip and my right hand to bend the top limb tip.

[Shortlongbow]

Use a good stringer.  nuff said