left strung or unstrung

[j yenney]

Just wanted to hear some thoughts: Should a bow be left strung on unstrung?

[Tom Leemans]

Just be on the safe side and unstring it. (Unless you're hunting of course) I mean, how long does it take to string a bow for cryin' out loud?

[Sawtooth]

I generally leave mine strung.  Both of them.  I shoot just about every other day, year round, unless I'm out on a ramble in the summer months.  I like just getting the bow down off the wall and going outside to shoot.

[BillJ]

From what I've read in previous posts, the answer will vary depending on whether you're talking an all wood bow (selfbow or composite) or a fiberglass backed bow.

For the former - unstring it.
For the latter - doesn't matter.

At least that's what I recall from reading former posts on this subject.  I have mostly wood bows, and unstring them all.  They need to rest.

BillJ

[Scott J. Williams]

I follow the lead of Black Widow, they suggest that you can leave your recurve bows strung if they are shot on a regular basis.  They suggest that they be hung by the string on two level post, with the bow centered correctly. If you are not going to shoot your bow for weeks at a time, it is wiser to unstring them.

I have also been told by, Black Widow, that longbows are better unstrung unless being shot a lot. Due to the limb design, they have a tendency to lose weight if left braced(strung)for extended times.

Before I learned the longbow facts, I left my longbows strung for months without shooting them, my scales have not detected any noticed reduction in weight, but why push it. I figure that the people at Black Widow should know....

[vermonster13]

Keep it in a safe, cool place away from young or inexperienced hands and if it is a glass or carbon bow, leaving it strung won't hurt it. More bows are damaged stringing and unstringing than by being left strung.

[gwhunter]

No matter what you do, heat is bad strung or unstrung.  I agree with the above sentiments.  Fiberglass can handle being strung if in cool place.  Wood needs to be unstrung.

[Badlands]

I've got at least 6 recurves and a long bow that probably haven't been unstrung for at least 8 years.  I'm not sure that this is the best but I hang them horizontaly in a dry place and haven't had any problems. They are all fiberglass bows and I haven't had any loss of poundage.  The only thing I've ever worried about is the flemish string drying out and letting loose, but it has never happened.
I've seen far more twisted limbs that resulted from inpropper stringing or inpropper storage.  For some reason some people thing that it is just fine to lean an unstrung bow against the wall in the back of a closet for a few years??

[BamBooBender]

Just be on the safe side and unstring it. (Unless you're hunting of course) I mean, how long does it take to string a bow for cryin' out loud?

That's me too. I always unstring em. Maybe that's why I favor selfbows and deep cored longbows over recurves, takes only a second using the push/pull method to string/unstring and don't have to worry about twisting the limbs.

[BobCo 1965]

I unstring my longbows after every use. I leave the recurves strung.

[j yenney]

I had a custom bow made a few months ago, and I noticed the limbs were twisted after a couple of weeks, and I sent the bow back and the bowyer called and said that when limbs genneraly get twisted is when stringing and unstringing. (I've always used a proper stringer) and stored the bow correctly.

[Shawn Leonard]

I always leave them strung(fiberglass)unless traveling a long distance. I have a 67 Pearson Hunter that has been strung since new. The only time it has been unstrung was to replace the string. It had a linen string on it when the older gentleman gave it to me. It hung on two pegs in his basement by the string for 30 years before I got it. It has not lost a pound and shoots wonderfully. Shawn

[stripe55]

Temp wise, what do you consider too warm?

[JEFF B]

unstrung boy never leave it strung .      :D