Any idea if this is safe (laminate cracks)?

[mlsthmpsn]

I am new to bow hunting all-together. I went and got my Dad's old recurve down from storage to see if it was usable.

Here are the pics:
   

   

   

   

Sorry for the poor focus...
   

   

   

   


So, what do you guys think?

Thanks in advance,

MT

[ChristopherO]

On all wood one piece bows (self bows) it has been written that longitudal cracks will not affect the safety or performance of a bow.  With all those laminates under the cracked fiberglass I would suspect that it will hold up if used carefully.  I would not pull it to full draw right away but slowly, over time pull the limbs a little at a time over days to see how it accepts the movement.  Any clicking or creaking sounds and its a wall hanger.

was it, by chance, stored in an attic or very hot area?  That would make me more suspect of it.  Then the cracks could be running all the way through the the wood lams underneath, too.

[ChuckC]

My question is. . why did it do that ?  I suspect high heat / cold and drying out / shrinking.  I myself would not string that bow.

ChuckC

[mlsthmpsn]

Originally posted by ChristopherO:


was it, by chance, stored in an attic or very hot area?  That would make me more suspect of it.  Then the cracks could be running all the way through the the wood lams underneath, too.

It has been stored for the past 10-15 years in the upstairs of an un-conditioned two-story garage. I'd say it didn't get as hot as an attic or in the rafters of a regular garage. This two-story garage is nestled in between some rather large willows, and doesn't get much direct sun....maybe reaches 90°F in the summer inside there.

Any idea what string this bow takes?

Thanks,

[Cavscout9753]

B50 62" I'd say. The bow may be ok, but it also may not be. The classafied section has really good bows for not a lot of money. Samick also makes good, affordable, entry level bows (and with a take down you can build up weight while keeping the same riser). Of course, I could understand wanting to shoot that one. Just offering hope in case it doesn't work out. Either way, welcome to traditional archery, this site is a great tool for you to learn the right way, every step of the way.

[Fletcher]

Longitudinal cracks are pretty common with older glass bows and generally not an issue.  Check the front of the riser and see if that glass crack goes into the wood.  Loctite 420 is a common remedy.  Check over in the collecting forum.

[mlsthmpsn]

Originally posted by Cavscout9753:
B50 62" I'd say. The bow may be ok, but it also may not be. The classafied section has really good bows for not a lot of money. Samick also makes good, affordable, entry level bows (and with a take down you can build up weight while keeping the same riser). Of course, I could understand wanting to shoot that one. Just offering hope in case it doesn't work out. Either way, welcome to traditional archery, this site is a great tool for you to learn the right way, every step of the way.

Thanks, I'll try to find a string and take it easy.

I was looking at a Samick Sage in the 25-30# range for just backyard shooting and to work on my form.....but, right now, wifey ain't gonna let me open the wallet for a while...just stuck $2k into tires and alignment crap on my truck.        I do all my own wrenching, but there's just some things a guy is gonna have to pay to have done.

(they accidentally cut a brake line that needed replacing, so at least I got that for free.       )

[RIng]

I have built and worked with a lot of bows and I would not string or shoot it . If it has sentimental value to you clean it up and hang it up with some good looking wood arrows .

May life's simplest things bring you the greatest pleasures !!!!

[mlsthmpsn]

Is there a reference somewhere that has the brace height range for this model?

[Gen273]

The cracks are way too long for me to think that it is safe to shoot.

[NathanS]

really there is only one way to find out and that's shoot it lol the only thing I would be afraid of is it cracking into the site window and twisting the top limb off but most of the time a failure does not explode anyway so I would think you could shoot it but at some point it will probably fail.

[shreffler]

i've always heard that longitudinal cracks along the sight window are caused by dry firing. May have been dry fired years ago, then the cracks were brought out by the heat.

If you'll be heartbroken if it breaks into 4 pieces, don't shoot it. If not, get a string for it and like Nathan said - shoot it. There is, of course, some risk involved in shooting it. The limbs could fail and hit you in the face, riser could break apart at full draw - so be careful.

Wear a baseball helmet or something, just be careful.    :D

[jhk1]

I agree with Fletcher-- longitudinal cracks in the fiberglass (even pretty long ones) are fairly common with older fiberglass laminated bows.  Using Loctite 420 to bond/seal the stress cracks is a good suggestion-- I've done it on several older recurves, and they're all fine shooters.  Loctite 420 can be hard to find in stores-- I ended up buying it off the big auction site.  The reason you want something like Loctite 420 is because it's thinner than regular super-glue; it's thin enough to work deep into the cracks.

I think a reasonable substitute for the Loctite 420 might be "Hot Stuff" CA glue (available at Woodcraft stores).  It's a woodworker's quality CA (cyanoacrylate-- like super-glue) glue that's available in 3 different viscosities-- you want the thinnest (watery-est) one.  I haven't used Hot Stuff on bows, but I don't see why it wouldn't work the same as Loctite 420.

I think the bow's length (66") and draw weight (42#) make it more likely that the bow is salvageable; the long length and relatively low draw weight make for relatively lower stresses on the bow (as compared to a 56"-58" 55# hunting recurve).

Before proceeding, make sure there are no signs of delamination.  I'm assuming the stress lines/cracks in the fiberglass (in your pics) are the only visible structural flaws.

If you decide to give it a go, be sure to use a bow stringer to string/unstring the bow, and definitely wear safety glasses at least until you've shot the bow 50-100 times with no issues.

Like Christopher posted above, you want to ease the bow back into use.  Before trying to string the bow, look for excessive limb twist.  WEARING SAFETY GLASSES, using the stringer, flex the limbs a few inches (listening for any bad sounds), then string the bow.  With it strung, look for limb twist.  Assuming the bow is pretty straight, I'd let it sit strung for at least an hour.  Then gradually draw the bow slightly and let it down several times.  Continue drawing the bow in stages-- a little further each time, several times at each stage.  Once you've exercised the bow to full draw, go shoot some arrows.  Hopefully she's a shooter.

[mlsthmpsn]

I'll look closer at it tonight or tomorrow, and get some better pics. I didn't notice any cracks in the wood portions under the fiberglass....I grabbed it this morning from my parent's house and took the pics in my car at work after a quick once over.

I'll read up on the Loctite. It really doesn't have much sentimental value to me or my dad. My Dad bought it a long time ago, and never could get close enough to deer to use it....so it's never been used much. He never was big into hunting, just went out a few years before he had us kids running around. when I was a kid, I remember throwing around the arrows that I found with it, but I've never seen the bow until today. (also had an unmarked green fiberglass bow laying there too).

Thanks, I'll keep you guys posted.

[ChuckC]

Miles, did he by chance have any arrows with broadheads left over ?

ChuckC

[mlsthmpsn]

There was one orange shaft arrow attached to the clamp-on arrow mount thingy. The feather fletchings were chewed or otherwise torn off.

Broadhead was a tad rusty, but still looked sharp as heck.

I'll take a pic of that too. Is there something I should be looking for on that?

[Tajue17]

wear safety glasses maybe a hardhat and let em fly theres only one real way to find out,,, or just ask a buddy to try it thats what buddys are for..

[Possum Head]

I've had a number of bows that have looked like that and you couldn't wear them out.

[ChuckC]

Post a picture of the broadhead when you have time and the crew can tell you some history on it, if it is a common head or if it is more collectible.
ChuckC

[Duncan]

I have a Bear Alaskan with longitudinal cracks in the glass just like that. It already had them when I got it in 1977 and it has always shot just fine. Not afraid to string it and shoot it right now. My bow has black glass so it is not as dramatic looking as with the white glass. I think it is Ok to shoot as long as all other laminations look OK.