Author Topic: Are Twisted Limbs Fixable? (Read 1218 times)

Tcallbuilder · « **on:** October 20, 2004, 01:07:21 AM »

I have an older Browning recurve with a twisted limb.
Does anyone know of a way to straighten it.....without putting a lot of $ into it.

The bow is a lam. wood/glass at around a 50lb draw weight.

Thanks
TCB

Mad Dog · « **Reply #1 on:** October 20, 2004, 02:07:28 AM »

It depends on how severe the twist is. Most twisted limbs were caused in the old days, when guys tried to string their bows by the old step-thru method. This is how I used to straighten twisted limbs, back in the days when I had my traditional archery shop; take a wash rag, or small towel, and put it in hot water that you can barely touch. Wring out the water, and wrap it around the twisted limb. Take the rag off, and twist the limb in the opposite direction that the twist is. Keep doing this, until the limb comes back straight, check it by sighting down the riser. Once it is cool, it is safe to string. From here on, only use a stringer to string the bow. I found over the years, that once a limb has been twisted, it is very easy for it to twist again, if handled improperly. Hope this helps.

Mad Dog

Tcallbuilder · « **Reply #2 on:** October 20, 2004, 03:49:29 PM »

Thanks Mad Dog!
Ill try the hot towel thing.

I only gave 20 bucks for this bow and knew that it had a twisted limb when i bought it.....but it came with a set of clip on quivers and 3 cedar arrows w/broadheads

So my thinking was, and still is ( if I cant fix it.....then I aint out much )

TCB

Turtle · « **Reply #3 on:** June 17, 2005, 05:04:59 AM »

Tcallbuilder- Just curious if you had any luck with straightening your limb.

Also - Does a twisted limb effect the consistency of the bow?

-Turtle -

halfacop · « **Reply #4 on:** June 19, 2005, 03:15:17 PM »

My dad has a Browing Kodiak Recurve that he left standing in the corner for a few years. It had a bad twisted limb. He took it to a buddy and he straightened it out for him. That was about 4 years ago. It has a little twist that came back but not much. I was just shooting that bow tonight and it still shoots great! I'd say the twist effect is very minimal if at all.

handirifle · « **Reply #5 on:** July 09, 2005, 07:03:21 PM »

Couple of things to watch for in the process here. If the limb gets too hot, it can delaminate. Most likely won't injure anyone but the bow will be ruined, but it's not usable now anyway so you have nothing to lose.

When you have the limb heated, as mentioned, place it in something that you can apply pressure to (not your hands cause it will be hot) and twist it in the opposite direction of the twist "the same amount as the twist is." Once it has cooled, you can then reheat it and bring it past this point slightly causelike halfacop mention, most will settle with some return twist. The second application usually prevents this.

Good luck. It's really fun to repair an old bow like that, almost as much as making a new one.

Tcallbuilder · « **Reply #6 on:** September 19, 2005, 01:47:05 AM »

Its been a stretch.....I almost forgot about this post....SORRY!

Many, Many thanks to Mad Dog!!! The hot towel trick worked like a charm.
I was kinda worried about to much heat doing perment damage to the limb. so i kind worked up slow.

It took a little trial and error...but got the limb up to the right temp.
I over corrected the limb slightly...then drew and backed off the bow till it settled back into its original shape.

This bow has a better cast now than my new PSE coyote...not as fast but, a lot smother and a lot of fun to shoot.

Since then bought a Bear Kodiak (green lam) for $25 with the same problem (twisted limb)
I used the same process on it....with the same result...both bows now shoot great.

Thanks again guys!
TCB