Do fiberglass or wood bows deteriorate with age?

[rlm2007x]

Do fiberglass or wood bows deteriorate with age?

[Graybeard]

Not all that much. But make sure it's solid NOW mine is not. I thought mine was indestructable back when I was in my mid teens and bet that I could stick one end of it in a hole in a metal power line towner and it would support itself fine. Well it did but it also cracked the tip a bit and the crack is quite visible if you look. Still I continued to shoot it for many many years after that and it seems really little worse for the wear and tear I put it through. I'd never sell it and these days it's no more than a wall hanger for me but I'd not be afraid to shoot it.

Mine is a 35 pound pull as I think most of them from that era were.

[gila_dog]

Well, I think everything deteriorates with age. I know I am. But I have 4 wood/fiberglass laminate recurve bows ( 3 Shakespeares @ 30, 40, and 50 lb, and 1 Wing @ 47 lb) that were made in the mid to late 60's and they still look and shoot just fine. There is some discoloration in the fiberglass, I think it's called crazing or something like that. It's on the limbs where most of the flexing takes place. But the bows look sound and shoot fine, so my kid and I will just keep on shooting them. If there were any obvious cracks, splits, or delamination of the fiberglass from the wood, or other such flaws I would retire them.