markings on recurve bows

[Mack in N.C.]

hello i am a fan of shakespeare recurve bows......my question is what do some of the writings on the limbs mean???

ex  my bow...     45+
                       k91346h      i know this is 45 lbs and 60" bow or string...whats the middle?
                        60"

another bow     66"
                 L-2015-b    i know this is a 66 " bow, model x-16(because my bow above is an x-24)
                      x-16                           and 35 lbs.......whays the 2nd row?
                       35+

another bow    62"
                   70469       same here......62 in bow 35lbs at 28 in draw......whats the 2nd line mean
                    -35-
                      28" 

[Slufoot]

Hello Mack, I don't really know much about shakespeare bows but my guess would be serial numbers.

[Graybeard]

Too convoluted for my mind to even try to read. Straighten out the post and make it less messy so I can tell what number youre asking about and I'll give it a try.

[Mack in N.C.]

the markings in bold......sorry gb but i wrote them like they were written on the limbs......they are written in 3 or 4 lines on top of each other, just like i have them.....i thought  that would make it easir for sombody familiar with shakespeares un .....mack

[Graybeard]

I used to be good with the abstract but the low blood oxygen level seems to have robbed me of the talent these days. The way you have it written with your comments just makes it totally unintelligible to me. I'm not gonna take the time to try and sort it all out the way it is really.

I do own and shoot a Shakesphere and have for 40 years or so. If I could make heads or tails of what is written on the bow I'm sure I could sort it out for you. I'm sorry but I just can't make heads or tails of it as written.

[Mack in N.C.]

no problem, maybe an expert on shakespeares or a former worker will see this post...........mack

[JonD.]

I'm no expert, but the middle numbers are serial numbers that the factory used in production. As to what they stand for-? Your right about the other numbers, 45lbs draw @28" and so on....  On the length part, if you have a recurve, generally the string is 4" shorter than your bow length marked on your bow. Example if you have a bow marked 66" this means the actual bow length is 66", but you need a 62" string and so on. A longbow is about 3" difference, a 68" long bow would require a 65" string.... hope this helps.

[mjh]

Most of the others are on track. Manufactures serial numbers(second line) numbers most likely refer to model, dates of manufacture,wood used, who made it or what line it was on,tracking numbers, those kinds of things

The other number is  lenght of bow  and draw weight poundage at 28 inches.

the 35+  probably has a draw of more than 35lbs and less than 40lbs
same with the 45+ draw is likely between 45lbs and 50lbs   

with only one + it most likely closer to the lower end of range if either had a ++ its closer to the high end

the -35- bow was probably spot on when orginally made with a 35lb draw

[Mack in N.C.]

thanks for the replies/......also good to know that about the strings.....mack