Frequency and Longevity

[Shooter]

How long do you think a wooden bow should last before it's shot? Number of shots? Seasons? Years?

How often should a wooden bow be shot to keep its form? Number of shots per week/month?

I know there are too many variables to give a definite answer to any of those questions. Just wondering what your experiences have been with the different bows you've owned/built.

Some of us greenhorns would really appreciate any stories or experiences from folks who have some years behind them.

Thanks in advance,
Bruce

[Pat B]

Bruce, I would say a wood bow could last a lifetime if taken care of. I have put thousands of arrows through bows will little if any negative reaction. If a bow sits for years it probably needs to be worked back up to full draw by exercising it in graduating pull length until full draw is reached.

[Mechslasher]

i think different style/designs vary in life span.  if tillered correctly, longer bows are under less stress per amount of wood in the bow than short bows or recurves.  i have a 66" osage pyramid bow that has been shot several thousand times and looks to have several thousand more.  while some of my short statics and recurves show wear after a thousand shots or less.  of course i'm not a professional bowyer so my skills may be lacking.

[Badger]

I have had an osage bow for about 8 years now and I go this bow regularly for shooting. It really hasnt changed in all those years. I do notice the weight fluctualtes a little with the humidity, just a couple of pounds. Most bows I seldom give a real good test to as I make so many and change bows so often. I gave a friend a yew bow about 5 years ago that he shoots all the time, it's his only bow, hasnt lost any draw weight yet. Steve

[Hillbilly]

Like Chris said, I think it depends on the style and wood that the bow's made from. I've got a couple that have thousands of arrows shot through them and still look and feel about the same as they did to begin with. I have noticed that one ash bow has taken on a bit more set after years of shooting and being strung all day hunting for days on end in all kinds of weather, but it's still a good shooter. I'd say that an overbuilt Comstock-style bow would probably last for a lifetime if taken care of, while a high-performance pushing-the-envelope speed demon might burn out after a while. Most of us make and shoot so many different bows that we'll probably never actually wear one out.

[wvfknapper]

I figure a lot of how long a bow will last has to do with how often the bow is flexed and how well the finish is up kept and also to what extent a person goes to keep the wood at a proper moisture.

wvflintknapper

[Slivershooter]

I usually don't hang on to or shoot my selfbows long enough to make a definitive conclusion.  However, I do have a couple that have been around for ten to twelve years that still shoot really well.  They might not shoot as well as my newer one bows, but hopefully I have learned some over the years and currently build a better bow.

[Rich Saffold]

I've seen osage bows which were 100 years old and still performing well. Lemonwood bows which are 70 plus and working. I recently got an incredible knife in payment for a bow which I thought I gave to a friend as a gift 20 years ago.  He has been making Okuden knives and said he still really enjoyed the bow..So that was a big stoker naturally.

Rich

[Kegan]

I think some one said that high stress bows can last several thousamd shots, but a low stress, Comstock-style bow will out last you .

[Shooter]

Thanks very much, guys. Mighty nice of you all.