Slazenger wood bow - re-tiller?

[Tommy D]

I picked up a Slazenger wooden bow in an antiques shop for 10 quid that looks like it maybe has an ash back and some sort of darker wood belly (Osage?)  - it’s 48lbs at 28”.

I have made a string for it and let it sit for a while and then drawn it and shot it with about a 26” draw a few times.

To my eye it is slightly whip tillered and this is reflected in the unbraced profile. I will try and get some pics of drawn and unbraced.


 

To be honest … I don’t want it to be a wall hanger and unless someone tells me these are incredibly valuable collectors items I would rather give it to a friend who is just getting into traditional archery.

However - I don’t want it to blow up in his face either.

1) is there a way - other than shooting them to know that they are still ok.

2) I feel like it could do with a bit of wood off the mid and inner limbs - were they typically whip tillered and am I crazy trying to tweak the tiller. It’s a little heavy for my friend anyways.

[Hamish]

I'm really against messing with old bows, especially those that have survived for the best part of a century.

Okay you got it for 10pounds. That's a bargain and also part of the reason why you don't value it. Its worth more than that as an antique. If you tried to buy it in a shop where I live, I'm sure the asking price would be the equivalent of 100-200 pounds.

I've seen the way most people treat old bows, and that's why there aren't many around anymore. You're better off telling your friend to get a cheap fg trad bow. Better still help him make a self bow.

Yes it is whip tillered. Its been shot in and the set is still going to stay where it is, even if you try to redistribute the concentration of bend to make more of the limb do the work.

[bownarra]

Leave it alone! You can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear....
As Hamish said you can't get rid of the set and it would be risky trying....
Much better to make your friend a new bow...just make a quicky pyramid. It will likely shoot better anyway.

[TimmyDeNorCal]

I have had success modifying older bows. Most recently I took an older Indian Archery flatbow and cut it down and re-tillered it so that it was suitable for my 9-year old nephew. Of course, the flatbow in question was in good condition to begin with - as in it was safely shootable out to a 28” draw.

It appears to be that you are uncertain about the older bow you acquired...and so modifying it in any way is definitely a risk. However, if you really would like to touch it up some it would be my advice that you only attempt mild modifications - such as lightly scraping & sanding down the entire limbs so that only the draw weight is reduced.

I would not suggest that you attempt to change the overall tiller other than a mere reduction in draw weight. The bow certainly looks whip-tillered based on the braced photo...and I think any changes that alter the limbs’ strain levels would be an unnecessary risk. Even if we were to assume that the bow can withstand the repeated drawing & loosing process the bow probably would not survive a significant alteration of its tiller design (e.g., changing from whip-tiller to a more circular tiller, etc.).

My final piece of advice would be that if you end up braving it & try shooting the bow that you (1) slowly increase the draw length of subsequent shots & that you (2) wear protective clothing & eyewear!!