Pearson lemonwood re-tiller

[Sagebrush]

My folks were rummaging through antique stores and found an old pearson with white tape like backing.  Seems to be in the 35 lb range.  I presume it to be lemonwood.  I was thinking of a fix up and passing it too my 14 year old or my wife.  Only real problem is the bottom limb is +.25 inch in tiller.  Should i hang it up and leave it as an antique,  re tiller with gentle scraping to the upper limb?  Or should I heat treat the bottom limb and risk the backing or re back it. Thoughts???

[dylanholderman]

I’ll put up the call now for pics, nobody will be able to give you a good answer without them, we’ll still try but pics will make people more willing to advise.

How much set has it taken? That’s the factor I’m more interested in for deciding on refurb vs retirement

[Pat B]

Will you post pics, braced and unbraced? I have a couple of old lemonwood bows, one a York ELB. Years ago I made a string and shot it a few times but decided I wanted to keep them as a pieces of archery history. I know others who have rejuvenated these old bows with good results. I'd guess the lower limb has taken set maybe just by being leaned in a corner. If you decide to make a shooter you will have to reeducate the wood to bend and recover with a slow, graduated exercising and pulling the draw length out to the desired draw length.
 

[Digital Caveman]

I know it's not a Bear, but I would think it would be worth more as an antique then a target bow would be worth off the shelf. (or just out of the shop)

[bradsmith2010]

depending on the draw you want, might consiser cutting the bottom limb a bit shorter,,

[Sagebrush]

Sorry no pics, i will try for some in the morning.  The top limb's taken 15/16ths, the bottom has taken almost 1 1/8.  Ive exercised it back to about 20 inches but havent gone beyond that.  It will still fling a light arrow pretty well though.

Ive just never worked with lemonwood or 50 year old wood.  Has anyone refurbed one of these antiques?  I dont feel like they are a rarity as they pop up on craigs list occasionally.

[hoosierf]

I’ve messed with two lemon wood York bows. One broke in tillering and one is still shooting. I put a bamboo back on the survivor. Started with a 35# bow. Bamboo probably added 25#’s so I tillered it to 50 at 26”. The fiber back likely isn’t providing much protection at this point so you might want to replace it with linen or rawhide. These were basically string follow D bows and shoot quite nicely.  To my eye they were a bit whip ended as well. The survivor I left like that and the one that broke I tried to make more elliptical and it broke violently at the handle fade transition so keep its current profile would be my approach.

[PatM]

I would just flip it top for bottom.

[Eric Krewson]

I agree with Pat.

[Hamish]

3/16" difference in set is bugger all difference. This doesn't necessarily mean there is anything wrong with the way the bow is made. Are the limbs the same length, or is one limb shorter?

What does the bow look like at brace, or when drawn? Is the limb with more set, actually weaker, and bends more, or are the limbs actually balanced?

[George Tsoukalas]

!/4" difference between bottom and top limb is not an issue to me. I'd leave it. Jawge

[Sagebrush]

I hadnt thought of flipping it.  That is a definite possiblity.   Im so tempted to strip it of the backing, heat treat it a bit and then put on a light maple or boo backing and retiller...  Does lemonwood do ok in low humidity???  Thanks!

[Pat B]

Lemonwood is a tropical hardwood but I don't know how it reacts to humidity.
Do not heat treat the back or you will ruin the bow for sure. I wouldn't even remove the fiber backing.
Is it really that important to you that you will make or break it?

[bradsmith2010]

maybe rawhide back and flip or shoot as is,,

[bownarra]

Lemonwood is only so so as a bellywood. I was gifted a load of it years ago. Once i'd worked through it I was left with the impression I wouldn't buy any! It makes a good core wood though. It was used on these sort of bows because it is supposedly less suscepable to grain violations but I don't know about that personaly.
If you really wanted a good bow out of it. I'd strip the backing off. Heat treat the belly but don't try and induce much reflex. Then sinew back it with a light reverse barce   I've never sinewed it but have a feel it might like it