What is the longest you leave your recurve or longbow strung?

[bigtuna]

I unstring and restring my bow everytime I use it but I find that keeping my brace height consistent can be tough without measuring everytime. Is it ok to leave it strung for say a weekend? a week? a month? Thanks.

[EnW]

I leave my bob lee longbow strung because I shoot it most often. Everything else I unstring because it saves space, is safer, and because some take set and because some I don't shoot very often.

I would think it best to unstring your vintage shakespeare after use. I have always heard that unstringing vintage bows is best for them.

[Mark G]

I leave mine strung all the time....

[MeatEater]

I unstring mine when not in use however I will leave it strung for a weekend of hunting.

[Sanbur in Mo]

My PSR ben strung since turkey season back in may an will be strung all winter . Don't see any change in it Sanbur out

[muddydog]

During hunting season, Ill leave it over the weekend. Then unstring all the time

[TxAg]

I unstring my longbow for transportation and leave it strung the rest of the time. As long I'm shooting it at least once a week, I don't worry about leaving it strung.


If you do string/unstring that often, just be very careful not to twist a limb. Also, as long as your string doesn't gain/lose any twists your brace height shouldn't change.

[Night Wing]

Both of my Blacktail TD recurves have been strung since last December. Since I check the poundage on both of them, I've found they haven't lost any poundage during the last 9 months while they've been strung.

[jmack]

I leave that huge longbow of mine strung all the time. As far as checking your brace height, just put a simple crest on your arrows with permanent marker, or go fancy. If you know how far the crest is from the throat of your nock, then you can check it instantaneously. You can also do this at the front of your arrow to make sure your're anchoring in the same place each shot. Come to full draw, and have someone mark the arrow in line with the belly of your bow, then draw a ring all the way around at that mark.

[LeanMachine]

my bob lee is only unstrung to adjust the brace height. In a well built bow, you are at a greater risk of damage by unstringing than leaving strung.

[Wayne Meuir]

When I bought my Horne Longbow, I asked Mark the same question and he told me that he leaves his strung up all the time unless it is going to be stored in a hot environment (inside a hot car or ?) and that it will not hurt it and it will not take a set, so mine stays strung up most of the time and in 5 years it has not hurt it.

Wayne

[bigtuna]

very good info here, thanks a ton. Sounds like the consensus is that I don't need to worry about keeping my bow strung for awhile if I am shooting it a lot.

[Cottonwood]

All my vintage bows are unstrung until I am ready to shoot them again, but my Chirun/Samick Spikeman is strung all the time since I shoot it everyday.

[Txnrog]

Same story as above - I unstring only if I'm not going to shoot the bow for a while, otherwise, I leave it strung

[Live2Hunt]

I leave mine strung all the time, unless it is going to be in the car or garage for any length of time...

...heat is a killer on them...