Should a laminated recurve be unstrung after each use or kept strung?
I keep mine strung as long as I am shooting it every couple days. If I won't be shooting it for a few days I unstring it. Some people leave them strung all the time and some unstring them after each session. I'm sure you will get a variety of answers.
Strung, unless travel or certain laws require, otherwise.
Always at the ready, if Big Foot shows up in the backyard!
Strung if I shoot daily, or unstrung it if not. The single bow I keep strung no matter how often I shoot it is the #50 fibreglass Bunyan. I am covered for Big Foot inopportune visit as mentioned above.
Double.
I unstring mine. It only takes a couple secs. very easy to do and very easy to learn how to do it right.
I leave the one I am currently shooting strung, unless I'm going away for a few days. The others are unstrung.
I see no reason to leave mine strung if I'm not using it. I unstring mine.
A modern fiberglass bow? I haven't unstrung mine more than a few times, there is no need. I know how to do it properly, but there is more risk involved than leaving it alone. Unless heat is involved, then please unstring.
The two I shoot most often always stay strung unless I have to take them down for travel
Unstrung. I know it probably doesn't hurt glass bows...but why leave them under stress when they're not being used? I've been shooting vintage Bears almost exclusively as of late...I have read/heard of older bows taking a set when left stung in definately. So I just unstring after I'm done for the day. Makes me sleep better at night...and a .45 is by the bed in case bigfoot shows up lol.
Unstrung. Like already mentioned, it's not that hard, only takes a few seconds. Also, it's easier for me to store my bows unstrung.
Thanks for the replies I leave my primary bow strung and was getting nervous I might have heard the bowyer wrong when I got the bow. They suggested leaving it strung since most likely time to damage a recurve is stringing and unstringing.
I've been stringing and unstringing recurves for about 50 years now. Haven't damaged one yet. Leaving them strung indefinitely means there's continual stress on the limbs. The effect may not be (immediately) noticeable, but that doesn't mean it isn't happening.
I suppose improper stringing or unstringing may damage the bow more, or more quickly, but I don't want to damage my bows at all.
Strung, but properly hung or laid
I always unstring my bows. They are all longbows. I have a good friend who always leaves his Black Widow recurve strung. His reason is that recurves are generally most frequently damaged when either stringing or unstringing. It makes sense to me, I guess.