I am asking the question here because it is on a vintage bow.

Is it common for old bows to get uneven limb bend?

Is this just an optical illusion?

I built a string for a Bear Tigercat zebrawood recurve yesterday and it appears to have uneven limb bend between top and bottom limbs.

It doesn't look as bad today as it did yesterday, maybe my mind is playing tricks on me?

Thoughts?


   

   

   

   

I think that is the way it is supposed to be. I have seen several vintage bows with the top limb bending a little bit more. It is called positive tiller and many bowyers do/did it. I have started to use it and it has been working well on my selfbows.

alex

I'll jump in here as well and say yes yes its true I too have seen lots and lots of those uneven benders weird thing is about 99% of the uneven benders shoot just fine bd

Thank You Alex and Doc.

I had an old cub once that did the same thing but seemed to shoot good.  

I have a '58 Grizzly that I got in a good deal  because the owner thought something was wrong with it (I did too at the time.)  After getting it and shooting it, no problem.  I agree it does play tricks on the mind.

Many of the older bows were built that way as the top limb is longer thus making it easier to tiller without taking material off the limb. Postive tiller is good.

It is common especially with 50's bows and some later ones too............they referred to it as 'chesty' 1/2-3/4 was pretty regular. When first strung they may look more extreme and settle down a bit if you leave them strung a while.