reduing size of tips on selfbow

[traditionalman]

Received a great selfbow in a trade but the tips are so big and recurved that they make the bow a real solw shooter. Front is covered in snake skins but only need to reduce the tips and maybe some limb width.

Could I try to improve this bow or best to just accept it and not try?

[Pat B]

I assume the skins are on only the back and not the sides too...if that is the case you can reduce the tip width with no problem.
 Can you post pics? That would help.
How wide and how thick are the tips? Wood is 8 times stronger in thickness as it is in width so you can reduce the width a pretty good bit without reducing the strength but eliminating a good bit of physical weight.
 If you don't like the way it shoots might as well fix it so you will shoot it.

[John Scifres]

Use a rasp or file and narrow the last 6" of the tips to 1/2" or so.  Rasp/file from the back to the belly and you will minimize damage to the skins.

[traditionalman]

I will try to post pics this wekend. Thanks guys.

[Roy Steele]

I agree with PAT. fix it even if you have to take the skins off and replace them.

[George Tsoukalas]

Gary, I gave a selfbow to a friend who shoots fg. He redid it to make it better. He never built a bow before.  It broke. I'm not giving him another one. I once got an email from someone wanting to redo a bow made by a famous bowyer. I laughed. He never built a bow either especially if he has to ask me how to redo it. Shoot the bow as is is my advice.  Jawge

[Pat B]

I'd like to echo George's point. I guess I didn't read your initial post well enough. If someone else made this bow it is his work and it should be accepted as such. It is what it is, his craftmanship! If however this bow was made by you and you weren't satisfied with the results, I made suggestions that could or would improve it's performance.
 I have a nice collection of wood bows made by others. I would not consider making any changes to any of them. Their value is in the work of the craftsman that made them and not is the bow itself.