How To String A Recurve Bow

If you are a fan of traditional archery or are looking to take a trip down memory lane, temporarily putting your compound bow down in favor of a recurve bow, you probably realize stringing such a bow is a way of life. Stringing a bow is a fundamental skill of recurve and longbow archery.

The short but concise answer to this quandary is that there are multiple methods regarding how to string a recurve bow, some of which employ the use of a stringer, others, however, are facilitated solely by hand.

How Do You String An Archery Bow?

An individual might choose to use a stringer for simplicity. Alternatively, when in the absence of a stringer, the push-pull or step-through methods can be used. Both utilize body leverage to compress the bow’s limbs, making stringing achievable.

How To String A Recurve Bow With A Stringer

The use of a stringer allows an archer to utilize mechanical force when stringing their recurve, thus making the process less strenuous overall. The following are the steps to stringing a recurve bow with a stringer.

1. Slide Bowstring Onto Each Limb

You will begin by positioning your bowstring onto each of the bow’s two limbs. This is accomplished in a one limb-at-a-time fashion. First, slide one looped end of the bowstring over one limb. Then give yourself enough slack to place the other loop over the opposite limb by sliding the first loop downward as needed.

You will now straighten out the bowstring in an even fashion, positioning each loop an equal distance from their prospective string notches.

2. Place One Loop Into String Notch

Now you will proceed to place one looped end of your bowstring into its designated string notch while leaving the other end sliding freely over the opposite limb of the bow. To accomplish this, you will likely have to slide the bowstring in the direction of the string notch that it is to be hooked to.

Once this is done, take as much excess slack out of the bowstring as possible.

3. Place Stringer On Bow

You will now position your bow at a horizontal angle with the riser facing upward. The cup end of the stringer will then be placed over the end of the limb that the string is already secured to, then cinched down.

Now you will slide the other looped end of the stringer onto the opposite limb of the bow with the slack of the stringer hanging downward.

4. Compress Limbs

You will now compress the limbs of your bow. This is accomplished by placing one foot over the slack in the stringer as it contacts the ground. This should be done in a manner as to place your foot directly below the center of your bow’s riser.

You will now simply pull upward on your bow, thus slightly compressing your bow’s limbs.

5. Position Bowstring

With your bow’s limbs compressed, you will reach over and slide the unsecured end loop of your bowstring into its prospective string notch. You will then look over both ends of the bowstring to ensure that they are fully engaged in your bow’s string notches. Before ever firing your bow, you should gently draw it back to ensure that the string stays in place as expected.

read.. what is a warf bow

How To String A Recurve Bow Without A Stringer

If you find yourself in absence of a bow stringer, there are still multiple ways to efficiently string your bow as needed. The most commonly used of these methods is the push-pull method. This is the method of choice for most archers, as it is considered a reasonably safe method in regards to potential limb twists.

The steps to the push-pull method are as follows:

1. Slide Bowstring Onto Each Limb

You will begin by positioning your bowstring onto each of the bow’s two limbs. This is accomplished in one limb-at-a-time fashion. First, slide one looped end of the bowstring over one limb. Then give yourself enough slack to place the other loop over the opposite limb by sliding the first loop downward as needed.

You will now straighten out the bowstring in an even fashion, positioning each loop an equal distance from their prospective string notches.

read.. the most favorite recurve bowstrings

2. Place One Loop Into String Notch

Now you will proceed to place one looped end of your bowstring into its designated string notch while leaving the other end sliding freely over the opposite limb of the bow. To accomplish this, you will likely have to slide the bowstring in the direction of the string notch that it is to be hooked too.

Once this is done, take as much excess slack out of the bowstring as possible.

3. Place Pre-Strung Limb Under Arch Of Foot

You will now take the tip of the limb that you previously strung and place it between the arch of your boot and the ground. You will not be placing weight on the bow’s limb, but rather holding it in place.

Your bow should now be leaning diagonally toward your opposite side shoulder.

4. Exert Pressure

At this point, you will be ready to exert the pressure that is needed to compress your bow’s limbs. This is accomplished by pushing downward on your top-facing limb, while simultaneously pulling outward with your other hand on the bow’s handle, using your foot as leverage.

This compresses your limbs to a point that is adequate for stringing.

5. Slide String Into Place

You will now take the fingers on your hand that is pushing on the topmost limb and proceed to walk the sting loop into its designated string notch.

Once you have completed this task, look your bow over carefully to ensure that the string is placed adequately, and test draw your bow to ensure that the string stays in place as expected.

Stringing A Recurve Made Easy

Although seemingly difficult at first, stringing a recurve bow can be done with relative ease if knowledgeable of the tricks of the trade.

By using a bow stringer, or the push-pull method, you will make stringing your bow into a simple task that takes only seconds to complete.

Read more about beginner-friendly takedown bows here.

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