How to Maintain Your Recurve Bow: Essential Care Tips

A well-maintained recurve bow performs consistently and reliably for decades. Neglected equipment degrades quickly, performs poorly, and can fail at critical moments. These essential maintenance practices protect your investment and keep you shooting safely season after season.

Bowstring Care and Maintenance

Regular String Waxing

Bowstring wax provides crucial protection against fraying, moisture damage, and premature wear. Apply wax every few weeks during active shooting periods, or whenever the string appears dry, fuzzy, or shows individual strands separating from the bundle.

Rub wax thoroughly along the entire string length, excluding the served sections at the loops and nocking point. Use your fingers to work the wax deep into the fibers, generating friction heat that helps the wax penetrate. Wipe off any excess with a clean cloth to prevent buildup that attracts dirt.

String Inspection Protocol

Check your bowstring before every shooting session. A thorough inspection takes only seconds but prevents dangerous failures. Look carefully for:

• Frayed or broken individual strands anywhere along the string
• Excessive wear at the nocking point where arrows contact the string repeatedly
• Serving separation, loosening, or unraveling at loop ends and center
• Overall stretching that changes brace height from your normal setting
• Discoloration or stiffness indicating dried-out or damaged fibers

Replace strings showing significant wear immediately. String failures during draw can cause serious injury and often damage bow limbs as well. The cost of a replacement string is trivial compared to medical bills or limb replacement.

String Replacement Schedule

Even well-maintained strings eventually need replacement. Most recreational archers replace strings every 1-3 years depending on shooting frequency and environmental exposure. Competitive shooters often replace more frequently to ensure peak performance.

Keep a spare string in your equipment bag. Strings can fail unexpectedly, and having a backup prevents interrupted shooting sessions or hunting trips.

Limb Care and Storage

Proper Storage Position

Unstring your bow between shooting sessions whenever practical. Leaving a bow strung applies continuous stress to the limbs, eventually causing permanent set (curvature that reduces power and performance). Traditional one-piece recurves should always be unstrung for storage. Modern takedown limbs are more forgiving but still benefit from unstringing during extended storage periods.

Store limbs horizontally on a shelf or hang them vertically by the riser. Never lean an unstrung bow against a wall where it might fall and sustain damage. Avoid hanging by the string, which stresses attachment points.

Limb Inspection

Examine limbs regularly for signs of structural problems. Run your fingertips along both surfaces feeling for irregularities, bumps, or soft spots that might indicate internal damage. Pay particular attention to:

• Areas near limb tips where stress concentrates
• The fade where limbs attach to or emerge from the riser
• Any locations that have sustained impact from dropped bows or struck objects

Cracks, delamination (layers separating), or visible twisting indicate serious structural failure risk. Never shoot a bow with damaged limbs—catastrophic failure can cause severe injury.

Limb Cleaning

Wipe limbs with a soft, dry cloth after shooting sessions to remove dust, sweat, and debris. For stubborn dirt or grime, use a slightly damp cloth and dry immediately afterward. Avoid solvents, harsh cleaners, or abrasive materials that might damage finishes or degrade adhesives holding laminations together.

Riser Maintenance

Wooden risers benefit from occasional treatment with quality furniture oil or paste wax. This prevents drying and cracking while maintaining appearance. Apply sparingly and buff to a soft sheen.

Metal risers require only basic cleaning and periodic inspection. Check all screws and bolts for tightness—bow vibration loosens hardware gradually over time. Limb bolts, sight mounts, plunger buttons, and rest attachments all warrant regular verification.

Stringing and Unstringing Safely

Always use a proper bow stringer device. The old step-through method risks twisting limbs unevenly and creates dangerous situations if the bow slips. A quality stringer costs little and protects your equipment investment completely.

When stringing, verify both string loops seat fully and securely in the limb tip grooves before releasing stringer tension. A partially seated loop can slip off during draw with violent results.

Environmental Considerations

Temperature

Avoid temperature extremes. Never leave bows in hot vehicles where temperatures can exceed safe limits for adhesives holding laminated limbs together. Cold causes less immediate damage but can make limbs temporarily brittle—let cold bows warm gradually before shooting.

Humidity

Store bows in climate-controlled spaces whenever possible. High humidity promotes string fiber deterioration and can affect wooden components. Extremely low humidity causes wood to dry and potentially crack.

UV Protection

Prolonged sun exposure degrades bowstring fibers and damages limb finishes. Store bows away from direct sunlight. Use cases or covers during transport and when equipment sits at outdoor ranges between shooting sessions.

Post-Shooting Routine

Develop a consistent end-of-session habit that catches problems early and keeps gear ready:

1. Unstring the bow if storing for more than a day
2. Wipe down limbs and riser to remove moisture and debris
3. Inspect string for any new damage or wear
4. Check arrows for cracks, loose points, or damaged fletchings
5. Store all equipment in appropriate cases or designated locations

Need replacement strings? Check our Recurve Bowstring for quality dacron replacements.