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Lisa Shipman
Registered User
Posts: 56
(6/23/01 11:18:39 am)
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Warping Bows
What causes a bow to warp? Is it how it's stored, or the humidity level? Is there anything one can do if their bow gets slightly warped or is it a goner.
If how it's stored between playing is a factor, what is the best way to store your bow?

Lisa

Laura Wichers
Moderator
Posts: 1015
(6/23/01 3:07:45 pm)
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Re: Warping Bows
Warped bows can sometimes be repaired, however there is always the risk that a) the stick breaks or becomes more warped during repair and b) the bow doesn't play like it did before "surgery."


Laura

TerryM 
Registered User
Posts: 435
(6/24/01 10:19:41 am)
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Re: Warping Bows
Bow can warp if left tightened for too long a period of time. I would think also, that the weaker the stick the more the tendency to warp or at least lose their camber. Brazilwood bows are more susceptible to this. Bows that are warped or have lost their camber, can be restored by heating the bow over dry heat and bending the bow to the proper shape. Heating through the wood without burning is the real trick of this process and good bow makers can do this without damaging the fibers of the wood. The wood has to be heated entirely through of the stick so that the wood fibers are completely heated or it will lose its camber again. However, over heating the wood can cause it to become brittle and to break easily. This is really a job that needs to be done by a professional.

A friend of mine had a bow re-cambered and the job was not done properly. The bow flew apart while he was playing, just at the spot where the wood had been heated. It was obvious that the person doing the job had overheated the wood as it was darkened at the point of heating.

Terry

Steve Drake
Registered User
Posts: 369
(6/24/01 10:06:18 pm)
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Community Supporter
Re: Warping Bows
Be sure it is really warped - a bad rehair can make a bow looked warped when it is tightened.

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Lisa Shipman
Registered User
Posts: 57
(6/26/01 8:55:09 am)
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My warped bow
Actually, it's almost brand new. Not quite a year old and it's pernambuco (did I spell that right?). The warp is very slight and it seems to play the same but I certainly don't want it to get worse! Above all I don't want to do anything while it's not being used to make it warp further. It's my main bow and used daily. I'm always careful to loosen the hair after I'm done.

Dick500
Registered User
Posts: 96
(6/26/01 10:16:44 am)
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Warping bows
Something else to consider:

A bow can be perfectly straight when the hair is loose and be pulled into what appears to be a warp if the tension on both sides of the ribbon of hair is not the same. To test for this, check it out when the tension is off and then tighten it up to playing tension and check it out again. If a "warp" appears when the bow is tight, then simply getting it rehaired can oftentimes cure the problem.

While heating a bow to straighten it is the proper procedure for removing an actual warp, it is always dangerous because the bow can break during the straightening process--no matter how good and careful the repair person is. I guess I would rather live with minor warps in my own bows than run the risk of losing them altogether.

Dick

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Replies
Warping Bows Lisa Shipman 6/23/01 11:18:39 am
    Warping bows Dick500 6/26/01 10:16:44 am
    My warped bow Lisa Shipman 6/26/01 8:55:09 am
    Re: Warping Bows Steve Drake 6/24/01 10:06:18 pm
    Re: Warping Bows Laura Wichers 6/23/01 3:07:45 pm
       Re: Warping Bows TerryM  6/24/01 10:19:41 am



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