Montgomery Wards Razorback Recurve okay to use?

[3Crows]

My father got this bow about 1964. It is 66 inches long and is a 50# pull. He used it for a number of years and did take several deer with it. Then it sat for decades in the corner of the gun cabinet.

The bow appears to be straight and has no damage or stress marks. What should I do to test this bow or should I just put it back in the cabinet for another 50 or 60 years? Yes, it will need a new string.

The bow does not actually say Montgomery Wards on it anywhere, just Razorback and an emblem of one running.

 

[Armored farmer]

I love shooting my recurve. 50# is a real sweet hunting weight. Mine is 52#.
I would put a new string on it and give it a few flexes and see how she does. No popping or cracking sounds?
I have been around some older bows being used. I've never seen one break a limb.
1964 is a pretty old bow. (I'm a '64 model myself).
Best of luck.
It sure would be cool if you can resurrect that bow.

 

[Kingcreek]

It’s probably ok. Only way to know for sure is to shoot it.
I’m not familiar with it specifically but MW didn’t mfg much of anything. I wonder if it’s a savage or bear or ?

 

[rust collector]

A picture would help us ID the likely manufacturer. My guess would be Bear, Ben Pearson or Shakespeare. The pull weight and draw inscription might also give us a clue.

 

[jmr40]

I have a couple of recurve bows from the 1970's that I regularly use. A Ben Pearson I got for Christmas in 1974, and a Browning Nomad I picked up used years ago. The Browning is as old or older than the Ben Pearson. Both are in perfect shape. I keep them unstrung and hang mine vertically by one end of the string.

If it has been stored properly it should be fine. It isn't a good idea to prop it up on one end on the floor. Store it horizontally or hang it vertically from the string in a climate-controlled room and they will last a while.

Put a sting on it and see what happens.

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

The main thing to watch for in older recurves is any twisting of the limb and also delamination. The crazing of the finish is normal and not harmful. Checking the tiller with a long string would be a good idea if it has sat for a long time.
Also, I think they were made by Ben Pearson.

 

[sgt127]

A full face helmet and heavy coat. Pull back like Hercules. Let fly.

Consider it safe.

 

[3Crows]

A full face helmet and heavy coat. Pull back like Hercules. Let fly.

Consider it safe.

You are right. Years and years ago I had an osage straight bow made by my uncle. I strung it up and let it fly and fly it did, into splinters and a piece of it flew through the air and stuck into my father's steel (somewhat rusted) barbecue pit. The other piece went into the air and flew a good fifty feet up into a tree hanging from a limb by the string. If anyone had been in the path of either they would have been impaled.

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

You are right. Years and years ago I had an osage straight bow made by my uncle. I strung it up and let it fly and fly it did, into splinters and a piece of it flew through the air and stuck into my father's steel (somewhat rusted) barbecue pit. The other piece went into the air and flew a good fifty feet up into a tree hanging from a limb by the string. If anyone had been in the path of either they would have been impaled.

OK, I am sure you know this but to dry fire a bow is a very bad thing. If you are anywhere near Topeka or Lawrence I'd be glad to take a look at the bow for you and I could also make you a string if you like.

 

[DDeegs]

I have an old Bear from the 60s that i use, like others said string it, gently pull, if no cracking, it should be good to go

Dan

 

[3Crows]

OK, I am sure you know this but to dry fire a bow is a very bad thing. If you are anywhere near Topeka or Lawrence I'd be glad to take a look at the bow for you and I could also make you a string if you like.

Thanks. I would not dry fire it. Down in Wichita. But I would be happy to purchase a new bow string from you.

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

Let me see what a 66" recurve needs and I'll let ya know.
I'll have to be a week or so as I've got a case of the "rona" at the moment.

 

[3Crows]

Let me see what a 66" recurve needs and I'll let ya know.
I'll have to be a week or so as I've got a case of the "rona" at the moment.

Thank you. No hurry. I hope you feel better soon and just have a mild case. And it is Christmas, get better.

I will post up a photo of the bow today sometime.

 

[3Crows]

Here is the old bow:

 

[rust collector]

How old is the PSE company? Did they maybe buy out another? PSE shows heritage razorback recurve bows, and they seem to bear the same hog image. https://psearchery.com/heritage-bows/

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

That is a classic for sure. If that is the original string measure it's length and I'll twist you up a flemish version when I get to feeling better.

From the color of the wood and the glass I'd say it was a Ben Pearson. The decal might have come off over the years..?

 

[rust collector]

You may want to inquire on a traditional bow forum such as Leatherwall: https://leatherwall.bowsite.com/tf/lw/THREADSX2.CFM

 

[WestKentucky]

That’s a beauty. My dad has one he got used as a teenager. It had a cracked limb when he got it and he did some pretty basic repair work and got it usable enough to get by. He killed a couple deer with it way back. I have used it for a bow fishing piece a time or two. It’s just as stout and just as usable now as it was in the early 70s when he got it. New string was bought for it around 1997 and with proper care and pretty limited use, that string is still usable.

 

[EMC45]

I had a Bear (I believe Kodiak) years ago. I got it from my Dad's attic in GA (bad storage) and strung it. I shot the living fool out of it for several months. I was shooting Easton Al arrows with 100gr. field points. One day it let go on me and it was some kind of experience! It popped loudly and folded up and I just stood there for a second with my eyes closed. I opened my eyes to see if I was missing any body parts, but I wasn't. The bow broke on a limb and folded up and was done. The years of hot storage did her in. It was a 50# bow.

 

[3Crows]

That is a classic for sure. If that is the original string measure it's length and I'll twist you up a flemish version when I get to feeling better.

From the color of the wood and the glass I'd say it was a Ben Pearson. The decal might have come off over the years..?

I measured the string and found it to be 58 and 3/4 inches long overall. This seems a little short. I thought a string was generally about 4 inches less than the length of the bow? I am pretty sure that is the original string. And, this bow has never been left outside or stored in an attic or such. It spent the last 55 or so years in a gun cabinet in my parents living room.

 

[rust collector]

A search for razorback 0966 yielded this: https://www.archeryaddix.com/threads/razorback-recurve-0966-66-correct-sting-length.35569/ and this: https://www.tradtalk.com/threads/razorback-0966-66-correct-bh-and-string-length.75185/

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

The 4" less than AMO length has been a standard for years. The jig that I use for laying out a string has pegs for various lengths of bows so I was just going to use the 66" peg.
A string 58 3/4" does sound pretty short, that would be almost quarter draw while braced...

 

[3Crows]

A search for razorback 0966 yielded this: https://www.archeryaddix.com/threads/razorback-recurve-0966-66-correct-sting-length.35569/ and this: https://www.tradtalk.com/threads/razorback-0966-66-correct-bh-and-string-length.75185/

Per that second link the fellow used a 63 inch string. Hmmm, I am not bow knowledgeable. I do not think there anything particularly special so this bow should use a standard length or slightly longer (to reduce preload) string?

I have not strung the bow with the string I found wrapped on it. It is too short I think. That string possibly came from another bow my dad had long ago that was shorter and less draw weight. My dad was a big fellow, not overweight, just big, and an exMarine, the 50# draw was nothing for him.

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

63-64 inch string length is about right. Those older recurves tended to have a high brace height anyway.

 

[1KPerDay]

Super cool. I have my browning compound (wood with laminate limbs I think) from about 1984. It has adjustable weight depending on how tight you crank the bolts holding the limbs. The string is still set with my 12-year-old draw length. I haven't shot it in about 38 years. Would an archery shop be able to tell me if it's safe and re-string if necessary or do they only work on the newfangled type compound bows?