Making the Bow

TAKE CARE OF YOUR BOW!

The care of a bow cannot be overstressed. The careful archer will guard and care for his equipment, and will consequently be rewarded with hours of enjoyment for many years. I suggest the following rules:

• Do not lend a bow. Never bend the bow backward after unstringing it. Hang it from the string at the upper nock, to regain its proper shape.
• Always have an arrow on the string when drawing the bow to keep from overdrawing, which is a decided risk at any time.
• Replace a worn bowstring before it breaks and endangers the bow.
• Do not keep the bow near a stove or radiator, as heat dries out the wood excessively.
• Carefully guard the back of the bow against becoming scratched, nicked, or marred. A small splinter starting from such a defect may cause it to break.
• Use arrows of standard length: 24-inch arrows for a 4-foot 6-inch bow; 26-inch arrows for a 5-foot bow; 28-inch arrows for a 5-foot 6-inch or a 6-foot bow. Usually 25-inch arrows are used for a woman's bow.
• Draw the bow steadily and release it quickly when full drawn. Three seconds is too long, full drawn, for even a fine target shot.
• Never release a drawn bow unless there is an arrow fitted to the string. The recoil without any resistance on the string may cause the bow to break.
• Keep the bow in a case when not in use, or when you are trav­eling.
• Renew the finish on a bow at intervals in order to protect and preserve the wood.