What is a bow stringer, and how does it work with a recurve bow?

We have all been there at some in our archery lifetimes. Getting a nasty injury when stringing your bow can potentially stop you from shooting and leave you with a bit of recovery time, whether it’s to your face, fingers, arms or legs. That’s why we recommend using a bow stringer to effectively restring your bow and avoid their injuries. 

This month, Chiltern Archery take a look at the benefits of using a bow stringer and what could happen if you decide against carrying one around in your archery bag for safekeeping. 

A bow stringer is a material with a ‘pocket’ at one end and a loop at the other. The idea behind your bow stringer is not only to string your recurve bow without injury but to protect your bow limbs and prevent damage or misalignment from occurring. 

Step by step guide to using a bow stringer

Chiltern Archery has created this handy step by step guide so that even when you are using your bow away from our ranges, you can be sure that you are stringing safely and your recurve bow is in safe hands. 

  1. Place the pocket part over one end of your bow limb
  2. Place the loop over the other end of your bow limb
  3. Ensure the strap is resting on the ground 
  4. Place one or both of your feet on the centre of the strap 
  5. Pull the bow upwards until you can move the string into the correct position
  6. Remove the bow stringer from your bow
  7. Reverse these steps to destring your bow 

The benefits of using a bow stringer for you and your bow

We cannot stress the importance of using a bow stringer to string your recurve bow. There are obvious benefits to doing so!

Protect your face

Possibly the most essential part of this article… protect your face! If you don’t want to go home with a broken nose or eye socket, we recommend getting a bow stringer for your bag. A bow stringer dramatically reduces and often prevents nasty accidents when you are stringing your bow.

Protect your bow

Not only can you protect your face when you use a bow stringer for your bow, but your bow will be much happier too! Prolong your bow’s life with a bow stringer, and don’t fret about warped or damaged limbs. 

Don’t forget, your bow stringer does not have eternal life and will need replacing. Check your bow stringer each time before you use it to ensure it is not frayed or damaged in any way. If your bow stringer requires replacing, take a look at the competitively priced stock Chiltern Archery have both at their shop in Buckland and online. 

The dangers of not using a bow stringer

Not only are you responsible for your bow and shooting whilst you are at a range, but you are responsible for not putting other people or yourself in danger whilst you are shooting. There are dangers to not using a bow stringer, which may affect you as an archer and others around you. 

Injury

The most common reason bow stringers are used is to prevent injuries. Injuries to the face are prevalent in archers not stringing a bow correctly. Damage to eyes and noses where the bow limb has flicked back or broken and hit someone in the face should not be taken lightly. Not only can this put you out of action on the archery range, but it can leave you with some serious recovery time and some potential disfiguring scars. 

Bow damage

For those using the push-pull method or step-through method of stringing their bows, they will often find that these methods can warp or damage the bow limbs. Simply put, if you want to give your bow the long life it deserves, then using a bow stringer is the way forward. 

Bow limb bending

There is nothing worse than a bent bow limb. Having a twisted or bent limb could hurt your archery performance, making you shoot off-target or miss the target altogether – particularly dangerous when you are shooting at an indoor range. Avoid twisted or bent limbs by investing in a bow stringer.

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Chiltern Archery have a range of bow stringers in stock for you

Aside from being a nifty little tool that doesn’t take up too much space in your archery bag, bow stringers are an instrumental piece of equipment to carry with you whenever you plan to do some archery. They make it a lot easier to string up your bow, and they protect you, your bow and those around you from accidents and injuries.

Always shoot safely when you use a bow stringer! Chiltern Archery always recommends that recurve shooters use a bow stringer every time they string and destring their bow. Using a bow stringer also means you can make sure you’re not over-pulling the bow, which could lead to a severe injury or worse. The bow stringer is an excellent product that is used by many archers, both professional and amateur, and Chiltern Archery has a great range of stringers in stock and online for you to choose from.