# Do I have a twisted limb, or am I just being paranoid?



## dward0487 (Mar 2, 2014)

Well, this will be my first post here at Archery Talk. I'm just getting into traditional archery, and I've purchased a Samick Sage 35 lb. recurve so that I can develop my skills before moving up to a higher draw weight. When I purchased the bow, I wanted to replace the Dacron string with a Fast Flight Flemish string, and I was surprised to see the man at the archery shop step through the bow to string it by hand instead of using a bowstringer. At the time, I figured this might be just old-fashioned know-how, but when I got to researching this method, I saw that the step-through method can lead to twisted limbs. 

The reason for this post is that I'm a perfectionist, so naturally, I want all my equipment to be perfect and I want to learn perfect technique, etc. When I got home and set my bow down flat on the table, I noticed that one edge of a limb would touch the tabletop, while the edge of the other limb would have a small gap between it and the tabletop... I am including pictures to show what I'm talking about (I apologize for the quality and lighting -- I was using my phone to take these pictures).

Here is the bow sitting on the table with the back of the bow facing outward. Note that the lower limb is touching the table, while the upper limb has a small gap all the way through.


















Here is the bow sitting on the table with the belly of the bow facing outward. Note that this time, the upper limb touches the table, while the lower limb has the gap.


















Here are the views when looking down the bowstring from the lower limb tip and upper limb tip, respectively. The string looks fairly well-centered. (Unfortunately, some of these pictures may be turned sideways, which is not how I uploaded them... I suppose it's the formatting of the forum or something. Sorry!)


















But here is what concerns me... This is the view of the string as it sits in the string groove on the upper limb. While it does sit in the string groove, it seems to want to sit on the inner right edge of the groove.


















Here are a few shots of the string sitting in the groove on the lower limb. It seems to want to sit on the left inner edge of the groove.


















So here's my question... Is this a normal amount of variance on a takedown recurve bow like the Samick Sage, or am I experiencing a small amount of limb twist here? Will this get worse? Should I attempt to "correct" it? If I push the string down a bit, it seems to sit in the groove normally, and I haven't noticed any movement or "popping in" of the string into the groove when drawing and easing it back down. Naturally, I'll be using a bowstringer on this bow, as I know I should. What are your thoughts on this matter, guys and gals? Please let me know! Thanks!


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## bopo2 (Dec 7, 2008)

A lot of what you're seeing is probably the not so tight fit in the limb pocket . But if the limbs are twisted that little amount won't hurt a thing


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## dward0487 (Mar 2, 2014)

bopo2 said:


> A lot of what you're seeing is probably the not so tight fit in the limb pocket . But if the limbs are twisted that little amount won't hurt a thing


You know, I was wondering if it might just be that the limb pockets are slightly "off". I imagine this gives all takedown bows a little variation from one to the next... I hope you're right, but I'd certainly like to hear from others, as well! Thanks!


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## Windrover (Jan 6, 2012)

Yes.


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## rock74 (Jan 8, 2012)

Its hard to tell with the bow sitting on a table the riser contact points may not be even making one limb sit higher than the other. Try to get a good pic with both limbs in the pic with the back of the bow parallel to the ground. Also you can draw the bow and see if the limb is twisting. Twisted limbs are easy to bump back.


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## groove508 (Sep 9, 2011)

Many times on a T/D it will work itself straight after the 1st shot and will be loud as well with the Sage.


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## dward0487 (Mar 2, 2014)

Windrover said:


> Yes.


Is that your way of replying to the question in the title of this post? It's a little difficult to make sense of what you've said when you only post one word...


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## dward0487 (Mar 2, 2014)

rock74 said:


> Its hard to tell with the bow sitting on a table the riser contact points may not be even making one limb sit higher than the other. Try to get a good pic with both limbs in the pic with the back of the bow parallel to the ground. Also you can draw the bow and see if the limb is twisting. Twisted limbs are easy to bump back.


I'd be happy to take another picture, but could you reiterate how you want me to orient the bow? To me, what you said sounds very similar to the way I took the original pictures. Also, what would it look like if the limb were twisting when I'm drawing it? It's difficult for me to really see the limbs in relation to the rest of the bow at full draw. Would it look like an actual bending of the limb left or right like a curve, or more of a rotational twist, like a helix?


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## wseward (Mar 7, 2013)

I purchased some ILF limbs that had a small amount of twist in one limb...I forget which one. After shooting for a week it went away. May need to keep an eye on it to see if gets worse or better?

I have also purchased ILF limbs where it appears that the small amount of twist will stay, unless adjusted out.

When I assemble any take down I check for twist and often push the limbs, by hand sideways, (while the bow is strung) to try and remove any twist. I have a Samick Polaris (similiar to the Sage in riser design) and will push the limbs sideways to get better alignment.


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## wseward (Mar 7, 2013)

A link:

http://www.archeryinterchange.com/f37/all-you-need-know-about-recurve-bow-alignment-54692/


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## FORESTGUMP (May 14, 2008)

Windrover said:


> Yes.



Yes, my answer too. You're being anal over nothing and worried that the guy who knew how to properly string a bow might have broken your toy. I have always used that method without killing any bow, I have a stringer but can't find a reason to use it.
If the very tiny misalignment really bothers you then grab the riser with one hand and the limb tip with the other hand and give it a little twist in the direction you want it to go. Twist a little past center and hold it a few seconds, then just draw the bow a few times and observe. Repeat for the other limb. 
But, I might also suggest that if imperfection bugs you, you might consider a more expensive bow since the Sage is a low end starter rig, imperfections and all.


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## northern boy (Aug 25, 2010)

Your bow is fine a slight mis aliamint of string is pretty normal in light weight limbs because there so easy to twist. Your bow will be fine an shoot well. Like people said just twist the limb to line up string groove..Enjoy your bow an not worry. The sage shoots well.


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## rraming (Aug 5, 2006)

I don't care for the loops on that string, pic #58 looks like the string is not centered causing the slight offset you are seeing. Seat the loop as straight as you can and draw it full a few times, once it's straight in the grooves leave it string for 8 hours. That same photo zoomed it looks like a spot for the string to fray and has already started fraying. I would replace the string.


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## JParanee (Oct 13, 2009)

Its a Flemish string I do not think it is fraying


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## FORESTGUMP (May 14, 2008)

JParanee said:


> Its a Flemish string I do not think it is fraying



Anyone who thinks that string needs replacing would really panic if they saw mine, little twigs sticking out everywhere.


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## JParanee (Oct 13, 2009)

Look at the ends of these Flemish strings 

They are in great shape this is how they look


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## dward0487 (Mar 2, 2014)

FORESTGUMP said:


> Yes, my answer too. You're being anal over nothing and worried that the guy who knew how to properly string a bow might have broken your toy.


I really hope this comment was meant to be playful rather than condescending... I'm just looking for advice from you more experienced folks. I was simply saying that the way he strung the bow was the thing that made me start learning about limb twist. The bow looked like it had been hanging, strung, in the shop for some time and the small amount of twist could have easily been caused by another previous customer mishandling the bow in some way. 




FORESTGUMP said:


> But, I might also suggest that if imperfection bugs you, you might consider a more expensive bow since the Sage is a low end starter rig, imperfections and all.


I realize that there may be better starter bows out there, but I chose the Sage because it was very affordable, and I didn't really see any negative reviews of it during my "new purchase research." I simply wanted a decent starter bow that could help me develop my skills until I was ready for the next step up. I'm sure that I'll end up being one of the many archers on these forums that has a nice bow collection sometime in the future.



rraming said:


> I don't care for the loops on that string, pic #58 looks like the string is not centered causing the slight offset you are seeing. Seat the loop as straight as you can and draw it full a few times, once it's straight in the grooves leave it string for 8 hours. That same photo zoomed it looks like a spot for the string to fray and has already started fraying. I would replace the string.


After looking at the picture, I see what you're talking about. However, I took a look at the string and it looks pristine -- no signs of fraying. I think it was simply bad picture quality that caused it to look a little messed up. I re-strung the bow and tried to move the string to the side a bit to where it looked "centered", but after a draw or two, it always returned to the position pictured. I also strung the bow up with the original string, and it sits in the same spot. For this reason, I believe there is a bit of minor twist here. I took the bow to another shop (the shop where I purchased it was closed today), and the person I talked to said that it did appear that the limbs were very slightly twisted, but that there was nothing really to worry about. 

I'll keep an eye on it, and if it worsens, I might try to correct it a bit. On the other hand, since I only purchased this bow yesterday and haven't done anything to cause the twist myself, I might see if the shop would be willing to swap out the limbs for another set of 35-pounders. That seems like a fairly reasonable request to me...

Anyway, in the meantime, I decided to practice making some homemade string silencers on the original string. I used Fisherman's Wool and some serving string to wrap the strings where they will contact the limbs, and also made some little yarn puffballs. Here are the results:


























Do these look pretty good? I do notice a definite difference in the tone and noise of the string when plucked. I guess my only question is whether the yarn wrapping around the string will cause any problems with the slight offset in the string's position in the string groove. Will I be alright with something like this? Thanks to everyone who has replied. I appreciate your help!


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## JParanee (Oct 13, 2009)

Looks good 

Do your self a favor grab the tip and give it a twist in the direction it needs to go 

Don't be heavy handed just give it a little twist 

Might remedy your problem easier than you think 

Quick story 

I have a friend that has a pawn shop 

He called me the one day and said...hey I just took in a recurve with the name Bob Lee on it are ya interested 

I flew up and there was a Bob Lee Biccentenial which is like a 1300 + dollar bow new 

It had been in someone's basement left strung and covered in mold 

When I drew it one limb had a bad twist 

I did not make mention of it and told the opener its a great bow that needed some love 

I paid him 239 bucks on the spot and as soon as it was mine I grabbed the limb gave it a hard twist and hold it for a bit 

The limb bumped right back in line 

I brought the bow home and refinished it and its a real beauty 

Moral of the story 

Your limb is not that bad 

Give it a little twist. Ya might be happily surprised


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## ranchoarcher (Sep 26, 2013)

Dward, your bow is fine. Your silencers look pretty good too. On my martin it's got the same issue with the string a hair's breath off center but doesn't affect accuracy at all. The sage is a good bow, especially for the money. I had one and passed it on to one of my boys to learn on. If anything, keep an eye on it to see if it bends further. If it does you can always bump it back. They're pretty durable.


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## curvaceous (Feb 3, 2010)

the limb looks ok to me , lets not forget that it's a entry level bow , a great starter bow for a great price , but don't expect it to be perfect out of the box .

I have an internature hunter [email protected] 28 which I bought in 2007 as a bit of a knockabout bow ( very similar to the older Samick SHT ) , it has a bit of a twist in the limb also , but as I said before , paying a relatively small and affordable price don't expect to get absolute perfection.

I have always used the step through method , and haven't had any problems.

Even with a bit of a limb twist the bow still shoots fine , I use a fastflight string on it , and no problems


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## footdoctor (Mar 3, 2014)

Giver a firm twist and you will be fine


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## FORESTGUMP (May 14, 2008)

wseward said:


> I purchased some ILF limbs that had a small amount of twist in one limb...I forget which one. After shooting for a week it went away. May need to keep an eye on it to see if gets worse or better?
> 
> I have also purchased ILF limbs where it appears that the small amount of twist will stay, unless adjusted out.
> 
> When I assemble any take down I check for twist and often push the limbs, by hand sideways, (while the bow is strung) to try and remove any twist. I have a Samick Polaris (similiar to the Sage in riser design) and will push the limbs sideways to get better alignment.




No Sir, I meant exactly what I said. This post, and others similar, is what triggered my response. These people gave you some good ideas to try and apparently you still have not shot the bow, or tried to adjust the limb in the pocket or twisted the limbs. Or maybe I just missed the post about it. Instead of trying some simple, commonly used tricks of the trade, you went back to a bow shop. I get the feeling that for some reason you're afraid of the thing. Just shoot it man, it will be ok, I promise.
I leave my bows strung all the time and once in a while I notice the string sitting as yours is. It's a non issue and I just reach up and give it a little twist and keep on truckin.


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## Sanford (Jan 26, 2009)

dward0487 said:


> I'll keep an eye on it, and if it worsens, I might try to correct it a bit. On the other hand, since I only purchased this bow yesterday and haven't done anything to cause the twist myself, I might see if the shop would be willing to swap out the limbs for another set of 35-pounders. That seems like a fairly reasonable request to me...


It might seem reasonable at this stage in your experience with limbs, and I will say, if the shop is decent at keeping their customers happy, they will and should swap you. On the other hand, there will come a point where you find that what you are seeing is normal. I've pulled new high end limbs out of the box to see similar, accept it, and go about my business. You will see that on many limbs. It's just the nature of the beast and has no effect on anything.


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## dward0487 (Mar 2, 2014)

FORESTGUMP said:


> These people gave you some good ideas to try and apparently you still have not shot the bow, or tried to adjust the limb in the pocket or twisted the limbs. Or maybe I just missed the post about it. Instead of trying some simple, commonly used tricks of the trade, you went back to a bow shop. I get the feeling that for some reason you're afraid of the thing. Just shoot it man, it will be ok, I promise.


I certainly agree that I've gotten some very helpful advice from the members of this forum! Of course, as soon as I noticed this issue, I made every effort to learn more about it, and yes, I have attempted to twist the limbs by hand. I shot the bow when I originally purchased it, but I have not been able to shoot it since because my arrows are currently being fletched. Once I actually have some arrows to shoot, I assure you I'll be shooting the bow again. However, when I read your posts, I feel like I'm detecting a subtly aggressive tone in them... Everyone has their own personality and style, and you may be a perfectly friendly and helpful guy, but it almost seems as if you're berating someone who is new to archery after their first few posts on this forum just because they wanted to get input on something they don't know about before they go trying to fix it themselves. Anytime I involve myself in something, I do my best to learn and understand things before applying them. I wanted to hear opinions and techniques from a fair amount of experienced archers on this issue, so I made the thread and gave it some time (this thread is, after all, only a day old) for people to respond. That's not so bad, is it? It has nothing to do with me being "afraid" of my bow... 

Anyway, to all the other posters who have given me advice and made me feel welcome, I sincerely thank you all! I had attempted to twist the limbs by hand before I posted, but after hearing from you all, I gave it another try, holding the twist for about 30 seconds or so each time. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to have any effect, and the string returns to the original position. I also removed the limbs from the limb pockets a few times and re-installed them, but again, this had no effect. I suppose I could try to use a small amount of heat while I twist the limbs, but I'm not too concerned anymore. As many of you have said, I should not expect these lightweight limbs to be razor straight on the Samick Sage, and after hearing from all of you, I have renewed confidence in the bow and I recognize that this shouldn't affect the way it shoots. I think I am going to leave it as is, and just concentrate on enjoying the bow and building my skills.  After all, I'm here to learn, meet fellow enthusiasts, and share in the enjoyment of the sport/hobby. Thanks a lot, everyone!


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## Bill 2311 (Jun 24, 2005)

Go to tradgang.com and do a topic search on twisted limbs and fixing them. I think it was there that I read about tweaking a limb in hot water vs a hair dryer or other heat source. Seems that the hot water was more uniform in spreading the heat and not harming the bow.
The string groove is probably just off a bit.


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## FORESTGUMP (May 14, 2008)

dward0487 said:


> I certainly agree that I've gotten some very helpful advice from the members of this forum! Of course, as soon as I noticed this issue, I made every effort to learn more about it, and yes, I have attempted to twist the limbs by hand. I shot the bow when I originally purchased it, but I have not been able to shoot it since because my arrows are currently being fletched. Once I actually have some arrows to shoot, I assure you I'll be shooting the bow again. However, when I read your posts, I feel like I'm detecting a subtly aggressive tone in them... Everyone has their own personality and style, and you may be a perfectly friendly and helpful guy, but it almost seems as if you're berating someone who is new to archery after their first few posts on this forum just because they wanted to get input on something they don't know about before they go trying to fix it themselves. Anytime I involve myself in something, I do my best to learn and understand things before applying them. I wanted to hear opinions and techniques from a fair amount of experienced archers on this issue, so I made the thread and gave it some time (this thread is, after all, only a day old) for people to respond. That's not so bad, is it? It has nothing to do with me being "afraid" of my bow...
> 
> Anyway, to all the other posters who have given me advice and made me feel welcome, I sincerely thank you all! I had attempted to twist the limbs by hand before I posted, but after hearing from you all, I gave it another try, holding the twist for about 30 seconds or so each time. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to have any effect, and the string returns to the original position. I also removed the limbs from the limb pockets a few times and re-installed them, but again, this had no effect. I suppose I could try to use a small amount of heat while I twist the limbs, but I'm not too concerned anymore. As many of you have said, I should not expect these lightweight limbs to be razor straight on the Samick Sage, and after hearing from all of you, I have renewed confidence in the bow and I recognize that this shouldn't affect the way it shoots. I think I am going to leave it as is, and just concentrate on enjoying the bow and building my skills.  After all, I'm here to learn, meet fellow enthusiasts, and share in the enjoyment of the sport/hobby. Thanks a lot, everyone!




:welcomesign: :hello2: :grouphug:


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