# Stress lines or crazing on recurve bow limbs



## Golfbuddy45 (Jun 23, 2010)

There have been many posts on archery forums both in the US and Europe regarding CRAZING or those fine horizontal STRESS LINES across a bow's limb(s). While some posts have discussed refinishing the bow's exterior finish surface to remove the lines I have yet to see a post where someone has described any means of FILLING IN the lines with some kind of acrylic or lacquer finisher as is often used in wood furniture for example. I do wood working and have been thinking of trying some of these products on one of my bows to see if I can clear up those lines without totally refinishing a bow. May be why I got this bow for a good price because he failed to note the lines in his sale ad and he did not ask for what these bows normally sell for. I have done total refinish jobs on recurves and have had great success making an old bow look close to new but it is a lot of work.

Below is my Bear Super Kodiak Commemorative bow that has about 6 inches of crazing on the front of the top limb and about 8 inches on the front of the bottom limb. It appears the previous owner attempted to polish these out as you can see the lines across the surface from tip to tip. The spacing between the lines is closer and closer as you go towards the riser showing the higher stressed areas.









Question here is:

Has anyone here on ArcheryTalk had any experience fixing CRAZING/STRESS LINES on a bow short of a total refinish job? 
If YES then what did you use?

GB45


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## rattus58 (Jul 9, 2007)

Golfbuddy45 said:


> There have been many posts on archery forums both in the US and Europe regarding CRAZING or those fine horizontal STRESS LINES across a bow's limb(s). While some posts have discussed refinishing the bow's exterior finish surface to remove the lines I have yet to see a post where someone has described any means of FILLING IN the lines with some kind of acrylic or lacquer finisher as is often used in wood furniture for example. I do wood working and have been thinking of trying some of these products on one of my bows to see if I can clear up those lines without totally refinishing a bow. May be why I got this bow for a good price because he failed to note the lines in his sale ad and he did not ask for what these bows normally sell for. I have done total refinish jobs on recurves and have had great success making an old bow look close to new but it is a lot of work.
> 
> Below is my Bear Super Kodiak Commemorative bow that has about 6 inches of crazing on the front of the top limb and about 8 inches on the front of the bottom limb. It appears the previous owner attempted to polish these out as you can see the lines across the surface from tip to tip. The spacing between the lines is closer and closer as you go towards the riser showing the higher stressed areas.
> 
> ...


Yeah... but I'm no expert... talk to Kegan or the like... I just take a fiberglass resin and paint the sucker..... but my bows are not showcase... and show the result of 40 foot falls, lava field launching s and the like... and on my longbows and one of my flatbow hybrids.. where I had a stress crack.... still going... going... maybe a bit slower.. but hey... with close to 1000 grain arrows... how slow can you go... :grin:


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## rickstix (Nov 11, 2009)

Ahhh…kinda on a serious note…I don’t typically go too far into discussions about salvaging bow finishes because it can become almost more tedious than refinishing the bow. To start, “stress lines” are typically considered lines that run lengthwise to the limb, which come from fractures in the fiberglass. The horizontal lines in your picture result from finish failure, which is largely a cosmetic feature…as they don’t present an immediate (or barely a remote) threat to the integrity of the fiberglass. (Technically, I suppose, the failure is the result of “stress”…but to say so would only contribute to confusion with this particular subject.)

That said, I started becoming involved with many types of finishes long before the fairly recent concerns over VOC’s changed most everything. I’ve handled a range of products from shellac, lacquer, varnish, epoxy, liquid vinyl, neoprene, hypalon, urethanes, poly formulations, etc. So I, at least, share some of the “mad scientist” that lurks behind your inquiry.

Bottom line, though, is an attribute of the product which is being brought into question…and, in this case, that would be flexibility. Basically, all finishing products are expected to expand and contact within reasonable limits, given the application…however a bow’s finish needs to outperform the average, more stationary, object. And that said, what you have to deal with is a product that has lost its ability to perform as desired…and no amount of cover-up…or trying to reconstitute the finish is going to bring it back to an “as-new” state…which, at best, would be subject to a similar fate (…how would you propose to improve upon “failure”).

IMO, and as much as I’d like to share in your optimism, the effort needed to be put forth, in order to work-around (a/k/a ignore) the problem…still leaves the problem on your limbs…and with substantial room for further doubting. But…it’s your bow…do as you wish…and if you come up with the holy grail of finish repairs you’ll probably be able to make a few bucks on the side.

BTW, I have 3 vintage Super K’s and 2 of them have the same issue…but they shoot fine…and only my favorite is being scheduled for a refinish. I want it to look better in the grave than I will. Good Luck and Enjoy, Rick.


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## BigPapaGuss (Aug 24, 2013)

I se ethe picture and look at my bow and say " oh! that is what they are! WHEW! just the finish? awesome. dont care for it much anyways. lol I'd prefer a matte finish as it is.


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## Golfbuddy45 (Jun 23, 2010)

BigPapaGuss said:


> I se ethe picture and look at my bow and say " oh! that is what they are! WHEW! just the finish? awesome. dont care for it much anyways. lol I'd prefer a matte finish as it is.


I did not indicate this in my original post assuming that most people were aware that those HORIZONTAL LINES that go ACROSS the limbs are almost always just the surface finish cracking and have no derogatory effect on the bow's shootability. However, the crack lines that go UP and DOWN the length of the bow can be harmful to the bow and cause the bow to shatter, but again, there are always exceptions in both cases.















I brought this topic up because the Bear Commemorative bow is a beautiful one and a great shooter but I would like it to have that uncracked appearance just for the aesthetic value as well as the future collectible value when I am done shooting it and all my other bows so that after I have gone on to that better place my Grandkids can enjoy them or sell them off - then I will not care which!

GB45


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## BigPapaGuss (Aug 24, 2013)

Golfbuddy45 said:


> I did not indicate this in my original post assuming that most people were aware that those HORIZONTAL LINES that go ACROSS the limbs are almost always just the surface finish cracking and have no derogatory effect on the bow's shootability.
> GB45


you are right, you didn't but he posts after yours and before mine -did- for it I am grateful, I was avoiding asking. some of us might be shooters, but know next to nothing about what we are shooting. so when i learn something new I get exited. XD


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## WillAdams (Jun 6, 2009)

AIUI, refinishing is the only option (for older Bear bows at least, anyone know if/what year they switched?) 'cause it's ``Fullerplast'' which isn't a ``hot finish'' like laquer, so can't be sprayed over and re-worked. Apparently the stuff is toxic if broken down, so one needs a respirator when sanding.

I'd love to be wrong though.


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