Get a bowstringer...

Actually, I was taught that on a long bow you will simply knock yourself silly should you happen to slip. On a recurve, the tip of the bow lines up pretty well with the eye...

I have never done the push-pull myself.

 

I wouldn't recommend the push/pull method but lots of people use it. I've heard rumors of people being fatally injured by recurve tips penetrating the eye socket because of mishaps with this method of stringing. I've used the step-through method my whole life but have heard lots of rumors of twisted limbs caused by using this method so I wouldn't recommend it, either. I guess all that's left is using a bow stringer.

 

bow stringer is the cheapest insurance you'll ever buy.

rusty

 

i've been using push-pull for over fifty years on both kinds of bows with no problem at all. of course i always have the bow out to my right side and if a string breaks or something else happens, the most injury is a slightly bruised shoulder. no part of the bow can strike my head or upper body.
using a stringer is definately the safe way to go if you don't want to take chances.

 

the wider flat limbs of the classic era recurves and modern designs that also use wider flat limbs were especially suseptable to twist damage if the step through method was followed. historically it was the standard for stringing all sorts of bows going way back for thousands of years. personally I'd be comfortable using it for longbows, but never for a flatbow or recurve, particularly an older one. However I almost always use a stringer and have for the past 25 or 30 years.

 

Like Barking Mad, I was taught the push/pull method back in the late 1950s and have always used it. I make it a point to hold the bow to one side (as Larry said) and I turn my face away, moving the loop into the grooves by feel alone.

I tried a bow stringer when I got back into this stuff, as every one said it was the only way to go. With my low back problem it makes me bend at just the wrong angle and amount. Not being impressed with causing pain every time I strung a bow, I went back to what worke before and son-of-a-gun if it doesn't still work. (smiley face goes here)

Dave

 

Yip...don't be looking at the limb tip and it won't wind up in your eye. It used to be a lot easier when shoes and boots used to have stitched on soles. The bottom limb tip just went naturally into the arch of your foot. Nowadays, these chinese made shoes all have bonded on soles, making it a lot harder to push/pull string a bow. Pretty easy to do on bows under 50#. I don't shoot bows that light, but I still use it sometimes for unstringing, because it's easy to do, but I pretty much use a bowstringer for stringing/unstringing anymore.

 

Pretty easy to do on bows under 50#.

That probably explains why I have such good luck with the push/pull. I don't shoot anything but bows under 50#. See, there are some advantages to being a wimp!

Dave

 

OK, I'm one of the people that nearly lost an eye doing push-pull. My eye glasses kept the eye from being scooped out. Fortuneatly, the emergency room folks were able to glue the lacerations in my eye lid closed rather than stiching. I also had double vision and had to wear a very stylish priate patch for a week while the swelling went down.

Sure, its a low risk event and will probably never occur to most people. That said, it can happen and its no joke.

Ken

 

I've used this method for years myself, but i know, all it takes is one slip and it could ruin you for life.
Ya'll have about got me gun-shy now. I might ought to get a stringer, or at least, lean the other way a little more.

 

I've used the push pull method for years,even when I have had a stringer handy.
I knew the dangers as I've seen a guy smack himself in the head when he slipped.
Just goes to show how stupid I can be at times.
I bought an old solid glass bow a couple of months ago,it has odd tips that make stringing it a bit diffirent from usual,but I strung it like normal anyway,,,then I went to unstring it.
Not totaly sure what happened but I wore the top limb tip about two inches behind my right eye,,,,,the pain was of the utmost highest quality and I spent a few minites wondering if I should bother geting up again or just call it a day an die right there an then.
So yeah,I reckon a bloke should use a stringer.

 

Thank you for your replies and your concern for my well-being, everyone.

As stated, I was more worried about damaging the bow than myself. Just re-checking from the mirror today, in the event of a limb slipping, the tip would hit thin air about 10" up and left from my left shoulder. While performing the action, I might look like the main character from the movie "Crouching moron, hidden talent", but I feel quite safe. And since no-one brought up any points on as to how this method would harm the bow, I'll keep using it.

Stringers, on the other hand, I find intimidating. How on earth can all that tension be held with so little of the limb tip inside that little sleeve?

Thanks, and good shooting,

-bm.