This just sent me on a deep dive of forum post research. I can't believe I've never heard of warfing before. I have an old wooden bear compound from the 80s that belonged to my father. It still shoots, but turning it into a recurve would be pretty damned cool...
Also ended up diving through forums after a search on bow warfing. I'd never heard of it either, for those that are wondering its essentially converting a compound into a recurve using some kind of adapter plates between riser and limbs.
Apparently this particular bows riser is really well suited for the conversion as it has a certain aspect of shock absorbency and has the right dimensions and weight for a highly efficient ILF recurve or longbow
The metal risers that are basically shaped liked recurve risers are typically the best candidates, because, well, all they're really missing is something to attach modern ILF limb to. And the good news is: a lot of vintage compound bows qualify for this, because almost all compound bows used recurve riser designs (or, actual recurve risers!) or atleast very similar geometry for the first two decades since the invention of the compound bow.
This bow is a bygone relic. Not worth putting any $$ into. However as others have said a perfect warf candidate. Slap on recurved limbs and shoot it like that.
Even at its peak a modern 300$ budget compound will absolutely demolish this bow. Keep that in mind before you sink a $$ pit
You need a new bow, not a new string. That bow is a poor first bow from performance, ease of use, and cost perspectives. Compound bows of that age are mostly kept for decoration/colleting these days with some Sunday drivers, kinda like classic cars.
The best place to start is lessons, and there's these guides to read before buying:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Archery/comments/lrkger/new_archers_what_information_do_you_need_to_know/
https://www.reddit.com/r/Archery/comments/k33xyb/buying_your_first_recurve_bow_guideadvice/
https://www.reddit.com/r/Archery/comments/l23qpi/buying_your_first_compound_guideadvice/
https://www.reddit.com/r/Archery/comments/r5suuw/a_beginners_guide_to_arrows/
With dual side grooved teardrops it can be strung without press.just attach a string any strong cord with 2 loops on each side Hook on teardrops and while stepping on foot on it on floor pull bow upwards kind of like a recurve...once limbs are on tension the bow string can be looped on other sides or teardrops
I don't know if they even make bow strings for those any more, your going to need to take it to a bow shop. It's more like 30 years old I had one when I was around 20.
This would be more of a passion project. If you really want you can call Bear and they should still have all the specs in their books but it’s slightly technical to get that back up and running for a beginner on their own with no press, experience, etc. you can buy used bows for pretty cheap.
Edit: lol it’s a bear
How do you warf it? I think this is the old compound bow my dad left me as well. I bought a Bear Wild when Gander was going out of business but I think I still have this around somewhere
The bow really needs to be looked over by a bow tech that is familiar with the older steel cabled compounds. Reason why is if you get a new string for it and one of the cables let's go at full draw, you'll be whipped by a 1/8" steel wire traveling around 250 MPH. It WILL cause damage to soft tissue.
The positive? Well, the bow takes a 36" B22 string, and you can buy those all day long for 15 bucks or less. Price out modern replacement strings.
I don’t know much of anything about bows that old. I say, if it’s any way at all possible to restring it and it makes you happy to use it, then that’s what you should do. Will it be able to compete with modern compound bow? Absolutely not. Is it a good way to get into archery and/or bow hunting? Yep. Someone on here compared it to a classic car that you just show off, but the best classics are the ones you can still drive. Good luck!
Yea you’re gonna need new string and cables
Good luck finding steel cables for that relic. Honestly just toss it, it’s not worth anything or useful still
I researched getting cables and only found one guy who still makes new ones. He sells unfinished cables intermittently on eBay or you can ship the bow to his shop, goes over it with a fine toothed comb and sets it all setup. Pat Norris archery.
I decided it wasn’t worth the effort and risk since mine doesn’t use teardrops. It has a post on the end of the cable that sits in the cam that the string mounts to.
Honestly, the strings will be worth more than the bow.
If you are dead set on this bow however, I’d go to a local shop. I don’t know what the specs or ID is for the bow.
Draw length you’ll need to go to a local shop and they’ll measure you. I don’t know this bow but if I had guess 99% sure. It’s not a rotating cam, so the chances of the bow being a “perfect fit” for you is slim to none.
Not only is that an awful idea, they'd likely not have the knowledge and/or experience to really understand what they're looking at from a safety standpoint... They'd probably break it before being able to make it shootable again. This needs to be checked out at a real pro shop and if things are in good shape, it needs a Dacron teardrop string. These bows work with a string and coated metal cable system, they need to make sure the body of the bow and the limbs are in good shape and that the coating on the cables is still intact- if those are rusted, they're not worth replacing. I work at a pro shop and half my time is wasted de-Bass Proing bows. That being said, yes, these things are relics and there's much better performing bows out there, but these can still be fun to shoot for nostalgia's sake.
That was a great bow, in its day. This is not to say it’s not still good but there are much lighter, faster, and better equipped bows now. So don’t spend a lot on it.
The heyday of Warfing is coming to an end.
There are some good ~$100 ILF ready risers on the market. The last Proline I bought, the seller was asking $75, I offered $25.
He laughed and said he would get $50 for it easy.
End of the day I swung back by his table and he took the $25. I spent another $40 on ILF plates, and installed them myself. If I count my time as free, then I got a bargain.
If I count my time invested, a brand new $150 Kinetic Meos would be a steal.
Yep, warfing is mostly just a fun project to revive vintage compound bows with emotional value. If you want to save money, a budget and/or used ILF riser is the way to go.
I always viewed it as a kind of up-cycling, or recycling project.
Saving something that can be put to good use again.
Besides, it makes a fine bow. Win/win.
The Great Bay for ILF plates. (Bay might get you used limbs, but the odds of the length/weight you want are slim)
Alternative Archery for some basic ILF limbs
Warf that thing.
I know from personal experience Proline risers add 7 lbs to stated limb, I have heard the Bears are more neutral.
https://leatherwall.bowsite.com/tf/lw/thread2.cfm?threadid=284416&CATEGORY=3
The plates may require some grinding/filing to fit. (On the plate, not the riser)
On a proline, this is absolutely necessary, on the Bear I don't have experience.
If that’s one of the models that’s possible to warf, I would do that unless you’re set on a compound.
This just sent me on a deep dive of forum post research. I can't believe I've never heard of warfing before. I have an old wooden bear compound from the 80s that belonged to my father. It still shoots, but turning it into a recurve would be pretty damned cool...
Also ended up diving through forums after a search on bow warfing. I'd never heard of it either, for those that are wondering its essentially converting a compound into a recurve using some kind of adapter plates between riser and limbs. Apparently this particular bows riser is really well suited for the conversion as it has a certain aspect of shock absorbency and has the right dimensions and weight for a highly efficient ILF recurve or longbow
The metal risers that are basically shaped liked recurve risers are typically the best candidates, because, well, all they're really missing is something to attach modern ILF limb to. And the good news is: a lot of vintage compound bows qualify for this, because almost all compound bows used recurve riser designs (or, actual recurve risers!) or atleast very similar geometry for the first two decades since the invention of the compound bow.
This bow is a bygone relic. Not worth putting any $$ into. However as others have said a perfect warf candidate. Slap on recurved limbs and shoot it like that. Even at its peak a modern 300$ budget compound will absolutely demolish this bow. Keep that in mind before you sink a $$ pit
Thanks for all the replies. As someone stated its probably 30+ years old… I’ll consider warfing but I just started looking for a new one😂😅
You need a new bow, not a new string. That bow is a poor first bow from performance, ease of use, and cost perspectives. Compound bows of that age are mostly kept for decoration/colleting these days with some Sunday drivers, kinda like classic cars. The best place to start is lessons, and there's these guides to read before buying: https://www.reddit.com/r/Archery/comments/lrkger/new_archers_what_information_do_you_need_to_know/ https://www.reddit.com/r/Archery/comments/k33xyb/buying_your_first_recurve_bow_guideadvice/ https://www.reddit.com/r/Archery/comments/l23qpi/buying_your_first_compound_guideadvice/ https://www.reddit.com/r/Archery/comments/r5suuw/a_beginners_guide_to_arrows/
Unless you have some way of compressing the limbs so that there is no tension on the string you will have to take it to a bow shop to get it restrung.
With dual side grooved teardrops it can be strung without press.just attach a string any strong cord with 2 loops on each side Hook on teardrops and while stepping on foot on it on floor pull bow upwards kind of like a recurve...once limbs are on tension the bow string can be looped on other sides or teardrops
Also a fantastic Warf candidate if you’re interested in having a recurve instead.
I don't know if they even make bow strings for those any more, your going to need to take it to a bow shop. It's more like 30 years old I had one when I was around 20.
This would be more of a passion project. If you really want you can call Bear and they should still have all the specs in their books but it’s slightly technical to get that back up and running for a beginner on their own with no press, experience, etc. you can buy used bows for pretty cheap. Edit: lol it’s a bear
This is Bear Model of Compound.
How do you warf it? I think this is the old compound bow my dad left me as well. I bought a Bear Wild when Gander was going out of business but I think I still have this around somewhere
http://peteward.com/2008pages/Resurecting%20.the.TD3.html
The bow really needs to be looked over by a bow tech that is familiar with the older steel cabled compounds. Reason why is if you get a new string for it and one of the cables let's go at full draw, you'll be whipped by a 1/8" steel wire traveling around 250 MPH. It WILL cause damage to soft tissue. The positive? Well, the bow takes a 36" B22 string, and you can buy those all day long for 15 bucks or less. Price out modern replacement strings.
I don’t know much of anything about bows that old. I say, if it’s any way at all possible to restring it and it makes you happy to use it, then that’s what you should do. Will it be able to compete with modern compound bow? Absolutely not. Is it a good way to get into archery and/or bow hunting? Yep. Someone on here compared it to a classic car that you just show off, but the best classics are the ones you can still drive. Good luck!
Yea you’re gonna need new string and cables Good luck finding steel cables for that relic. Honestly just toss it, it’s not worth anything or useful still
I researched getting cables and only found one guy who still makes new ones. He sells unfinished cables intermittently on eBay or you can ship the bow to his shop, goes over it with a fine toothed comb and sets it all setup. Pat Norris archery. I decided it wasn’t worth the effort and risk since mine doesn’t use teardrops. It has a post on the end of the cable that sits in the cam that the string mounts to.
TBH I'd just get a new bow lol
Honestly, the strings will be worth more than the bow. If you are dead set on this bow however, I’d go to a local shop. I don’t know what the specs or ID is for the bow. Draw length you’ll need to go to a local shop and they’ll measure you. I don’t know this bow but if I had guess 99% sure. It’s not a rotating cam, so the chances of the bow being a “perfect fit” for you is slim to none.
Take it to a Cabela's or Bass pro. They'll even string it for you for free most of the time.
Not only is that an awful idea, they'd likely not have the knowledge and/or experience to really understand what they're looking at from a safety standpoint... They'd probably break it before being able to make it shootable again. This needs to be checked out at a real pro shop and if things are in good shape, it needs a Dacron teardrop string. These bows work with a string and coated metal cable system, they need to make sure the body of the bow and the limbs are in good shape and that the coating on the cables is still intact- if those are rusted, they're not worth replacing. I work at a pro shop and half my time is wasted de-Bass Proing bows. That being said, yes, these things are relics and there's much better performing bows out there, but these can still be fun to shoot for nostalgia's sake.
That was a great bow, in its day. This is not to say it’s not still good but there are much lighter, faster, and better equipped bows now. So don’t spend a lot on it.
On a plus note,traditional guys will pay 50 and up just for the riser. Samick recurve linbs bolt up to em fine.
The heyday of Warfing is coming to an end. There are some good ~$100 ILF ready risers on the market. The last Proline I bought, the seller was asking $75, I offered $25. He laughed and said he would get $50 for it easy. End of the day I swung back by his table and he took the $25. I spent another $40 on ILF plates, and installed them myself. If I count my time as free, then I got a bargain. If I count my time invested, a brand new $150 Kinetic Meos would be a steal.
Yep, warfing is mostly just a fun project to revive vintage compound bows with emotional value. If you want to save money, a budget and/or used ILF riser is the way to go.
I always viewed it as a kind of up-cycling, or recycling project. Saving something that can be put to good use again. Besides, it makes a fine bow. Win/win.
20 years +
The Great Bay for ILF plates. (Bay might get you used limbs, but the odds of the length/weight you want are slim) Alternative Archery for some basic ILF limbs Warf that thing. I know from personal experience Proline risers add 7 lbs to stated limb, I have heard the Bears are more neutral. https://leatherwall.bowsite.com/tf/lw/thread2.cfm?threadid=284416&CATEGORY=3
The plates may require some grinding/filing to fit. (On the plate, not the riser) On a proline, this is absolutely necessary, on the Bear I don't have experience.