How To String A Recurve Bow (with Pictures) - WikiHow

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow How to String a Recurve Bow

Download Article Co-authored by Clay Hayes

Last Updated: February 19, 2026 Approved

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Stringing Your Bow

Tuning the Bow

Video

Expert Interview

Tips

Warnings

Things You'll Need

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This article was co-authored by Clay Hayes. Clay Hayes is an Archery Expert based in Idaho. He owns and operates the website Twisted Stave, where he sells merchandise, offers tutorials, and blogs about his life as an outdoorsman. Clay and his family have built an online community of over 440 thousand archery and hunting enthusiasts with their YouTube channel. Clay has authored three books and produced hundreds of videos on wilderness skills, traditional archery, bow building, and bow hunting. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Natural Resource Conservation from the University of Florida and a Master’s degree in Wildlife Ecology from Mississippi State University. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 89% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 319,309 times.

Stringing your bow is not difficult with the proper equipment. It still requires attention and caution, however, to avoid whacking yourself with a bow limb under stress. You can start shooting as soon as you've strung the bow, but tuning will help a great deal if your bow is new.

Steps

Part 1 Part 1 of 2:

Stringing Your Bow

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1 Purchase a bow stringer. This cheap tool is 100% necessary to string your recurve bow without damaging the limbs. Choose one designed for a recurve bow (not a longbow), and intended for your bow's length and draw weight. Confirm that the ends of the stringer fit snugly over your bow's limb tips.[1] X Expert Source Clay HayesArchery Expert Expert Interview
- Some sources recommend the "pocket and saddle" design for recurve bows, but "double pocket" stringers are also common.[2] This guide covers both types.
2 Place the string over the bow tips. Slide the string's large loop over the bow's upper limb, positioning the string on the correct side of the bow. Fit the smaller loop into the notch on the lower limb, double-checking that it fits snugly. Since the bow is in a relaxed position, the string should have plenty of slack.
- The lower limb is on the heavier side of the handle. The bow's draw weight is usually marked on the lower limb.
3 Fit the stringer pocket over the lower limb tip. If your stringer has two pockets, the larger one fits over the lower limb. This should cover the small string loop, keeping it secure in the groove.
- If this doesn't feel secure, wrap a rubber band tightly around the string loop.[2]
4 Place the small pocket or saddle onto the upper limb. If your stringer has two pocket, place the small pocket over the upper limb tip. If your stringer has a saddle (a leather or rubber pad) on one end, slide this over the top limb and just behind the string loop. Position the saddle about 3 inches (8 cm) from the tip, just behind the string loop.[2] X Research source
- Some saddles can be secured against the bow, while others require you to hold it in place. The dimpled surface should press against the limb to reduce friction.
5 Hold the bow horizontally. Hold the bow grip with your non-dominant hand. Hold it horizontally so your dominant hand is near the upper limb, holding the loose string loop in place. Position the bow so its limb tips point upward, with the bowstring and stringer underneath.
6 Step on the bow stringer. Bend at the waist to lower the bow until the stringer (but not the string) touches the ground. Step on it with both feet, about shoulder-width apart.[2] X Research source Use the balls of your feet, not the arches, or the cord may slip.
- If using a saddle bow stringer, use one hand to keep the saddle in place.
- You may use one foot, but planting both feet gives you extra stability. This is particularly helpful for children and shorter adults.
7 Draw up on the bow. Take up the slack in the bow stringer and confirm you have a secure grip. Be prepared to pull upward, bending the bow limbs back toward the ground. Read the next step before you start this motion.
8 Slide the large loop onto the notch. At the same time you pull up on the bow, slide the loose string loop up until it fits into the notch near the tip of the bow.
- If you have trouble with this, the stringer may be too long. Shorten it by tying knots near the bottom pouch.
9 Confirm the string is secure. Run your finger over the string loop to confirm it's secure in the groove. Keep your finger over the string for the rest of this process, so you can stop if the string starts to slip off.[3]
10 Lower the bow slowly. Slowly lower the bow until the stringer is slack. Do not rush this step, or a loose string could slip off and slingshot the limb into your face.
11 Check the string. Immediately turn the bow so its limbs face away from you. Double check the string loops once again. If they aren't secure, stand on the stringer again to repeat this process. Keep your head back and turn it away from the string, in case the loose string snaps off.[2] X Research source
- Do not point the limbs at a nearby person, or a mishap could cause an injury.
12 Remove the bow stringer. If you used a rubber band in an earlier step, remove this as well. For best results, adjust your bow according to the instructions below before you shoot.
- When you're ready to unstring the bow, attach the bow stringer the same way you did before. Step on the stringer and draw the bow up, then slide the upper string loop off the notch and down onto the limb. Slowly relax the bow.

Part 2 Part 2 of 2:

Tuning the Bow

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1 Adjust the nocking point height. Imagine a line running from the top of your arrow rest to your bowstring, hitting the string at a 90º angle. Position your nocking point on the string about ½" (1.25 cm) above this line, so your arrows are perfectly horizontal when nocked.[4]
2 Shoot in a new string. If your bow or string are brand new, the string will stretch out a little. Expect it to adjust to its final stretch over the course of your first one or two shooting sessions. Alternatively, you can leave the bow strung overnight once to help it settle.[5] X Research source Don't spend too much time adjusting the brace height (described below) until the string had adjusted.
- Flemish twist strings stretch out more than endless loop strings.
3 Test the brace height. The brace height is the distance between the handle of the bow and the string. Measure this distance, then shoot a few arrows to see how your bow feels. A high brace height will slow down your arrows, while a lower brace height will make a loud, jarring noise on release.[6] X Research source
- Ask someone to stand on the side and watch as you shoot. The noise and vibration are easier to judge from the side.
4 Adjust brace height. If you think brace height needs adjustment, unstring the bow. Twist the string a few times to flex the limbs further, increasing brace height. Untwist the string a few times to lower brace height.[7] X Research source Measure carefully and write down the number each time, along with notes about how the bow fires. You'll probably have to make several adjustments to find the perfect point, but after that you're set.
- Most recurve bows shoot best with a brace height between 7.5 and 9.75 inches (19–25 cm).[8] Replace the string with a smaller or larger string if you can't get it near this range, or if you have to twist more than 20 or 30 times.[9]
- If you're having trouble getting your arrows to fly straight, buy a T-square to measure nocking point height and brace height more accurately.

Video

Tips

When assembling a takedown recurve bow, make sure you install one upper and one lower limb, in the correct positions. The lower limb is usually the one with the draw weight label.[2] Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
At some point, ask an experienced archer to critique your technique. Seemingly minor mistakes in form may damage your bow limbs over time.[2] Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
For hobbyist purposes, the "endless loop" and "Flemish twist" bowstring designs are very similar apart from appearance. The endless loop is slightly more stable and powerful, while Flemish twists tend to be quieter.[10] Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

When you're shooting always pull the string back to the same place, like the corner of your mouth, especially if you don't have a sight.

Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Warnings

Replace your stringer once it starts to fray. You do not want it to snap when your face is bent over the bow. Thanks Helpful 7 Not Helpful 1
Take your time and examine the string and bow before you start shooting. If the string isn't secured properly, it could snap off and injure you. Thanks Helpful 9 Not Helpful 2
Never string your bow without a bow stringer. This will seriously damage your bow's limbs, and increases the risk of injury. Thanks Helpful 8 Not Helpful 5

Things You'll Need

Recurve bow
Bowstring
Bow stringer
Rubber band (recommended)

How toSet Up a Recurve Bow

How toMake a Recurve Bow

How toShoot a Recurve Bow

How toString a Compound Bow

How toShoot a Compound Bow

How toInstall a Peep Sight

How toShoot a Recurve Bow Without Sights Accurately

How toShoot an Arrow

How toBuild a Longbow

How toTie a D‐Loop

How toHold an Archery Bow Use a Modern Crossbow

How to Load and Shoot a Modern Crossbow

How toMake a Bow and Arrow

How toAdjust a Compound Bow

Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about archery, check out our in-depth interview with Clay Hayes.

References

↑ Clay Hayes. Archery Expert. Expert Interview
↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Johnson, Teresa. Archery Fundamentals, 2nd edition. Human Kinetics, 2015. https://books.google.com/books?id=DAgABQAAQBAJ
↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ariz17USvao
↑ https://www.bestrecurvebowguide.com/tuning-your-recurve-bow-part-1/
↑ https://www.3riversarchery.com/blog/longbow-and-recurve-set-up/
↑ https://books.google.com/books?id=_0CLP-NbOXgC
↑ https://www.bestrecurvebowguide.com/tuning-your-recurve-bow-part-1/
↑ https://www.bestrecurvebowguide.com/tuning-your-recurve-bow-part-1/
↑ https://archery.uchicago.edu/documents/RecurveBowSetup.pdf

More References (1)

↑ https://www.archerytalk.com/threads/flemish-twist-vs-endless-loop-strings.1437565/

About This Article

Co-authored by: Clay Hayes Archery Expert This article was co-authored by Clay Hayes. Clay Hayes is an Archery Expert based in Idaho. He owns and operates the website Twisted Stave, where he sells merchandise, offers tutorials, and blogs about his life as an outdoorsman. Clay and his family have built an online community of over 440 thousand archery and hunting enthusiasts with their YouTube channel. Clay has authored three books and produced hundreds of videos on wilderness skills, traditional archery, bow building, and bow hunting. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Natural Resource Conservation from the University of Florida and a Master’s degree in Wildlife Ecology from Mississippi State University. This article has been viewed 319,309 times. 18 votes - 89% Co-authors: 29 Updated: February 19, 2026 Views: 319,309 Categories: Archery Article SummaryX

Before you string a recurve bow, make sure to purchase a bow stringer if you don’t already have one. Then, fit the string’s large loop over the bow’s upper limb, the smaller loop into the lower limb, and the stringer pocket over the tip of the lower limb. Afterwards, hold the bow horizontally in your non-dominant hand, then bend at the waist so you can step on the bow stringer with both feet. Finally, pull up the bow while sliding the string loop into the notch near the bow tip at the same time. To learn more, including how to tighten or loosen your bow strings, read on. Did this summary help you?YesNo

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Reader Success Stories

Bill Zielke

Oct 5, 2016
"The string on my take-down recurve had slipped off and l was unsure as to which loop went where. Now l know. Good..." more

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Co-authored by: Clay Hayes Archery Expert Co-authors: 29 Updated: February 19, 2026 Views: 319,309 89% of readers found this article helpful. 18 votes - 89% Click a star to add your vote