Making Matters: How to be a bow pro

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Bow maker Gary Leahy presents a simple guide for players to care for their bows, as well as offering advice on how to improve a bow when it feels past its sell-by date

Your bow can give you a lifetime of pleasure and service if it is well looked after. Indeed, there’s no reason why it shouldn’t last many lifetimes! On the one hand, a bow is a remarkably durable item, potentially withstanding all the stresses and strains of performance over the course of centuries. But on the other, it is a very sensitive and in some ways fragile item, and small issues can have very significant effects on its playability, its condition and its value. As such, it needs to be carefully looked after to keep it in good shape. So here are some things you can do to ensure that your bow remains in good condition and performs at its best for all time…

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