I have a ton of Old Heavy bows...Recurves, Longbows, and Selfbows. Very difficult to sell now days. BUT I'm now back to enjoying many of my Old Bows again. My skills of grinding knives has brought new life back to these bows. I have no problem taking 10-15# off a bow and a couple up to 24#. Some I have to redesign and retiller the limbs but mostly it's just removing a lot of Glass or Wood.
I know most bowyers will only take about 5# off and I totally agree with that as it is a liability/safety issue. Before anyone starts to questioning me...I Never sell any bows that I have worked on Nor do I take weight off anyone else's bow. I'm taking them down to 40-43#@28. They look great (Not Hack Jobs) and shoot great. So far I've never had one break and I test they on my scale to 30 inches draw....I draw 27 1/2 inches. Any 55# bow and down...It's Grinder Time!
tippit
Well then, you've answered your own question!
I support your efforts.
It does seem bows over 50# are only good for tomato stakes these days. Are we now just a nation of wussies?
BTW, got any old Bear Kodiaks over 90#?
That should keep you busy for a while Jeff
With your talent and skills I would have no problem buying a bow that I thought was desirable that you had reduced. It is hard to sell a heavy bow sometimes but if you let it go cheap......they will sell.
I hear ya Jeff. I've got a wall full of bows that I'd love to move but with nary a one under 65# I doubt that will happen any time soon.
They're just too heavy to reduce to a weight I can use.
Charlie,
Believe it or not but I just reduced your Old "Brownie for Gary Norris" Osage selfbow 2pc to 43#...loving it again! That sucker had enough Osage to make Two selfbows!! My grinder with a 36 grit very aggressive belt makes a lot of Yellow Saw Dust in very short order. I can finish a bow in less than an hour and only have to do the last sanding by hand. No wear and tear on my body.
This post isn't about Wussies! It's about enjoying Traditional Archery after getting Old...70 now with two back surgeries, total knee, and shoulder. I'm talking about having fun. I could care less how much weight anyone wants to shoot. I physically can't shoot heavy anymore...period!
I'm trying to remember that bow but just don't seem to recall.
Too many bows made and not enough memory I guess.
Charlie,
It was a beauty but very heavy...still is a beauty. Only problem is I had to grind off your lettering.
That's great. I have often wondered what good the old heavy draw bows will be after we get(got) too old to pull them.
Charlie,
What weight are you shooting now? I might have a proposition for you.
Jeff if you know Jacques Bonin from NH he still loves those heavy bows,, I think he only posts on the other forum now but I'm thinking you may already know him so give him a shout if you have any heavy poundage bows especially any classics you need sold.
Jeff what type of grinder are you using.
Jeff,well done you gave those old Bows a new life
macbow,
I have a KMG with 2X72 belts. I use the rubber backed Rotary Platin attachment that has the slightest give as apposed to a hard surface. Therefore helps prevent any gouges. For glass bows, I'll use a worn 220 grit belt. For selfbows and Bamboo backed bows, I'll use a new 36 grit aggressive belt. I'll weigh and check tiller after a few passes. Then smooth everything with a worn 400 grit belt. Final hand finish out of 280.
I love bows in the 55-60# range I'd see what you can get for them!
Well Michael,
I have plenty of those cause I used to like them too. A lot of them are classic bows from bowyers no longer making bows.
Good on Ya Tippit. Way to take the lead!
QuoteI have a ton of Old Heavy bows...Recurves, Longbows, and Selfbows. Very difficult to sell now days
Even worse, I've got a bunch of LEFT HAND bows from 80 to over 100#
All they're good for is to hang on the wall for my grandkids to point to and say, "My grandpa shot those bows when he was young"
:archer:
Ron,
I guess the only way to fix those would be to split them down the center and have two 50 pounders. The heaviest I ever had was an 80 pounder and I don't think I ever got to full draw. I mainly shot 65 pounds...not anymore.
tippit, I was just making light of your situation and certainly hope I was not being too critical. I've been on medicare for a few years now and days of shooting 70# bows are long gone. Any bow over 50# now takes some work, but just happy to be able to shoot any weight.
Blackhawk,
That comment wasn't aimed at you. Someone else posted right after you and that post was actually pulled. I couldn't agree more with you. I still love to watch the path of the arrow in flight...maybe a little slower but still just as much fun.
QuoteOriginally posted by tippit:
This post isn't about Wussies! It's about enjoying Traditional Archery after getting Old...70 now with two back surgeries, total knee, and shoulder. I'm talking about having fun. I could care less how much weight anyone wants to shoot. I physically can't shoot heavy anymore...period!
X2
Amen post up a few pics I'd love to see some before and after pics
There are a few of my bows that I won't touch like my Bear collection and a couple of Dean Torges self and Bamboo backed Osage bows. Plus there are a few bows that I've sent back to bowyers to have them reduce 5 pounds to keep the value of the bow.
I like 'em heavy! I shoot 70 on my bows, just feels natural to me. Y'all gonna have to start messaging me when you have a good one ya wanna let go!!
I gave my last three extra heavy bows away. It took a long time to find guys that could shoot them. The last one was well over 80 pounds, I shot it probably over 100 times while I was giving shooting lessons to the guy that could pull the bow, but needed to correct his form with a lighter bow. Once we got things straightened out, he could handle it well enough to hunt with it. I paid for that for about three weeks.
Heck guys...I'm 6'1"-220# ...and only 53, and even I don't kike those 65#+ monsters..!!! 55# or less...! Too many years of weightlifting And baseball Has taken its toll on my shoulders. I once shot an 82 pounder for five shots on a bet....I never did find it all that enjoyable? Sooooo.....I think what you are doing is a good idea....keep the "arch" in archery...:-D
A friend of mine has the same trouble in that he has a fine older Wapiti one piece that pulls 61# @28".
Every one in a while he gets me to shoot it a bit but that is the only use it sees.
Jeff, last year 55# was no problem at all and I can't handle but a couple of shots this year. Right now 48-50 is what's working.
QuoteOriginally posted by tippit:
This post isn't about Wussies! It's about enjoying Traditional Archery after getting Old...70 now with two back surgeries, total knee, and shoulder. I'm talking about having fun. I could care less how much weight anyone wants to shoot. I physically can't shoot heavy anymore...period!
AMEN, Jeff! Love my lower poundage bows. It's like starting over again. Started with 42#, now am back to the same weight some 55 years later.
This has answered my question as to why there have been few heavier bows for sale in the classifieds in the last year. With few buyers out there sellers have just kind of decided to not bother listing them.
Too bad in a way, as there are probably some amazing bows sitting waiting for the right (albeit rare) person to use them. It can be tough sorting through heavy bows though, as i think grip fit in the hand is even more critical as you go up in weight.
Split the 100# if you want and sell as two 50#, or glue 2 50# together and sell it to Terry Green as a 100# :)
At 65 I am constantly fighting with myself over 60 to 70 pound bows. I like the arrows they shoot. My brain says low 50s at 26 will easily kill anything that I want to hunt, but my favorite bow weighs in at 60 pounds and is a lot of fun to shoot. It also happens to be the best bow I have for moving targets.
I can attest to Jeff's skills. The bows he adjusts are near flawless and you wouldn't know they had been altered unless he told you..... And.... They SHOOT!!!! Jeff you are totally changing the game and I love it! See you soon
Good stuff Jeff, Glad you are still having fun!
A lot of people can shoot a high poundage bow in their video game! Do not see many of them in the gym though.
According to Schulz, when someone got a bow from Howard Hill that was way too stiff for them, he would angry and say, "I could cut washers off your butt." I never gave it much thought until I saw a very graphic cartoon of a power lifter. When shooting a very heavy bow, if you feel that perhaps someone could cut washers off your butt, you are over bowed. I had my wife watch me shoot my 100 pounder just to make sure.
For MANY years the standard was 40-45# bows. Now we have even more effective bows, arrows and broadheads. No need for heavy bows unless you want one.
QuoteOriginally posted by tippit:
This post isn't about Wussies! It's about enjoying Traditional Archery after getting Old...70 now with two back surgeries, total knee, and shoulder. I'm talking about having fun. I could care less how much weight anyone wants to shoot. I physically can't shoot heavy anymore...period!
Tell it all brother, tell it all. :thumbsup: