Trad Gang
Main Boards => Trad History/Collecting => Topic started by: d. ward on April 04, 2008, 06:29:00 AM
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Got a couple feather rests off a fellow tradster..Finaly got caught up enough to try one out.I put 150 shot over it with no sign of wear at all..real quiet smooth and slick.The double backed tape seems to hold real good,no problems with them comeing unglued during shooting.I was shooting a 600 grain Sweetland over it and the feather rest still looks near new..Matches up nice with the zebra skin strike plate..Great feather rest,I would recommend giveing one a try..........bowdoc (http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii175/bowdocsarchery/fr001.jpg)
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here's one more better pic......bowdoc (http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii175/bowdocsarchery/fr002.jpg)
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Doc, where can I get a few of those rests? Who sells them?
Jon
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Another vote here for our mystery maker... they sure look good too!
but these pics are clouding my mind so gotta go
:wavey:
Just wanted to ditto you all! :thumbsup:
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Hi Jon,he should be along shortly.I'am gonna use the other one on my 1959 Kodiak....They work super good.Most importently,they seem to stay glued down and the feathers are plenty stiff enough.The samples I got from another supplier came unglued after about 50 shots,so I did not use anymore.Until those two showed up.These new ones are great...I am heading to a 3d in two weeks and will really give it the test on both bows...bowdoc
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Looks like what Jack Howard put on all his bows, ecept that his were red and grey. Best rest that I have ever used.
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Morning Jack,I was hopeing you were gonna see that,as I was pretty certin a JH collecter would have an eye for a good feather rest..You would not happen to have on of Jack's original feather rest would you? Reason I ask is the tradgangster whom is makeing those would love to get a look at one of Jack's originals which I also tested several years ago and there was no comparison...Jacks were 10 fold better then the next one in line...Thanks Jack keep me posted,bowdoc
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Double D,those are one of the best I've tested and I for-sure will have one of em glued on that Custom Kodiak when I head for Que'bec in two months....Nice work......I will check my mail later today for the others....bowdoc
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and I just wish I had a Custom Kodiak to glue one on :biglaugh:
Thanks again, Trap
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Don I had gotten a couple myself but haven't puttem on as yet.
I assume they get installed right next to the riser?
Are these considered an elevated rest making them No Good for an IBO shoots for Longbow shooters?
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I do leave a small gap inbetween the rest and strike plate myself.But yes they go right againest the riser.I could not answer about the IBO shoots....bowdoc
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I got three in super mag case I won from Trap. Those rest are the cats nuts!..Looks great on my 63 Tamerlane That Bowdoc did his magic On last Year.
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Alright Trap, address and a price as I need a few. Of course thats if you want to get rid of a few. Thanks in advance.
Jon
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Hi Jon,
I want to be respectful and not break any rules here and end up getting a thread pulled.
You can either PM me or send me an email and I'll get you the info you requested.
Thanks again for the kudus E1, Trap
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Whoooooooops,sorry I forgot to pm Jon about pm-ing you....my fault guy's..bowdoc
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Jon I'm told the "PM-ing" is ok.
It's the "PMS-ing" we can do with out. :bigsmyl:
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Wooops, I have 4 on the way (smiley face hear)
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Thanks Trap; those rests have really spruced up a coupla' my '59 Kodiaks!
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For what it's worth, here is my opinion of the Trap rest as it compares to Jack howard's, from what I can see.
The rest pictured seems to be of the same level all the way across.
Jack's rests were made with the outside feather vane being the highest, then each one lower going into the riser. This created a down angle going toward the arrow plate. After it is shot a while the arrow eventually wears a kind of groove or trough that the arrow slides through. This is a big help in keeping the arrow from falling off during the draw. They are tough and last almost forever.
Trap's rest seems like it could be used on both right or left hand bows. Jack's were not ambidexterous, in that a left hand rest had to be just the opposite. I have no idea how Jack made them but I assume he glued them together, then shaped the with a feather burner to get the base rest made, then used another burner to get the downward angle. I can see where he could have used the same second burner for right or left rests, just burn the left rest in reverse.
You might want to contact Charlie Lamb. He has been making Jack's feather rests and strings since Jack passed. Jack charged $12.00 for a set of one red and one grey rest. I don't know what Charlie charges, but he is not in it for the money and I am sure he would be glad to share any knowledge he has.
I have a few of Charlies rest's and they are just like Jack's
Trap - If you will PM your address, I will send you one of Jack's rest, and one of Charlie's, but I want Jack's back. I only have about 3 of his originals left.
It would be good to have someone else making these. Between Trap abd Charlie we will have a guaranteed supply,
I have a pretty large collection of bows and I use Jack's rest on most of them except for those that I have original rests for authenticity.
For shooting, I like the Jack Howard rest best of all. I would like to ary A "Trap Feather Rest". From Don's description, it sounds like an improved version.
You know the old saying, "Build a better mouseTRAP...
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Hi Jack, Thanks for the offer. I'll gladly take you up on that, and I'll PM you my address
The rest that Doc has pictured is as you described, flat across the top. It's one of my first ones. At first I was just trying to reproduce the "look" and wasnt concerned as much about function. Doc, Bjorn and Rich graciously test piloted these rests and all offered great advice. With their urging and others' I realized I could make them much more functional as well.
I've since started grinding them on an angle with the outside feather being the longest and the innermost feather the shortest. At first I also assumed they would be ambidextrious but with research found that they required Rt wing feathers for RH shooters and Lt wing feahers for LH shooters.
I'll send you a couple for your review. I welcome your input as well.
Thanks, Trap
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TRAP
Lets just swap, two for two. Send me two "TRAP-RESTS" and I will send you one of Jack's and one of Charlie's.
So you grind the feathers rather than burn them. Interesting.
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Thank You so much Jack, I'll head them your way. Can I assume you are Right handed? It will be neat to compare the Jack Howard feather rest to an original Bear feather rest I have (still in bubble wrap).
The Bear rest is flat on the top. Much easier for mass production I'm sure.
Daryl
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Trap, I sent you an e-mail. did you get it.
Jon
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PM sent Jon, Daryl
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Trap,package arrived safe and sound...Will keep ya posted asap.....Thanks dude you da man....bowdoc
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I actually like them better on my 1959 then I did on my T/D....Looks and works great...Thanks Trap...bowdoc (http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii175/bowdocsarchery/fr001-1.jpg)
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Doc, I see you've been at it with a file again.
Trap
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I will put my two in the mail on Tuesday.
The Jack Howard is made with five feathers, Charlie's is made with seven.
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Hi Jack, I mailed yours today.
I split the difference I guess. I use 6 feathers on my rests.
Do Jack's and Charlie's rests have a leather base like the Bear feather rest or were they right down on the riser?
Trap
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Hey Trap,I don't own to many that have not seen the business end of a file,grinder,belt sander and yes even a bone saw.....I like that shelf down a little lower then factory.Works good for me....Thats a 64" 51#er in the pic with that beautiful arrow rest on it....bowdoc
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I like the looks.Bowdoc, why not shoot off a rug rest after lowering the factory shelf with a file? I there a performance advantage with the feather rest, or is that just how theyt used to be shipped? Thanks in advance!
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I was shooting off the shelf,but wanted to try Trap's feather rest out...Worked pretty good and really did not raise the shelf to much.But yes I do normaly shoot of a peace of seal skin or zebra skin...bowdoc
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I prefer feather rests. I take my razor and shave them down a tad so the arrow will be angled toward the bow.
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I tried to get some pics yesterday while shooting off the feather rest.But failed to do so.I did want to take a picture or two of the feather rests during shooting.While the arrow is being lossed.I actually think the feathers are almost totaley fat upon release of the arrow.The Archers paradox !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! bowdoc
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I want to revisit this topic briefly to discuss design a little. I spoke with Dave Viegut (Precurve) for a bit and he brought up an interesting question.
His question is "why is the high point of the rest where it is and not on the front edge where it would be closer too or above the deep part of the grip?"
Here's a pic of the rests I have for comparison;
(http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa277/DUCK_TRAP/restII025.jpg)
From Left to Right- original Bear Feather Rest, Jack Howard Rest, My Feather Rest, and one that I just played with a little that moves the high point to the opposite end.
Several questions have come up during this thread that I find interesting. Unfortunetly, I honestly don't have the experience or historical knowledge to answer them fully and welcome any input those of you with more experience could offer.
Here's the questions I think could use a little discussion. I'll start by responding briefly to each.
1. Is the feather rest an elevated rest? I suppose it could be considered that since it elevates the arrow above the shelf and is added onto the bow. I'm not sure how it would classify at an IBO shoot.
2. Why cut the shelf down and then elevate the arrow with a feather rest? When I started shooting traditional in the late 80s, everything written seemed to advocate getting the arrow as close to the hand as possible. The feather rest is fairly low profile and for me at least the feathers are a pretty forgiving platform to shoot off of.
3. Why is the high point where it is on the traditional feather rest? As you can see the Bear rest was short and symetrical in design so it could be moved backward or forward to position it above the deep part of the grip. The Jack Howard rest, on the other hand, was longer and the high point was fairly pronounced which would cause the arrow/shelf contact point to get farther from the throat of the grip. When you look at Bear Kodiak shelf and rest combinations through the years you can see a progression from a piece of thin leather on a shelf that was just above the hand (55,56,57,58) to a more pronounced shelf frther above the hand with a feather rest stuck on top (59,60) to a rug rest----------->. Their tenure was fairly short at least at Bear Archery but those folks that like them really like them and use them still today.
I dont have the answers. Like I said earlier, I was just trying for a "look" when I first started making them and once I did they seemed to work just fine. Using the feather rest seems to go against conventional thoughts that the closer to your hand the arrow is the more accurate you'll be. And also the thought that the place where the arrow contacts the shelf should be directly above the throat of the grip. Maybe they should be made like the white one in the picture with the hump towards the front.
This is why I love traditional archery. There's no right answer I'm sure. The rests were probably originally stuck on a production bow by someone and next thing you know they are everywhere and then they almost disapear from existence.
Was the feather rest a precursor to other rests such as Flipper's, etc. Did Herters start it all with their raised shelf? C'mon history buffs, enlighten us.
Trap
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As for it being an ele.rest..yes I would say thats true...But as for the low shelf with the feather rest.When your arrow is leaveing the bow that feather rest is flatter then a pancake...Archers Paradox actually has the arrow in a bit of a bind..and for the high end,I believe was also because it was the last strikeing point as the arrow took flight.Design....personal choice kinda like thier bows I guess......bowdoc
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I agree, so much of this "Trad Stuff" is personal choice, and that's what makes it cool. I shot fine before I used a feather rest and have not seen any magical improvements since I started using them.
It's a neat little "Gadget" that isnt necessary but not a hindrance either so I shoot with em cause I like em.
Trap
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For me, a feather rest is always more forgiving. I shoot well with a rug rest, but sometimes I might get something funny going on with the odd arrow; that never happens with a feather rest. Plus they look exceptionally cool.
Dave
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Yes Dave I agree,they are pretty forgiving and look cool too..........bowdoc