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Main Boards => Trad History/Collecting => Topic started by: SELFBOW19953 on July 28, 2009, 09:03:00 AM

Title: Herter's Bows
Post by: SELFBOW19953 on July 28, 2009, 09:03:00 AM

Does anyone know who made the bows for Herter's?  Were the bows made by other manufacturers with the Herter's name on them or did Herter's have their own bowyers?

Title: Re: Herter's Bows
Post by: bkupris on July 28, 2009, 11:30:00 AM

Pretty sure they made them in-house.

Title: Re: Herter's Bows
Post by: fatman on July 28, 2009, 11:48:00 AM

I seem to remember reading on an old thread that their bowyer was Bob Barrie?

Title: Re: Herter's Bows
Post by: SELFBOW19953 on July 28, 2009, 12:25:00 PM

Thanks, Kevin.  I found a couple of threads that mentioned Bob Barrie.

Time to do some more digging.

Title: Re: Herter's Bows
Post by: bkupris on July 28, 2009, 02:38:00 PM

They did have a metal handle target and hunting takedown. Would be interesting to find out who cast those handles?

Title: Re: Herter's Bows
Post by: 4406v on July 28, 2009, 02:44:00 PM

I was looking real hard at a Perfection Sitka on the blanket at Denton Hill.It had a beautiful rosewood riser with horns like a Black Widow.The price was a little steep and I passed.Are they shooters???

Title: Re: Herter's Bows
Post by: bkupris on July 28, 2009, 03:25:00 PM

Quote

Originally posted by 4406v:
I was looking real hard at a Perfection Sitka on the blanket at Denton Hill.It had a beautiful rosewood riser with horns like a Black Widow.The price was a little steep and I passed.Are they shooters???

The Sitka was my first Herters bow, IMHO not their fastest bow due to it's geometry but very stable and forgiving. Also very nice on the eyes. I (we) still own one and my wife shoots it regularly on the field archery course. A capable bow that is a pleasure to shoot...

Title: Re: Herter's Bows
Post by: Dave Watson on July 31, 2009, 07:38:00 AM

4406v - I saw the same Herters Sitka at Denton, and they were asking too much. I have a large number of Herters bows, and they are really good shooters. I have the Magnum Take Downs and one piece bows , and the Sitka Hunters as well as the target versions, as well as other Herters models. The  fastest bow in my collection is the Herters Perfection Magnum take down 62"- it really spits them out.

Title: Re: Herter's Bows
Post by: Lucas K on July 31, 2009, 10:43:00 AM

what years did they make the Sitka with horns? I saw one that was only 44" long that I wish I had bought.
Lucas

Title: Re: Herter's Bows
Post by: bkupris on July 31, 2009, 11:25:00 AM

The Sitka, 1967 - 1978 as far as I can tell...

Title: Re: Herter's Bows
Post by: Dave Watson on July 31, 2009, 12:47:00 PM

I have a 1966 Sitka with Honduran Rosewood handle.

Dave

Title: Re: Herter's Bows
Post by: Wade Phillips on July 31, 2009, 01:06:00 PM

Glad you Herter's collectors are on this thread... This Herter's has a sicker Perfection Sitka 66" on it.

The serial number written on it is K-660867007. Guessing it is a 1966 model? It is 32# @ 28".

4406v - Is this anything like the one you saw at Denton? I don't collect Herter's bows and really don't know much about them other than some had a lot of great wood in the risers.  

  (http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo301/WadePhillips/HETERS1.jpg)

Title: Re: Herter's Bows
Post by: Dave Watson on July 31, 2009, 05:21:00 PM

The serial number reads as follows:
K-66/08/67/007. This means the bow is 66" inches, produced in the 8th month of 1967, and was the 7th bow produced in that month. I too have a 66" Sitka, 50# and it is a dream to shoot!

Title: Re: Herter's Bows
Post by: bkupris on July 31, 2009, 06:16:00 PM

Sweet bow Wade, the 60's Herters bows were the best IMHO. Quality Rosewood and nice curves  ;)

Title: Re: Herter's Bows
Post by: Rick Enos on July 31, 2009, 07:37:00 PM

I heard that the yellow mustard colored glass Herters put on some of there bows was imported from Germany.They say its the best limb Glass in the world.Just something that I heard.

Title: Re: Herter's Bows
Post by: Wade Phillips on July 31, 2009, 07:40:00 PM

Dave - Thanks so much for the education about the Herter's serial numbers. I wish all bow manufacturer's serial numbers were that straight forward to read.

Do you know what month in 1967 the Sitka was first produced?

After posting the photographs, I strung it shot several dozen arrows through it. I was impressed with how well it shot.

Brian - Yes, Quality Rosewood and lots of it. I already checked and it looks like it would be possible to cut a solid 1-piece 1959 Kodiak riser out the Sitka riser. There would probably be enough scraps left over to glue up for a second 1959 Kodiak riser.

Title: Re: Herter's Bows
Post by: fatman on July 31, 2009, 07:51:00 PM

Rick, that DOES sound like something George Herter would have written...  :readit:

Title: Re: Herter's Bows
Post by: Wade Phillips on July 31, 2009, 07:59:00 PM

And we all know that ever scrap of advertising that George L. Herter published was the unbiased truth...

Title: Re: Herter's Bows
Post by: fatman on July 31, 2009, 08:22:00 PM

:bigsmyl:

Title: Re: Herter's Bows
Post by: Lucas K on July 31, 2009, 08:29:00 PM

Thats gospel truth Wade. LOL

Title: Re: Herter's Bows
Post by: Wade Phillips on July 31, 2009, 08:59:00 PM

Lucas & Kevin -

Well, come to think of it, there might have been an instance to two where their catalog advertising or descriptions may have slightly embellished the truth.

Title: Re: Herter's Bows
Post by: fatman on July 31, 2009, 09:08:00 PM

PT Barnum was a rank amateur....  ;)

Title: Re: Herter's Bows
Post by: Dave Watson on August 01, 2009, 12:29:00 PM

The glass on Herters bows is Farbenglass, from Germany. Always mustard and black except on target models of 66" or longer, then it was white, and on CV-17 International Match Hunter models of the 70's, it was green and black.