i have a good collection of selfbows from many on this site. bows by Mark Baker, Keith Deters, Joe Weed, and Ron Waldron. these bows are absolutly FABULOUS!!! works of art and deserve to spill blood in the field. now for ME if i could build a bow 1/4 as good as these bows i'm about positive i would NEVER buy or hunt with a production bow. i just can not get over the performance and beauty of these bows. now i ask you if you could build a bow like these fellas would you still buy custom, production bows???
Yup.
You would not BELIEVE how lazy I can get!
Plus, while I love to shoot self bows,I am still roaming around and trying out all the different types of bows that I can. Not the tryout like shoot a few arrows on an afternoon. No, I wanna bring it home, make strings and arrows, play with this and that. Gotta live with it a while.
I am still finding out what I really want in a bow. And I am getting on in years. So many bows...
Killdeer
Killy you have some nice bows FOR SURE but to me there is nothing as sweet as a well made selfbow that just seems to ooze soul throught the limbs! now don't get me wrong i have bows that are really special to me becouse of the people they are from but the selfbows just seem so full of life that you can feel it flow through the entire bow.
Short answer is YES. :D
I build selfbows but I also admire the work of the guys who do the laminated bows as well.
I got a lovely and smooth shooting r/d longbow from Mike at Maddog a couple months ago... :thumbsup:
Paul please feel free to post a pic of one of your bows as i love looking at selfbows. again i do have other bows i love and i'm sure i'll buy many more BUT if i had the skills i highly doubt i would ever bow another new bow.
i have to agree here, i love selfbows and their character/ soul but also i admire the beauty and craftsmanship of a good glass laminated recurve and the other types of bows. just like killdeer said im still figuring out exactly what fits me.
Even though i don't do selfbows... no patience... I know what you're talking about. i do laminated, and after I built the first one, I stopped buying production or even custom bows. I still have a very few fine customs and vintage, but they just never get shot. There's something about shooting a bow and knowing that it came from your hands, even if it's not as good as others, or as beautiful, that makes it special. Learning to build, whether self or laminate, is the one cure I've found for the bow buying virus!
I am a collector of sorts so yes, I must collect.
It is my mission in life to keep the custom bowyers in business! :D (plus i have no building skills so there is that small hurdle to overcome).
NOPE!!!!!
I was Dubbed,"Tightwad Todd" a long time ago.LOL
when I finally fork out the dough to build my own laminated bows, I probably will never buy another bow, lol
What Killdeer said.......it's just fun! Plus I afraid mine are about to blow up and self destruct at any moment! Reddogge, collector of sorts...me to!
Well you know I would! I would buy a bow a week if'n I could afford it. LOL
I'm learning the selfbow gig and just finished a sweet shooting little boo backed jatoba. Can't wait to get my first snaky character bow done. I just love those things.
Stiks
I recently trade two $500.00 production bows to get one of my selfbows back,,, I could not get over the loss so to me it was worth it!!! :knothead:
Archery to me comes in many different forms such as primitive (selfbows), traditional (laminated all wood, bamboo or horn bows), Modern traditional (glass, pheolics bows). So, because I like to shoot all of them, the potential to buy or trade for one I may want is a good possibility.
By the way Ken,,, thanks for the fine compliments! I still miss "WARDOG" too!!
"I ask you if you could build a bow like these fellas would you still buy custom, production bows???"--adkmountainken
Absolutely!!
God bless,Mudd
I'm with you Ken, I have only made a couple but I love the idea of trying to perfect the bow.
Yep, I did, a sweet little Anneewakee Addiction, lam bow named "Blackie". However I loved making the 4 or 5 self bows that I did in the last three years, and hunting with a couple of them. I will never regret those years and lessons learned, and I'm reasonably sure (time left permitting) that I will make and use two or so more self bows before the last bugle call is sounded. However I decided I also needed to use the lessons I had learned before going primitive again also, and the "Addiction", from bowyer, Lee Hoots (Hootsbows), made for Sponsor John Dill (Anneewakee Archery), stole my heart away.
i hope to talk Ron W in to helping me build a bow at some point this year. i would be proud to make ANYTHING that would be heavy enogh to hunt with!
Yes, most definitely. Selfbows (and any longbow, for that matter) don't do a thing for me and I don't enjoy shooting them, so I would still buy a composite recurve. I think it is fantastic that people do build and hunt with bows they have made themselves, though. I'm just not that hardcore. I'd probably use a selfbow before I shot an old-school longbow, though!
Just let me add that there is so much real fun and satisfaction to both making and shooting a self bow that I firmly believe every archer/bowhunter should try either or both at some time.
The recent Ultimate Archer class at the NC State championship shoot - in which contenders had to shoot the course three times - once LB, once Rec, and once Primitive, had a lot of folks hustling for, and shooting, a primitive (all wood) bow for the first time. While some found it harder, some found a "new way to go" - LOL. I think most all got a dose/feel of the difference in flight (arc of the arrow) and fun factor. Many, I'm sure, have extended their trad archery enjoyment.
yes i would.
There are many bows that i think are beautiful pieces of art and shoot amazing to go with it. I would love to have a few of these bows. I do not and would not want to copy anyones designs so i would definitely buy one.
if and when i learn to build a longbow my buying days will be gone without even a glance back.will mean so much more to know that i created this bow.cant wait.
I make my own selfbows. The only glass bows I have are a few vintage recurves.
No, I don't feel the need to buy any bows. If I want a custom, I make my own.
I started out making board bows the proceeded to learn to make selfbows and now I am into miking fiberglass laminated bows, so for me I would'nt just stick to selfbows.
I will be the odd man out---again.
Building either selfbow or fiberglass becomes like an addiction. You build you shoot you think I could tweak this and make it better, so you build shoot and tweak. Even as you find what you consider to be your favorite type short, long, osage, hickory, you think I could improve my tiller, handle. Next thing you know years of building has passed. Your other bows collect dust. I look at them shoot them maybe once a year, mostly not. I want to build hunt and kill with my equipment, doing it my way. We all start down a path some of us stop along the path where we are comfortable others keep walking. I am still waking down the primitive path. I have stopped and looked back only once I didnt regret it but I dont see me doing it again any time soon.
I have wanted another pronghorn a one piece. Mostly just to have. Not necessarly to shoot and hunt with.
Maybe as I age and my shoulders give out I will change my tune, but probably not.
I agree with Jack. For lack of time I haven't made any yet but I also haven't bought any new bows and only own one. I haven't bought any other bows in part to keep me motivated to make my own.
Once I start building my own I don't think I will buy other bows just because the satisfaction of knowing I made it myself.
Ultimate goal is to build my own selfbow, cane arrows and own knapped heads.
I'd love to reach the level of Mike Yancey or Ed Scott's bows.
However, I do love to look at and admire all the different wood styles and patterns of the laminated bows too.
I have built and hunted with all sorts of bows I have built.I still buy bows once in a while however because I like trying new ones..Some I might hunt with and some never make it to the woods.I usually hunt with about 3 bows a year but tend to favor selfbows and bamboo backed bows the most.I just like how quiet the all wood bows are.A big plus for deer hunting where even slow bows work just fine.
I want so bad to build my own bow. The problem is I have ZERO woodworking skills. I am going to try anyway. This site is great for getting some good instruction. My ultimate goal would be to build a bow, something like a Mr. Scott Owl, purity it up and kill a big buck or elk with it...I get the feeling if I ever could build something to hunt with I'd not have very many production bows. Right now I own 3 bows. One I hunt with, and 2 that are just taking up space :)
I'm hoping to find out pretty soon. Being broke pretty much means I won't be buying any new bows whether I can make one that's hunting worthy or not.
I have made several good self bows and plan to make many more, and continue to buy hunting bows from the best-A&H, Schafer etc.
I love working with wood and making bows; but the top bowyers make them way better than me.
I guess haveing been caught up in the many years of "wanting the best" to make me shoot better, or selling bows to people that have no clue for what reason they are buying it other than a name, I would have to say my goal now is the make myself the best selfbow I can. Would I buy a bow? Yes. Do I go out of my way looking for one? No. I guess now in my old,febal ways, I just get more enjoyment out of building bows.
I had the selfbow fever for a while. I knocked out nine of them in a relatively short time. They are fun to shoot, and I still have a couple hanging on the wall. When time permitts I may go back to making them, but for now, I like the performance of a well built custom bow.
I started making my own bows because I'm so cheap. I think I did buy one bow for $10 at a garage sale once. I tell ya, that hurt. But I sold it for $40 so the pain went away later.
I have traded selfbows for glass bows though. I like them too. But I wouldn't buy one.
If I could buil a backed self bow like Ed Scott I would probally only shoot my bows .
Hey Ken,
Maybe we could get Ron to help a few of us out with a class to get us started. I would love to give it a go. I would still buy some others though. I do love bows, but my Lost Creek may have put an end to my buying days.
Dan,
i'll run it by Ron, i'm sure he is watching this thread as it is! i had asked him to help me before and he said no problem. not sure how many would be interested or if we could get schedules to jive but i bet he would be willing to help a few of us. what say ya Ron???????
I don't have the experience or the room to run a class BUT, I will offer my help to anyone who wants to try. My best have come from a purchased roughed out stave and that's a good way to learn without a lot of unnecessary headaches. I have had staves from Mr.Scifres, Gary Davis and a couple of others...in my opinion a good way to start! :thumbsup:
When I finally get the time and skill, I would not buy another bow again.
Duane
Yes I would.... but it would have to be the right bow... for the right reason.
Ron,
Sent you a PM
i myself would be happy with a board bow or i would buy a blank, will talk with ya this weekend Ron!!!!!
I'm kind of surprised to find out you haven't tried it yet, Kenny - I just sort of assummed you had. Go git 'em, buddy - you'll love it!
BTW, Do you know anyone who has some money and wants to buy some quality, like-new custom Fly Fishing gear? I don't use it anymore - and I need the money to buy a bow (or more staves).
"There is no bad reason to buy another bow." Unknown
Bernie,
i hate to say "i don't have the time" BUT i don't have the time!!! i have talked with Ron W and i DEFINITLY will try my hand at it, will make time for it. i just want to be able to make something hunting worthy! have you hunted with any that you have made?
I have, Kenny. Two years with the Osage in my avatar, before an old accident in it's first year caused it to colapse it's bottom limb - I was broken-hearted. I also Hunted with my Dano Gren built Osage for a year and a half. (Also please see the edit in my post above yours while you were posting- LOL.)
will give ya a hollor tonight B!!!
I'll look forward to it, Kenny.