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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Straitshot on January 01, 2011, 12:13:00 PM

Title: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: Straitshot on January 01, 2011, 12:13:00 PM
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Assenheimer 1975
Blacktail 1987
Black Widow 1957
Brackenberry 1984
Bighorn 1977
Schafer 1974
Robertson 197?
Wes Wallace 1991
J.K. Chastain 1960

What other custom bow makers survived the compound era of the late 70's and 80's and early 90's that are still making bows today. I know Bighorn is no longer in business but they survived the compound era and even though they had changed hands several times were still building bows off and on up until a few years ago. I am certain there are some others but just can't remember. I am not talking about production bow co's., only custom makers.

Correction: I see where Bighorn is once again in business.

Louis
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: Shedrock on January 01, 2011, 12:19:00 PM
Pronghorn

I don't no when Herb started, but he's been building bows for quite some time.
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: Steve H. on January 01, 2011, 12:22:00 PM
Howard Hill Archery
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: JCJ on January 01, 2011, 12:23:00 PM
Bruin Bows, Mike Steliga Bowyer. Builds the nicest shooting recurves I've ever shot.
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: legends1 on January 01, 2011, 12:25:00 PM
Tim meigs
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: joe skipp on January 01, 2011, 12:26:00 PM
Fedora and Jack Kempf....
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: Irish Archer on January 01, 2011, 12:29:00 PM
I don't know what year it was when Bob Thompson started Zipper, but my son has one that Bob made for me in 1991.
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: billy shipp on January 01, 2011, 12:40:00 PM
Bob Lee
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: Clint B. on January 01, 2011, 12:42:00 PM
American Longbow perhaps? I think it's still being operated by one of John Schulz's sons, but I'm not sure.
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: Straitshot on January 01, 2011, 12:48:00 PM
I remember:
Bruin 19??
Fedora 1957
Tim Migs 195?

Any body rember the dates or approximate dates? Please if possible, give dates.

I am talking about bowyers, and or co's., that made their living building custom traditional bows during that time and are still doing the same today.

Bob Lee, I think worked for Wing during the onslaught of the compound. He later started his on custom bow co., I believe in the mid or late 90's.

I don't think American Longbow is still in business. There may be an occasional bow by one of his sons but nothing full time any more. Not for sure if they even do that any more.

Louis
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: koger on January 01, 2011, 12:50:00 PM
Quinns Archery.
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: LBR on January 01, 2011, 12:51:00 PM
Chek-Mate
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: Bjorn on January 01, 2011, 01:15:00 PM
John Strunk, Glenn St Charles, Bob Lee, quite a few.
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: S.C. Hunter on January 01, 2011, 01:20:00 PM
I wish Wilderness bows could have survived. This was one of the best bows I ever shot if not the best.
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: Straitshot on January 01, 2011, 01:22:00 PM
There should be some of you older guys that can still remember. Most of the dates I had to research. I shot archery back then so many of the names I remember.

Some of the bowyers you guys are mentioning worked for production co's. back then or started after traditional archery began to emerge again. I am talking about bowyers and co's. that were in business making a living at building custom bows then, toughed it out during the compound era, and who are still in business today.
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: JCJ on January 01, 2011, 01:30:00 PM
Bruin 1982

I owned the bow #16 a 62", 65# one-piece Master Hunter recurve. A little too much weight at my 32" draw.
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: chanumpa on January 01, 2011, 02:27:00 PM
Damon Howatt.
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: newell38 on January 01, 2011, 02:34:00 PM
jack howard, kramer, ron maulding, black widow, john schulz, fred anderson, bill matlock....quite a few
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: Orion on January 01, 2011, 02:40:00 PM
Bear.  :bigsmyl:
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: rainman on January 01, 2011, 03:26:00 PM
Sky and stotler.  Sky sold to Mathews due to the St. Louis airport taking the factory.
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: neargeezer on January 01, 2011, 03:36:00 PM
Great Northern Bow Co. - 1982
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: Burnsie on January 01, 2011, 03:43:00 PM
hoyt
PSE
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: Eugene Slagle on January 01, 2011, 03:46:00 PM
I have a Sky Sky-Hawk that was built by Earl Hoyt in 1991.
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: Pepper on January 01, 2011, 05:21:00 PM
Great Plains, Bill Foreman has been in the business for at least 20 years, and probably more.
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: alex b on January 01, 2011, 05:33:00 PM
Frank SanMarco
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: Tajue17 on January 01, 2011, 05:44:00 PM
oh don't forget "Little Suckling Recurves" making the KT-44 mag's,, called him the other day and he's still making them...

when did Joe Don Jones (Genesis) start?  he made my first custom bow in 1986..
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: Rooselk on January 01, 2011, 06:01:00 PM
Quote
Originally posted by chanumpa:
Damon Howatt.
Absolutely. Some would claim they are so-called "production" bows but they are still made one at a time - and without some of the modern machinary used by many custom bowyers.
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: LBR on January 01, 2011, 06:12:00 PM
Quote
Some of the bowyers you guys are mentioning worked for production co's. back then or started after traditional archery began to emerge again. I am talking about bowyers and co's. that were in business making a living at building custom bows then, toughed it out during the compound era, and who are still in business today.
Chek-Mate still qualifies.  Haven't shut the doors or otherwise closed down for the past 40+ years, although they did make some compound bows at one time.
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: Hatrick on January 01, 2011, 07:36:00 PM
I'm not sure when he started building bows but my first "custom" was a Dale Dye he built for me in 1987. Man, I wish I still had that bow!
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: Ragnarok Forge on January 01, 2011, 07:41:00 PM
Just picked up a bow from WEs Wallace.  He is still making a great bow.
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: MercilessMing on January 01, 2011, 09:28:00 PM
JD Berry 1979.  And a few heart attacks.
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: draco on January 02, 2011, 12:23:00 AM
Bob Lee didn't work for Wing, he was Wing. As in he built the business and owned it and sold it.
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: Elk77 on January 07, 2011, 03:38:00 PM
J D Berry, James has been building custom bows for 31 years now, thats a long time.
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: Terry in Ore on January 07, 2011, 03:53:00 PM
how about Ron Fox "Fox Archery"  now own by Ron King
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: highplains55 on January 07, 2011, 04:03:00 PM
crow creek bows, black swan bows,monarch bows !
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: creekwood on January 07, 2011, 05:35:00 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Straitshot:
I remember:
Bruin 19??
Fedora 1957
Tim Migs 195?

Any body rember the dates or approximate dates? Please if possible, give dates.

I am talking about bowyers, and or co's., that made their living building custom traditional bows during that time and are still doing the same today.

Bob Lee, I think worked for Wing during the onslaught of the compound. He later started his on custom bow co., I believe in the mid or late 90's.

I don't think American Longbow is still in business. There may be an occasional bow by one of his sons but nothing full time any more. Not for sure if they even do that any more.

Louis
http://www.bowhuntershalloffame.com/members/leebob/index.html
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: zipper bowss on January 07, 2011, 05:57:00 PM
Zipper was started in 1982 by Bob Thompson.He retired in 2005.
Bill
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: Earl Jeff on January 07, 2011, 08:51:00 PM
John McDonald (Big River Bows) I think somewhere around 50 yrs
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: bubinga on January 07, 2011, 09:42:00 PM
Quote
Originally posted by draco:
Bob Lee didn't work for Wing, he was Wing. As in he built the business and owned it and sold it.
Yep
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: BowHuntingFool on January 07, 2011, 09:49:00 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Earl Jeff:
John McDonald (Big River Bows) I think somewhere around 50 yrs
Yeah, John has been building bows a heck of a long time that's for sure....and what a bow he builds!
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: Lucas K on January 07, 2011, 09:51:00 PM
Jeffery? I know Owen worked for lots of the big outfits but I am not sure when he went solo. I believe there was an article in TBM several years ago.
Title: Re: What custom bow makers survived the compound era ?
Post by: Lucas K on January 08, 2011, 02:24:00 PM
This thread has me thinking, what was the nadir for traditional archery, 1985-1986. The book "Instinctive Shooting" was published in 1986 and "Winds of Change" in 1991... These two books were responsible for much growth in the resurgence of the shooting of recurves and longbows. Traditional Bowhunter Magazine started in 1989 and has been huge in appearing before a mass audience. So for the purpose of this would a bowyer  have to have started before '85 and still be producing today or just have to have made it to the early Nineties traditional explosion?