Last week I received a bow from Kirk Lavender.
62" Sasquatch 3pc recurve, 54#'s @27". I wanted to shoot it a good week or so before commenting on it, just to be sure the new bow syndrome wasn't clouding my judgement.
The bow has a Macassar Ebony riser, Zebra limb cores, Mac Ebony veneers. Not only is it a looker, but it's a shooter for sure.....gotta get to work this morning, but I'll be back to give a full review later today.
Come on Billy where are the picts???? You know the rules.
Since I live in Texas, when I saw this topic, I fell for it.........hook, line and sinker. :biglaugh:
Hey Billy....are you going to dip that new bow?
Come on man, show us a before and after photo :dunno: It will be good for business!
Billy sent me an email asking me to help him out with posting some photos here. So here is a peek to get you started.....
Somehow I don't think this one will see the dip tank Tim.
(http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/Bow%20building/TD%20Sasquatch%202011/Billys%20Sas%20RC/CIMG0523-1.jpg)
(http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/Bow%20building/TD%20Sasquatch%202011/Billys%20Sas%20RC/CIMG0521.jpg)
If it shoots half as good as it looks you have a winner. Beaut!
I heard not one but TWO Big Feets was headed for MO.
That is a looker!!! Congrats
why would you wreck a good piece of wood on a lefty? lol
awesome looking bow kirk......billy your spoiled :)
Nice looking bow.
:laughing: Good one Joe!!!
nice looking bow!!
That is another gorgeous big foot.
wow!!!!!!!!!! the foot..."_ :) :coffee:
WOW
That was a nice bow, I really like the wood in the riser.
Margly
I just picked up a Yeti from Kirk and the more I shoot it the more I like it. It draws so smooth and sends the arrow down range fassst! Nice bow you have, I think I are going to love it.
Oh yea,thats a looker for sure.
Billy, Very nice looking bow you've got there.
Nice Billy!! :notworthy:
Kirk prooves that a good looking bow can be a top performer. Nuff said. Billy and Kirk, That mac bow is outstanding. I am glad you did the self stripe and let the wook speak for itself.
God bless you all, Steve
That's a beautiful bow. Might have to save up my pennies :)
SaaaaWeeeeet!!!
Not fair Billy you're using up all the purdy wood!!
Wow!Love the look of that macassar :thumbsup:
Very sweet looking bow, bet she shoot great.
Very sweet looking bow. :thumbsup:
Well guys....I've made 3 attempts, and spent 2 hours trying to finish this thread. I have a new PC that craps out on me, meaning the whole screen going blank, losing everything I've typed, so I'm going to put what I have to say in several posts.....bear with me.
First thing, I've ordered more than my fair share of custom bows, and Kirk is by far the best bowyer I've had the pleasure to do business with. His patience have no end.
Kirk has life long experiences in working with wood, and it is evident in this bow.
Fit, finish, and attention to detail is SUPERB.
I had several special requests, and Kirk nailed them all....dead on. I like larger grips....5" or more. I sent Kirk a hand tracing, and it couldn't have turned out better if I had been there when he built it. I think he had some serious reservations about what I wanted, then it complicated things when he learned it was to be a leftie, but he came through with flying colors.
The overall craftsmanship and attention to detail is the best I've seen.
Now.....here's the good part. This Sasquatch is a natural born race horse. I'm not a speed freak, but if you can combine everything we all like in a good shooting, well mannered bow, then adding exceptional speed is icing on the cake.
I normally shoot 3 different arrows.....2016, 2018, & 65 # POC. Tuning was a non issue. The bow shoots all 3 arrows equally well. The 2016's are a bit light for this bow, but they are blistering fast. Most of my hunting is with the POC shafts, weighing 549 grains.
A lot of bows seem fast at 20 yards, but back up to 35-40 yards and the arrows fall like rocks....not this bow.
I don't own a chrony, never even shot thru one, so my test on any bow is how well the arrow holds up at different distances.I strung and shot 3 well respected, and highly thought of bows side by side with the Sasquatch. The Big Foot appeared to hit harder, and be faster than the others at 20 yards, but backing up to 40 yards told the tale.....same arrows out of all 4 bows. No noticable drop in trajectory at 25-30-35 yards with the Big Foot....40 yards the Big Foot fell off maybe 6 inches, where the other 3 bows were falling 24-30" low....ok....I know ya'll ain't buying this. The only thing I can tell you is to shoot a Sasquatch recurve side by side with anything else, similar poundages, and see it for yourself.
The bow is by far the hardest hitter, with the best cast of any bow I've ever shot.
Kirk ain't 1/2 bad himself, but he sure builds a bad a$$$ bow.
If you like great craftsmanship, teamed up with great performance, then you owe it to yourself to try a BIG fOOT!!!!!
Tom....I hate rules :rolleyes:
Tim....the Big Foot won't be seeing the dip tank, but I sure had a hankering to dip a Super Shrew Limited....#22 to be exact...how bout it Bud?
Joe Vt & Tim again.....you guys are down right brutal....just bear 1 thing in mind boys....I don't forget anything :knothead:
Billy, My Bigfoot bow is the first onepiece recurve that Kirk built. It is the only bow I have that will run with my Eaglewings. I agree 100 percent with what you just wrote. People that are not giving these bows their due need to wake up. There are very few bows on the market that will shoot like a Bigfoot bow. I am a friend of Kirks but I am also a bow builder. I tell it like it is . There are few bows that will shoot with Kirks bows.
God bless you all, Steve
Steve,
I have shot a lot of bows, but I just can't get over how this bow holds up so well at longer distances. Folks are going to think I'm just plugging Kirk and his bows. I did plug both of them, but for good reason.....it's simply the best performing recurve I've ever shot...barr none. I wouldn't have believed it either until I saw for myself.
My findings aren't scientific, but it's not hard to tell which bow shoots flattest at longer distances.....I was, and still am amazed.
Billy: Great looking bow, would love to see some limb detail and a profile of the bow. That's some serious statement your making, but if you say it, I beleive it. I know the quality of bows you have. Don't we have some great Bowyers this day and age, just when I think I have my bow buying down to just a few more, something like this comes along. Gotta Love it, thanks for sharing my friend. RW
First of all, Billy, I apologize for not getting the rest of the pictures, and the specs up sooner like you asked me to do. I just got home from a week long feild testing trip and have been swamped around here since my return.
secondly.... I'm really glad this bow has met your expectations Billy. building a high performance bow using ebony veneers milled from the same wood the riser is built, is tricky stuff. you really need to grind them thin to get rid of the mass weight. otherwise it's like wearing lead boots to jog in.
Also.... any time you use really dark veneers under this so called clear glass available to us, you always have a certain amount of flaws in the glass showing up. Sometimes it requires building more than one set of limbs to get a nice set.
The I-beam laminated into this riser is a very heavy, very dense hardwood called "Ipe". the colors run from a chocolate brown, to a more reddish tone. Billy and i had some fun selecting the perfect piece to match this Mac ebony. Neither one of us could agree on which looked the best, so we let my wife pick the wood out. Kat has a good eye for this stuff.
The footed accent strips are black glass and bloodwood. I used to use a lot of Paduke for my red accent lines, until i was introduced to blood wood. the photos do not do it justice IMO. This red colored wood has a translucent effect when turned in the light at different angles that really catches the eye.
here you go Billy..... here's the rest of the photos.I'm sorry the limb veneer photos just didn't come out well.
(http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/Bow%20building/TD%20Sasquatch%202011/Billys%20Sas%20RC/CIMG0530.jpg)
(http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/Bow%20building/TD%20Sasquatch%202011/Billys%20Sas%20RC/CIMG0529.jpg)
(http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/Bow%20building/TD%20Sasquatch%202011/Billys%20Sas%20RC/CIMG0531.jpg)
(http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/Bow%20building/TD%20Sasquatch%202011/Billys%20Sas%20RC/CIMG0567.jpg)
(http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/Bow%20building/TD%20Sasquatch%202011/Billys%20Sas%20RC/CIMG0538.jpg)
Kirk: Thanks for posting the pics, that's some serious Mac Ebony. Great Job.. RW
Damn Billy,
That is one fine looking bow. I'm proud to say that Kirk is a good friend, but there's no need to hype his stuff. He's damn good and so is his product. I'm thinking that bow of yours needs a RH twin.
Borrowing a line I saw somewhere, if the Comanches had Kirk's bows and carbon arrows Texas would still belong to them.
paul
QuoteOriginally posted by billy shipp:
Steve,
I have shot a lot of bows, but I just can't get over how this bow holds up so well at longer distances. Folks are going to think I'm just plugging Kirk and his bows. I did plug both of them, but for good reason.....it's simply the best performing recurve I've ever shot...barr none. I wouldn't have believed it either until I saw for myself.
My findings aren't scientific, but it's not hard to tell which bow shoots flattest at longer distances.....I was, and still am amazed.
That's a mighty fine endorsement for a mighty fine man!
Billy, you have definitely got me looking at these bows! I'm just sorry I didn't shoot one at the Baltimore shoot this summer. :banghead:
Hello Paul,
Mac was my first choice if Kirk could find the just right piece, but it had to be the right piece....not all Mac Ebony is created equal.
I've seen your Curly Maple bows that Kirk made. I told Kirk if the Mac didn't pan out, we were going with what he used on your bows.
We are fortunate to have a lot of good bowyers available today. I know folks get tired of hearing the same ole song on how well this bow, or that bow shoots, and how fast it is.
I'm not on Kirk's payroll trying to push his bows, but I do tell it like it is. Folks say/think there haven't been any new advancements in bow building in 50 years.....HORSE HOCKEY.....all I can tell them is find a Big Foot, put it through it's paces yourself, then make your own decision, because there is a huge difference, especially in speed bows. Speed isn't worth anything if you can't control it. This bow has the full package....easy to look at, easy to tune, extremely well mannered,smooth drawing, faster than all get out, with arrow trajectory holding up better than anything I've seen, helt, felt, or smelt. I'm like a lot of other guys in doubting it until I personally shot it.
Good stuff any way you look at it.
Hey Billy,
I've already checked in with Kirk and apparently he has at least one more riser block's worth of the Mac that you picked. So the question has gone from whether I'm going to get the RH version of yours to when. I'm not on Kirk's payroll either - I doubt he could afford either of us let alone both - but I sure have good experiences with his bows. You're right, I've never shot anything that shoots faster and flatter than his bows.
One of these days when I come down to Texas to see my grandkids, and their parents of course, we'll have to get together and see if we can reduce the hog population a little.
paul
Paul,
You are welcome any time. It may be too hot to hunt in Tejas at times, like the past 60 days, but there is definitely not a shortage of hogs to chase.
Allen,
You really need to shoot one of Kirk's bows. Kirk says the 62" Sasquatch, like mine, is the fastest, hardest hitting, best shooting bow he builds.
I know you're without a doubt the best shot in Virginny, and it would be a terribly scary thought knowing anyone had to compete against you shooting this bow.
Let me get the new worn off of it and I'll send it to you to try for a week or so.
If i wasn't such a shameless hussy i would be blushing with all this praise. You guys make building a custom bow worth while. Thanks for the fine review.
Billy, i do have to amend my statement about this being the hardest hitting bow i build.
The 62" recurve is the fastest hardest hitting "recurve bow" i build. But.... my Sasquatch hybrid long bow, and even the Splinter Kat long bow design is a wee bit faster. especially the ones with carbon backing.
another thing is that the 62" recurve is not going to be right for everyone. I typically recommend the 64" for guys with a longer draw length to maintain that smooth draw most recurve shooters love so much.
here's the deal.... i build each bow to fit the individual archers draw length at their preferred draw weight. i do not do this by mass producing limbs at different thickness, and changing riser lengths to accommodate different draw lengths. I build each set of limbs to exact specifications for maximum performance at set draw lengths by manipulating the the length of the working portion of the limbs. i do this by very carefully shifting my wedges and power lams, and adjust the taper rates accordingly. Of course i leave a safety margin for over drawing the bow an inch or so.
But you guys that have my bows be careful handing these bows off that are built for a 27" draw length to some long arm gorilla. and try and keep the arrow weight above 8 gpp and they'll last a life time. 9-10 gpp is a preferable arrow weight.
Billy, your bow should not be drawn past 29" if you want it to hold up. i built it for a 27" draw, and even 28" isn't a problem. i shot it myself a bunch at 29" and you hit the wall just past that.
i can build the same length bow for longer draw lengths, but there are trade offs involved on how they are going to feel during the draw, and their performance levels.
Thanks again for the kind words guys.
btw.... I want in on that pig hunt if your guys get something going there in Texas. that sounds like a hoot!
Billy, that's a might fine offer. I would love to give it a drive sometime!
owlbait wanted to see pics of the bow, so I brought it back up for him.
Thanks Billy. That certainly is a great looking bow. Not at all what I was thinking. Might be I was thinking of one of Kirk's other models. If you ever make it to Compton's or KaZoo I sure wish you'd bring it along.
I found it Billy!
or should i say i had help in finding it... Thanks Rob.
Here you go James.
This is the bow I told you about. I hope to get some pig blood on it soon.
Thanks for finding the thread for me Kirk & Rob.
Wow!
Nice looking bow! How does it shoot?
The arrows you shoot out of the bow must have...
waitforit...
BIG FOOTINGS
:D
Billy, that is the most beautiful recurve i have ever seen!
Can someone explain I-Beam to me? Thanks, Ken
Hey Ken,
I've got info on this on the "Bowyer's Notes" page of my web site along with some other stuff. but here is a description.
"I-Beam and G-10"
You'll see references to "I-Beam" riser construction, and a product that I sometimes use in this assembly called "G-10". First of all an "I-Beam" assembly is a term I've adopted from some other bowyers describing a full length lamination in the riser block that runs belly to back to add stiffness to the riser. The original term was adopted because of the similarity of the "I-Beam look" when overlays are used belly and back to cap this center lamination. The ones that I typically build is more of a sandwich, rather than an actual I-Beam. In some cases involving overlays on the back of the riser it becomes a "T" and in others I've added "Belly ramp caps" to cover the I- Beam. The overlays, and Belly ramp caps are optional, but do add to the over all cost of a custom build.
I use different types of materials in my "I-Beam" assemblies and "footings" for appearance and added strength, according to the customers preferences. One of the materials I've added to my options is a material called "G-10 Garolite". It's a fiberglass cloth-based material laminated with epoxy resin. This material not only adds incredible stiffness to the riser, but also adds mass weight to the riser that many archers like.
Kirk
You see the I beam on the top and bottom of the riser if it is not covered with overlays. In typicaly made risers you only see glass or phenolic from the sides. This is laid in the riser verticaly.. It adds tremendous strength and in the case of a riser made like Kirks actually imparts more of the energy into the bow making it a more effecient overall bow in performance. The riser does not flex much if any at all losing energy.
God bless you all, Steve
QuoteOriginally posted by Kirkll:
(http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/Bow%20building/TD%20Sasquatch%202011/Billys%20Sas%20RC/CIMG0530.jpg)
(http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/Bow%20building/TD%20Sasquatch%202011/Billys%20Sas%20RC/CIMG0529.jpg)
(http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/Bow%20building/TD%20Sasquatch%202011/Billys%20Sas%20RC/CIMG0531.jpg)
(http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/Bow%20building/TD%20Sasquatch%202011/Billys%20Sas%20RC/CIMG0567.jpg)
(http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/Bow%20building/TD%20Sasquatch%202011/Billys%20Sas%20RC/CIMG0538.jpg)
that is one bee-u-tee-full recurve. whoa!
Thanks for the compliments guys. Kirk went to great effort in finding this particular piece of Macassar Ebony.
I think it is a very good looking bow, and it shoots every bit as good as it looks.
QuoteOriginally posted by joe vt:
why would you wreck a good piece of wood on a lefty? lol
awesome looking bow kirk......billy your spoiled :)
Now that's funny I don't care who you are :)
Sure would look great dipped in "Ultimate Camo"! ;)
What I am wondering is what is the phyical weight of Billy's bow shown here and if you made this bow foam and double carbon limbs with the standard package, what would it weight?
I know shooting a longbow that weighs approx. 1 1/2 lbs to me needs a bow quiver and arrows on it to weight a little over 2 lbs to help stablelize it.
If this bow is in the range of 2 to 3 lbs it could be shot by itself with out a bow quiver.
Thanks for the I-Beam answers, but why not just build the riser out of solid phenolic. Ken
I had another guy ask me what a solid G-10 riser would weigh and it bumped it up another 2 pounds i think the whole bow was over 6 pounds with Glass and bamboo cores, and the quiver if i remember right.
i just built one for Paul Kimbol alias "Dragon rider" just like Billy's here with a G-10 I-beam and foam cores w/ XX carbon. I'll ask him to put it on his postal scale when he gets back.
if i had to guess I'd say 3.5 pounds. this ebony is pretty dense. kirk
Kirk,
The bow you made for me with the G-10-Ipe riser weighed in around 3.75 pounds. If you like heavy risers (I do), then you cannot go wrong with one of Kirk's I-beam/Ipe risers. Bill
Thanks Bill,
Your Riser was built with "Ipe" and is almost as dense as the ebony. I'll bet the weight is very close to the same.
For those of you not familiar with Ipe, here's a photo of Bills riser. the stuff runs from chocolate brown to redish brown in color.
(http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/BFB%20Asscesories/SANY0013.jpg)
TTT for Bowwild to take a look at.
Wow! Thanks for resurrecting this thread Billy. When I saw this post the first time the title made me think my Mom was sending me urban legend stuff again and I skipped over it.
I should know by now not to skip over something with your name on it!