Okay... I must start off by saying that I am very blessed. I'm blessed to have a family that loves me, and that truly embraces how much traditional archery and hunting is a part of my life.
The journey began almost 1 year ago at the 2012 Kalamazoo Expo. My brother / Dad / Uncle drove up from PA to check out the show for the first time. My brother and I being die-hard Bob Lee fanatics, couldn't wait to check out their new line-up that was released since the last time we saw them at Denton Hill. That fall, the Envy / Smoke / Blaze / Natural line-ups were released and we were excited to check them out.
More exciting though, was the opportunity to handle the Legacy Show bow they had at the booth that sported the state of the art Stabi-Lock Attachment system.
The show was everything that we expected and more. The "more" was the opportunity to shoot the new "Bob Lee Ultimate", Rob's personal hunting bow, which also utilized the Stabi-Lock system.
The bow was 60" 51# @ 28", with a solid black micarta riser with bubinga veneers and accents. (The same bow pictured on the Bob Lee Ultimate WebPage)
I'm not certain, but I think that the facility janitor was called to the shooting range to mop up all the drool that my brother and I were puddling up on the floor. Never in my life have I had an experience like that while shooting a bow. Pure enjoyment, pure accuracy, pure bowhunting attitude... What else should I have expected from the Bob Lee Crew?!
Since Kalamazoo is perfectly placed smack dab in the middle of "cabin fever" season... the next couple months were rough. I dreamed of owning this bow, I searched to no avail for any information / reviews / pictures outside of the Bob Lee Website which I think I visited 100 times those months. So.... If anyone out there is like me, drooling and searching for information to read and then re-read as you dream of putting in your order for your ultimate, here is some more info and pics to drool over!!!
Okay, so let's fast forward to the June 2012 time frame. I decided to go for it. I'm buying an Ultimate. Phone calls and e-mails back and forth with JJ led to the agreement that I would wait until the end of July to finalize the build plan after a new stock of unique veneers arrived back at the shop to choose from. That time had come and gone, but when I closed my eyes, I pictured a pure hunting / stealth / killing piece of equipment... The bow from my dreams screamed Cross-Cut Camo Veneers!!!
The Bob Lee Crew had never had the need to source and utilize camo cross-cut veneers before, but that didn't stop JJ, Rob, & Bob!!! They dove in head first with excitment to help me attain my dream bow. A couple pictures back and forth of the sample veneers from his supplier, and the green light was given! I threw a decent down payment on the table and away we went!
60" - 51# @ 28" was the target... Just like the bow I shot at K-Zoo. I left the accent options for the riser and limb tips / caps up to JJ and Rob's imagination. I knew they'd tie it all together nicely, and a lot better than I could try to describe / picture in my head.
So now the wait began... The build was up and running, JJ was feeding me information, and I was chomping at the bit for that next picture to pop up in my e-mail. I was scrambling to try to raise funds to get the bow paid off, but with Christmas around the corner and two little dudes (4 and 2 years old) at home, money was tight coming into November / December.
I received a couple pictures one day of the camo-crosscut veneers all wet out during the glue-up phase... oh boy...! Into the oven already!!!
Then a couple updates on the limb taming / poundage... no pictures... dang-it.. its okay...
Then a confirmation that the limbs hit weight and are straight, a true works of art. "Perfection" as JJ put it... no picutres... dang-it...
Then confirmation that they probably would be in the spray booth soon.... still no pictures... dang-it... its okay...
Then a question asking if I'd want anything special written on the bow... Wait a minute... There has to be a couple coats of finish on the bow already if we are at this phase!!! Hell yeah!!
I asked JJ to write "Shemawnee" on the bow. I named the bow after my late father-in-law. He would use this term when describing a whitetail doe that he'd seen on stand. "I shot a big Shemawnee tonight"... He had a big influence in my life and hunting, I thought it was fitting.
Still no pictures...! Come on! Throw me a bone please!!!!!!
At this point, I still had not paid the bow off, so I wasn't wanting to be pushy asking for pictures or any information of the bow.
Side Story Alert:
Now we are 2 weeks out from Christmas. My brother-in-law falls in love with a stock bow on Bob Lee's site. His mom decides that it would be a great Christmas present for him. So she has me coordinate with JJ to have the bow purchased and sent to her house. Little did I know, 6 weeks prior she had my wife call JJ and pay off my Ultimate too!!!
JJ and Rob were in on the secret, and since I let them run with all the accents and overlays, they weren't dishing me pictures like they typically would to make the suprise that much greater! I couldn't picture what my bow looked like at all. Those dirty dogs!!!
Christmas morning, Travis and I are sitting watching everyone opening their gifts. I am anxiously awaiting Trav's turn because I know how much he is going to lose his mind... little did I know...
Two presents are pulled out from behind the couch... Identical shape and size boxes... One handed to me, one handed to Trav. "Open them together" my mother-in-law says..
Wait... what?!?! What the heck is going on!!
I literally lost it. You would have swore Trav and I just received our Red Rider BB-Guns... Wait... These are 10x better than BB-Guns!!
We were hooting / hollering / Hugging / Jumping around / Tackling our mom....
(http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af200/mzirnsak/IMG_1934.jpg)
We frantically assembled our new toys, and out the door we went. What a morning!!!
First Off, My Wife and Mother-In-Law are saints. I couldn't thank them enough for this dream come true... I am truly blessed.
Secondly, JJ and Rob... I can't say enough about what they pulled off. They truly embraced this build with excitement, and got heavily involved with my dream bow christmas suprise... They pulled the wool over my eyes and played it so cool during all my questions... They are Dirty Dogs!!!
To make it even better, I opened a Great Northern Quick Detach quiver from my wife at my house Christmas morning before heading over to my Mother-In-Laws for our gift exchange. But the bezzles were missing?!
"Dang-it! I can't use it this weekend" is what I was thinking.
She ordered it from Bob Lee directly, so you can imagine my confusion as to where the parts would be...
Well JJ took it a step further and pre-assembled the bezzles on my bow prior to shipping it!! It was set up and ready to hunt!!! Did I mention they are Dirty Dogs?!?!
Thanks for allowing me to ramble here guys... This was just so special that I had to share. I can't begin to describe how much of a top-shelf operation the guys at Bob Lee are running down there. Truly phenomenal on all accounts.
Here we go... Camo Cross-Cut Limbs... First ones to be built on Bob Lee Presses...!
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(http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af200/mzirnsak/IMG_1914.jpg)
The beautiful limb tips. They did a great job bringing the limb tips all together with the limb veneers:
(http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af200/mzirnsak/IMG_1915.jpg)
Limb Logos:
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(http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af200/mzirnsak/IMG_1919.jpg)
The amazing Great Northern Quick Detach. Ofcourse a Bob Lee Logo to tie it all in!!!
(http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af200/mzirnsak/IMG_1920.jpg)
Riser Picture with the quiver attached:
(http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af200/mzirnsak/IMG_1921.jpg)
Bow Name:
(http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af200/mzirnsak/IMG_1922.jpg)
Take a look at these accent overlays! Tied in the limb veneer coloration phases:
(http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af200/mzirnsak/IMG_1923.jpg)
Solid Micarta Riser. The mass weight and stability of this riser is truly un-paralleled. It just feels right... Solid on target, and the arrow is gone before you can even think about moving the bow off target.
(http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af200/mzirnsak/IMG_1925.jpg)
If you want a recurve these bows are definitely one of the top choices, no doubt. What a beauty!
Drool. Drool.
I've got a Bob Lee on my bucket list. I have four of his early Wing works and he knew his stuff 50 years ago! I'm just not sure about a Phenolic riser. What's the weight on it?
Okay, now on to the meat and potatoes of this bow... The Stabi-Lock.
This attachment system is so freaking slick... Coupled with the quick detach Great Northern, I can literally have this bow taken down within 60 seconds, no problem.
The dovetail wedge attached to the limbs fit so sweetly into the dovetail cut-out of the riser it slides in like glass.
The detent balls find their home into small divuts within the riser, ensuring 100% perfect limb alignment.
Perfect limb alignment guarantees maximum efficiency as the bow is following through the arrow. This Stabi-Lock system + the extremely repeatable Bob Lee Grip + the stability of the riser is a recipe for deadly accuracy. The Ultimate is truly just that... The ultimate bow.
Riser / Limb Section:
(http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af200/mzirnsak/IMG_1926.jpg)
Stabi-Lock Wedge Block: (Dual Detent for max alignment)
(http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af200/mzirnsak/IMG_1927.jpg)
Riser Dovetail:
(http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af200/mzirnsak/IMG_1929.jpg)
Picture Operation: You wouldn't believe how smooth and easy the wedge mates with the riser dovetail. The lead-ins are beautifully done, the surface clearances are held to an extremely tight tolerance, and the stablity of that beautiful "click" at the end of the limb's travel is just so awesome.
It is truly a "two finger operation". I can grip the riser, indicate the limbs into the dovetail, and pinch the limbs between my thumb and index finger, and fully seat the limbs with no effort. Smooth as glass. And I mentioned it above, the "click" noise is just the coolest sound ever. "Cutting edge" would be an understatement here guys...
(http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af200/mzirnsak/IMG_1930.jpg)
(http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af200/mzirnsak/IMG_1931.jpg)
(http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af200/mzirnsak/IMG_1932.jpg)
I owned a Bob Lee Classic take-down recurve for several years. It also had the solid micarta riser. One of the very best shooting recurves I have ever owned. Sold it when I switched to longbows. I have regretted that ever since.... Congratulations on your new bow! Now post some hunting stories and a kill pic or two with it! ~Steve
(http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af200/mzirnsak/IMG_1933.jpg)
This bow is truly my dream come true.
Holding this bow in my hands, I just feel like I can't miss.
I'm shooting 650 grain Beman MFX Classics, and this bow flings them like a rocket.
There is literally ZERO vibration. You have to double check to see if the bow actually went off it is so quiet and stable...!
If you're in the market for a new bow, please do yourself a favor and call down to JJ and Rob. They will take care of you. Top shelf operation, and they will do anything to make your dream come true.
I am one happy boy... I'm gonna go shoot now.
This thing is heading into the woods with me tomorrow. Watch out Shemawnees... I'm coming for you!
Man, oh man. I gotta have one! That is just too sweet.
SWEET! Thanks for the pictures and the review! Enjoy that bow! :clapper:
Does the stabil lock thing seem like it would be more likely to wear out after thousands and thousands of shots?
You are a blessed man!! And your story was fantastic, I felt as if I was opening the boxes!!!!!
Too bad you're not excited about it!!!
Love the enthusiasm.....sweet bow BTW! Congrats!
So Cool......gotta love "New Bow Day"! :jumper:
Nice, really nice.......... :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Awesome!!Many congrats
Don't hold back tell us how you really feel.LOL
I have four Bob Lees I know I like them to.The grip just fits me perfect and really tough well made bows.Kip
StumpKiller - The weight is perfect for the Micarta. I am a fan of a heavy mass-weight bow in my hand so it feels really natural to me. I'm unsure of the actual value. I'm sure JJ or Rob would be able to tell you exactly what the riser weighs.
MRJSL - The stabi-lock is extremely solid. Once fully seated and the bow is strung, there is no movement between the surfaces. There will be little to no wear occuring at all. This bow will outlive me, thats for sure...!
MRJSL - I should elaborate on my previous statement. There is no movement between those surfaces even if the bow isn't strung. Once it fully seats, its in there for good.
I didn't want to give the impression that it had to be strung to be solid. It's solid once fully seated.
I'm getting ready to put in my order for one in the next month or two... I've been wishy washy on lee vs. widow PMA, but this made up my mind.
mrjsl - I'm glad I could help. I believe you've made the right decision.
You made me all giddy reading the post.
Loved my Lee
Yours sure is a looker.
Congrats on a fine bow! Also, it sounds like you have been blessed with a wonderful family.
sweet bow I have a ultimate too the best bow I own, gotta love those cross cut vaneers, good luck in the late season
Now that is one awesome bow! :scared: :notworthy: :notworthy: :clapper:
no doubt about it bob lees are good bows and this is no exception!
You make me wish to own one!
Many years ago Chastain of Wapiti bows came out with an almost identical design,he called it Slide Lock.it was a very effective and useful bow.
Nice!
I have been glancing at the Bob Lee ads for some time. I've even gone to the website a time or two.
I think it is time to browse on over there right about now. Thanks for sharing your surprise. That grip is very nice looking and the grip looks very inviting.
Thanks guys! It sure is fun. I can't stop smiling!
Just got a fresh 2" dusting this morning on top of the 5" that was on the ground! Putting the snow camo on, grabbing my ultimate, and heading out in a few minutes!
Going to try to cut a fresh track and stay on it until I find the shemawnee that's making it.
See you when I return!!!
I just spent some time on the BL website. Those ultimate's look good. I like a heavy recurve and these look like it. When I was in my teens I admired the Wing Thunderbird (I think that was what it was called?). The bow was 100% phenolic. I recall it was a whopping $100 or so -- about twice what I could put together.
Some that drool on the floor at Kazoo last year was mine. I shot that same bow and absolutely loved it! Slickest limb attachment system I have ever seen, and as you describe, the bow is just soooooooo smoooooooooth!
Best description of receiving a new bow I have ever read - you conveyed more excitement than most guys feel on a hunt!
That is a cool Christmas morning story,you will never forget the surprise. My wife and father-in-law did a similar surprise for me with a Remington 1100 20 ga. never saw it comming and was so surprised on that Christmas morning, and super looking bow as well.
Super looking bow and takedown system. I really like the new cross cut camo limbs and overlays. :thumbsup:
Very nice!!
Quck update.
I've had 3 seperate outings into the snow with the Ultimate, and boy do I love carrying it!!
No shemawnee in range yet, but soon enough.
I also got to take it down to the indoor shooting range yesterday. I can only shoot 15 yards in my basement so it was nice to stretch the limbs out to 20 and 22 yards. I can tell that my next 600 round down at the club is going to be goooooood!!
Great story, better wife and mother-in law. I just ordered mine wednesday, just like the one pictured on the website. JJ already sent me pics of my limb veneers, awsome, african bubinga ,cant wait,about six weeks out.
Loved your story,Awesome looking camo veneers.
Awesome story! JJ & Rob are the best. Great looking bow. You are a lucky man! I will have one someday.
How much does this bow weigh? I want a heavier bow like this but also count ounces for my pack in hunts. Thanks for the pics beautiful bow and I only live 2 hrs from the Bob Lee company, so I may need to pay them a visit.
Very nice. Looks like a great limb attachment system. Congratulations to you both.
I always liked the looks of bob lee's and this one has the nicest camo limbs I have ever seen. If I see you at a shoot someday I hope you will let me take a few shots with it. Sweet bow!!! Widow
I like Bob Lee bows they are such good quality and to me Bob Lee is a living legend.
Very slick attachment system. Sweet looking bow! JK Chastain has a system that is almost identical on some of his T/Ds as well! Love the Lee's! Shawn
Really nice bow! Congrats & best of luck hunting with it.
Bump for the total weight of the bow.. ?
I'm considering a Lee right now and I must admit, that choice of limb wood. Man it turned out amazing even better than many the custom woods. Thanks for the story and the pics.
Ordered my camo ultimate this morning. Went with the new 17" riser,med. limbs making a 60" bow with long working limbs. :jumper:
Lee's are good bows. Like my old Wing.
But like Cacciatore already mentioned, the Stabilock(TM) is nothing else than the Slide lock system, which is around for a long time. The slide-lock is usually machined from solid aluminum adding a little mass weight, but was also slightly adjustable in windage. The Stabi-Lock is the same system just made from plastic without adjustment features.
The other bowyer is offering it for a long time for about $100 extra over his regular Imperial bow line. So it is still available. The Ultimate is no doubt a nice bow, but you can get the same features for a good bunch less $$ somewhere else.
I was smiling when I saw the BL ad for the Stabilock the first time.....
Killer bow!
QuoteOriginally posted by tecum-tha:
Lee's are good bows. Like my old Wing.
But like Cacciatore already mentioned, the Stabilock(TM) is nothing else than the Slide lock system, which is around for a long time. The slide-lock is usually machined from solid aluminum adding a little mass weight, but was also slightly adjustable in windage. The Stabi-Lock is the same system just made from plastic without adjustment features.
The other bowyer is offering it for a long time for about $100 extra over his regular Imperial bow line. So it is still available. The Ultimate is no doubt a nice bow, but you can get the same features for a good bunch less $$ somewhere else.
I was smiling when I saw the BL ad for the Stabilock the first time.....
No plastic in the one I have or the one I got coming!!! All machined metal.
Defiantly no plastic in or on a BL bow. I guess a plastic version would be cheaper. Also there is not any aluminum in the riser. The channel is machined into the riser under very tight tolerances. JJ showed me the process last year and if it isn't just right then they scrap the riser blank and start over. So the price has to due with the risk of waste to get it perfect.
I want one.
QuoteOriginally posted by DEATHMASTER:
I want one.
one listed here.
Very interesting latch system, I may need to take a closer look!
I've shot a few BL's, they are nice. Enjoy!
If it is machined metal (black anodized aluminium probably), what is then so "new" about it? It is just the Slide-Lock System renamed into Stabilock and now it is heavily advertised.
There is hardly anything new in traditional archery. Even the 2 piece TD system a la Locket Socket is nothing else than an improved Pearson design using better modern materials.
Tecum-Tha,
I'll post some pictures for you tonight when I get home.
I have pictures just like the close-ups posted in my initial post of an old cast aluminum competition riser with the female portion of the dovetail machined out of the riser.
It also has machined aluminum wedges attached to the limbs. The dovetails are identical to the ones on the ultimate.
Heck it even has two detent balls per latch attached to the limbs as well. Identical in every way...
The bow has to be from the 70's, easily.
Its a wing... Who made Wing? Bob Lee.
You are right, this design has been around for a while.
http://books.google.com/books?id=fG8mw_YHgRoC&pg=PA63&lpg=PA63&dq=wing+takedown+with+metal+attachment&source=bl&ots=4bmvB9sEch&sig=oNKpiQAr9gBRSjUi1e7hzaSeBEQ&hl=en&sa=X&ei=pRLCUZO bO4TmygGGnoGYCQ&ved=0CC0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=wing%20takedown%20with%20metal%20attachment&f=false (http://books.google.com/books?id=fG8mw_YHgRoC&pg=PA63&lpg=PA63&dq=wing+takedown+with+metal+attachment&source=bl&ots=4bmvB9sEch&sig=oNKpiQAr9gBRSjUi1e7hzaSeBEQ&hl=en&sa=X&ei=pRLCUZObO4TmygGGnoGYCQ&ved=0CC0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=wing%20takedown%20with%20metal%20attachment&f=false)
Found this link for reference. It's a snippit from the book "Timeless Bowhunting".
Many people love to give credit where credit isn't due.
Between the invention of the 3-piece takedown, and the most innovative takedown attachment system, I think Bob Lee should get most all the credit that is out there to give..
I'll get those pics up as promised.
(http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af200/mzirnsak/Asbell/DSC_0365.jpg) (http://s1007.photobucket.com/user/mzirnsak/media/Asbell/DSC_0365.jpg.html)
(http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af200/mzirnsak/Asbell/DSC_0371.jpg) (http://s1007.photobucket.com/user/mzirnsak/media/Asbell/DSC_0371.jpg.html)
(http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af200/mzirnsak/Asbell/DSC_0374.jpg) (http://s1007.photobucket.com/user/mzirnsak/media/Asbell/DSC_0374.jpg.html)
A raving beauty....congrats!
Me personally, I think with the innovations and inventions and just all around love of archery,Bob Lee is right up there with Papa Bear. Both leaders in the Trad archery world! :campfire:
I received my Ultimate in late February, have been shooting it since April, went to Rick Welch's school with it and even he was impressed with the bows attributes, especially the speed and kinetic energy I was getting after we tuned it, all I know is it is by far the most impressive bow I have evr shot, it will basically shoot itself if you just stay out of its way. As far as the stabilock he said she said I wont get into that other than to say it is one of the reasons this bow performs the way it does, as far as finish and fit it is top shelf, mine is a copy of the one on there website with the African bubbinga limbs. Every one who has shot my bow has said the same thing, I want one. and all are very impressed with the speed and flatness of the arrow. I have shot 6 3d tournaments here in Va with it and have won 4 and finished a close second in the other two, have shot scores over 270 for 30 targets a couple times and averaging around 265, so this bow is definitely a shooter and stable
Keith what are your specs?