/With the post about Paul Schafer and my post about Wes Wallace bows I'd been thinking about Jim. In july it will be 22 yrs since Jim drowned in a boating accident on the John Day river here in Oregon. Jim was a true artisan and a neat guy to talk to. He was always willing and eager to talk no matter how busy he was or what was going on. He built bows for many notable archers and I only wish I'd got to know him better than just over the phone on our many chats when I got serious about traditional archery. I still have my Drifter that was built 89/90 and although semi retired I still shoot it. Wes recently straightened a limb for me and he was probably involved in it's conception. It's easy to see Jim's influence in Wes's bows. I guess I'm just writing this because you don't hear his name mentioned much anymore and men like him deserve to be remembered. I did find a tribute site for Jim and although it's still under construction there are even a couple original bracks for sale. Hopefully the moderators don't mind that I put the link to the site on here.
http://www.brackenburybows.com/tribute_to_jim.htm
I am curious as to how many of you ever got to talk to him or knew him personally and how many of you own one of Jim's bows (not the new bracks) and if you still shoot them.
God bless you Jim and I'm sure your on a mountain somewhere with a bow in hand on the other side.
Back in the late 80's early 90's when I became interested in traditional archery I sent for information on Brackenbury bows. He sent out literature and a price list. I he hawed around for a couple of years mulling over the thought of ordering a bow. Well in the mean time Jim met his untimely death, sad indeed. a few years went by, I kept thinking Tradional archery was the way to go, I ordered my first bow from Wes Wallace, a Mentor, bubinga riser, red elm limbs, to this day it's my favorite bow.
I recently placed another order with Wes,in our conversation, I ask if he had any interst in the Brackenbury literature I received years ago. He thought about it for a moment and said there is a tribute in Jims honor with memorabilia, maybe they could use it. I do not remember where Wes said this is at, maybe Oregon Bowhunters Society, anyway I sent the old literature to Wes, he is going to see if he could find a fitting home for it.
i was 16 when the trad bug hit me hard. i had pics of a drifter taped up in my locker. i called Jim prolly once a week after i ordered my first custom bow...a drifter. He always took time to talk to the annoying teen. i still have the letter he sent telling me the bow was done. i love that bow, would love to get it back. back in the late 80's Brackenbury, Bighorn, Black widow, Schaffer and Robertsons seemed to be the big names at that time.
I was lucky enough to get a Drifter in a trade last year. I really enjoy shooting it and often wonder why the original owner, who's name is on the riser along with Jim's signiture, let it go..?
well if anyone runs into a drifter with "pete Pappas" on it please contact me, id buy it back in a heartbeat. think about that bow often.
I've still got my first bow, a drifter made for me by Jim. It shoots as well as it did when I got it but it is 65# so I don't shoot it very often.
I think it was during last year's Western States Rendevous that they had a Jim Brackenbury event. You were encouraged to bring your Brackenbury recurve and people who knew Jim and his work would tell you if your bow was a "real" Brackenbury built by Jim or not.
I never had the privilege to meet Jim. He was gone before I had the opportunity. Oregon guys like Dave Doran, Wes Wallace, Norm Johnson who knew him personally always have made it sound like Jim was a guy you'd love to share a camp with.
I was on a business trip to Portland many years ago and called Jim to ask if I could stop out and look at his bow building operation. He didn't know me from Adam, but enthusiastically invited me out. He picked me up at the end of the short rail line, which was about 15 miles from his place, early in the morning. His bird dog, or was it two of them, rode in the front seat of his pick up with us. We stopped at a meat market for steaks and a grocery store for brewskies. Talked and shot bows throughout the day, grilled the steaks in the evening.
Jim had just completed his new shop. Had a long belt sanding operation with several stations on it. He could take a roughed out riser and move from station to station and totally shape the riser on the various belt configurations with one trip around. Only finish sanding remained.
He got me to the train station just before the last train back to Portland about 9 or 10 p.m. One of the best days I ever spent. Jim was a helluva guy. Lived life to the fullest.
I messed up on my original post as my number lock was off, but it's been 22yrs in july since he died. From what I've read he jumped in after an oar that had come loose.
He was starting to build wood driftboats. He made a maiden voyage down the John Day River with two of them during high water in the winter. He went through a rapid and pulled over the next boat came through and one of the oars had gotten away from the oarsman. As it floated by Jim, who was an excellent swimmer, dove in and didn't came up. His body was found down stream. That is how it was told to me by one of his close friends.
1984 sn 49 66in. 60lb.Legend. Killed my first 2 deer that bow.Wish I still had it.Jim was a good guy.
The first "custom" bow I ever bought was a Drifter from Jim. I was pretty uninformed and talked to Jim on the phone a bunch of times. He was a great guy and answered every question I had. I still have the bow. Great bow, great man.
My first custom bow was a Brackenbury Old Timer, ordered just prior to his death. Sold the bow off to a buddy of mine and then bought it back a year later. Like to get it out now and then and fling a few with it.
Please refresh my memory. Several bowyers learned under Mr. Brackenbury. I think I know who, but don't want to say incase I'm wrong. Who were they? Thanks
I bought my 1st custom bow from Jim back in 84. It is a drifter 62in. 65lbs. I still have it today. 5yrs ago I had Wes Wallace build me a set of 51 lb. limbs, he matched it to my old riser. Its the bow I use today. I've tried different bows over the yrs, but I always go back to my Brack. Its going to be my sons someday (when I cant draw it any longer) I'd talked to Jim a couple times when ordering my bow. He was easy to talk to, had a good visit with him both times. I remember asking Jim what they cost,he said the same price they were 10yrs ago, then he just laughted. I said, sounds good I'll take one. I paided $225 for the bow and $25 for the quiver.I would'nt take $1200 for it today.
QuoteOriginally posted by Hermon:
Please refresh my memory. Several bowyers learned under Mr. Brackenbury. I think I know who, but don't want to say incase I'm wrong. Who were they? Thanks
Wes wallace worked for Jim, unsure if he became a business partner or not.
I believe Charlie Bisharat of Stalker Recurves also got his start from Jim.
I don't think Wes was his partner or he probably would have kept the Brackenbury name but as I remember his sister was his next of kin and she sold the business to it's current owner. I do know that Wes was building bows along side of Jim and in the latter years before his death pretty much every bow that came out of the shop had, had both their hands on it.
My first custom bow was a Brackenbury Legend that I bought in 89/90. I still own it but don't shoot it much, I just can't seem to take my hands off my Longbows the last few years!
Steve
How about Ron Fox or Norm Johnson, did they at one time work with jim?
New into trad archery in 1987. Didn't know much about custom bows. Saw an ad, and had Jim make me a 3-piece Drifter.
60# @ 28-3/4", 62" length. Taken a lot of game with this bow. My only regret is that I didn't keep the weight a bit lower, and maybe a bit shorter in length.
After 25 years, it shows some wear and battle scars, but is still a shooter, and I love the way it looks. I think that the Brackenbury design has influenced the style of many of today's custom bows. In fact, at first glance there are some that pretty much look identical.
I didn't know Jim, but I understand that he was a super guy.
QuoteOriginally posted by WhitetailHtr:
New into trad archery in 1987. Didn't know much about custom bows. Saw an ad, and had Jim make me a 3-piece Drifter.
60# @ 28-3/4", 62" length. Taken a lot of game with this bow. My only regret is that I didn't keep the weight a bit lower, and maybe a bit shorter in length.
After 25 years, it shows some wear and battle scars, but is still a shooter, and I love the way it looks. I think that the Brackenbury design has influenced the style of many of today's custom bows. In fact, at first glance there are some that pretty much look identical.
I didn't know Jim, but I understand that he was a super guy.
Wes can build you a lighter set of limbs for it that will match the riser perfectly.
Norm Johnson never worked for or with Jim. They were friends and as I heard it they would talk about bows like friends do.
QuoteOriginally posted by snag:
He was starting to build wood driftboats. He made a maiden voyage down the John Day River with two of them during high water in the winter.
It was the John Day River, but over the 4th of July weekend. They announced that Jim was missing and presumed dead at the North American Longbow Safari in Brownsville, Oregon. It was 1991 - 92?
My first traditional bow was a Brackenbury Drifter I bought brand new for $200 in 1986. Hunted with that bow for 20 years until I retired it after buying a new Blacktail from Norm.
Killed quite a few Blacktail deer, elk, and a few wild turkeys with my Drifter. I loaned it to a friend who just got into stickbows and is waiting for his new Blacktail to be built. Mike hunted elk with it last fall.
I met Jim several times. Once while hunting rutting Blacktails not too far from where we lived. Another time I had a truckload of Yew billets that were too "twisted" to haul down to John Strunk for selfbows, so I took the logs down to Jim's place and ended up BSing half the day with him.
Here's the first deer I killed with my Drifter in 1988.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v117/treekiller/trophy%20photos/1988buck.jpg)
I killed this bull with my Drifter on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v117/treekiller/trophy%20photos/Rons2001Bull5-1.jpg)
I still have my very first longbow - a Brackenbury Oldtimer ..... wouldn't trade it for anything. 64# @ 28 inches and it still cast an arrow with authority... shot it two days ago. That bow has been on a ton of elk, bear, deer hunts.... far too many memories to ever part with it.... I hope to pass it along to my grandson when I infect him with the trad bug.... had him playing with a kid longbow this summer at 2 1/2 :-)
Went down and looked at the inscription on my riser but it does not have a date on it. It does say who it was made for as well as Jim's signiture. One nice detail that I think is cool is that the limbs have the owners initials on them as well as the specs.
The man was a fine builder and Craftsman. :thumbsup:
Purchased a Drifter from Jim in 1986. Many great memories! Poundage (64) is a little too much for me now but do not want to let it go. My oldest grandson has been eying it.
Jim spent a night at my house in April the year he died. We did some stomp shooting and lots of bowhunting talk. Most definitely one to the good guys in our sport!!
TTT for a great post honoring a great bow builder.
I got interested in his bows watching Larry D Jones videos, at one time that's what Larry hunted with, he is also from Oregon. I bought a 66" Legend 60# er ... It was a real shooter with great cast. I eventually sold it when 60#'s became too much for me to pull. A few of my hunting buddies still have a few of Jim's bows. His wife still makes bow string I believe, I used to get them from her occasionally.
I bought my first custom from Jim and he was top notch! I do know that a fellow named Gordon Owen built some bows for Jim's wife for a year or so. I still have my first bow from Jim it is a 66" Legend and I had Gordon make me a 64" Shadow which I regretfully sold.
Ed
I bought my first ever new trad bow from Jim in the early 80's, a legend 60# thought it was too light so ordered some 75# limbs. By the time the heavier limbs got to me, I was hooked forever on the longbow so I sold it. It was a beautiful bow, like many others here I wish I never let it go.
I also bought my first custom bow from Jim, ordered it in 1988.I sold that bow around twelve years ago and still check the classifieds to see if it pops up.
I bought a Legend in the mid '80's from Jim. As I recall it was about 70@28. A few years later I sold it to,a good friend on mine, Glenn Parker who kept it in his collection until his untimely death..
I purchased two bows from Jim before he passed. Sold one of them and wish I had it back. I had Jim build a second set of limbs for the one I still have and he finished them just a few weeks before his untimely death. Although I have not hunted with the bow for several years, I have taken both deer and elk with it.
I had a Shadow I bought from Jim in 88 .....64" 61#s @28 . I had always shot longbows and still do, but I wish I hadn't sold it. Talking with Jim he was very helpful on what I was looking for..... I remember him being a right to the point no nonsense type of guy. I was saddened to learn of his death in TBM a few years later.