So I recently bought this bow for a garage sale price, it's lefty of course and heavy, 71@31" or 62@28".
Bow is a static recurve takedown, pin/single bolt attachment. Exotic wood riser: bolivian rosewood, padauk, bubinga, and maple. Limb veneers rosewood as well. 62" overall. Stippled grip. Diamondback skins on the back. Phenolic tips reinforced for fastflight.
The ONLY markings on it are on the edge of the bottom limb "71 # @ 31""
There is no bowyer name or anything.
The above info was provided from the person I purchased it from and they are NOT the original owner and don't know or remember any other info about the bow.
The limb design screams JK Chastain/Wapiti. Is it one of his older bows? I know he likes the double limb bolt design, but he has been known to make single bolts too right?
Any ideas who could have made this? Backyard bowyer copying Chastain limb design?
Either way, I'm gonna enjoy it and have fun pulling full length arrows to my ear like I do with my warbow. This should make an outstanding bow for hogs...
*****Update: spoke to a friend of Keith's (tecum-tha) who knows a Chastain bow- this is NOT one. Not even the limbs. It superficially resembles one with a taller riser. Silvertip or something else then...
*****Update: comm'd with Schafer, its most likely not one but Beth is gonna inquire with Dave
(http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/s631/nineworlds9/Alleged%20Chastain/7.jpg)
(http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/s631/nineworlds9/Alleged%20Chastain/2.jpg)
(http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/s631/nineworlds9/Alleged%20Chastain/1.jpg)
(http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/s631/nineworlds9/Alleged%20Chastain/3.jpg)
(http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/s631/nineworlds9/Alleged%20Chastain/5.jpg)
(http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/s631/nineworlds9/Alleged%20Chastain/4.jpg)
(http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/s631/nineworlds9/Alleged%20Chastain/6.jpg)
Don't know who the bowyer is but I know it not Keith's. He always has double limb bolts on each limb and the nocks are totally different as is the riser design.
The riser looks similar to a Silvertip or maybe a copy?
Hmm. The limb profile is static recurve and with the 'hump' just looks almost identical to a Chastain. Guess someone could have copied it. On Keith's site he's got a single bolt takedown called the Big Bull but its not static recurve. ??
Dang, I just looked at some pics on Google, the riser actually does look just like a Silvertip! Even found a few with similar looking limbs. Hmmm...now I have no clue...
Been studying pics. Based on the riser alone I'm willing to bet money it's a Silvertip. Or a dang fine copy. Either way, nice find! Here piggy piggy...
Riser is definitely not a Chastain. Looks like a copy of a Silvertip. An early Tall Tines perhaps?
Not a TallTines.
Could be a Silvertip riser and Keith made a set of limbs for it, thats my guess! Shawn
Ok, spoke to a friend of Keith's- not a Chastain. That's confirmed. Looking more like a Silvertip, copy of one, or something else then...
That's no Silvertip.The same general shape but not even close.It looks homemade.
Maybe so, would it make a difference that this bow is probably 10 years old or more even??
I had to reduce the size of the pics significantly, but even if you zoom in on them you can see the finish on the bow is actually quite nice. Brass inserts for a quiver, edges finished smooth.
Not saying it couldn't be homemade, just saying based on the many pics available on Google Images this thing bears more than a superficial resemblance to a ST, an older one at that. But whatever. I robbed it :)
Here's what Beth at Schafer had to say, very friendly:
"Hello Chuck,
Good to hear from you. I would say with almost 100% certainty that it is not a Silvertip. Riser is similar but narrows way to slim below the grip and the contours on the upper and lower parts of the riser are way to steep and almost look as if there is no flatter section where those contours meet like on the Silvertip risers. None of the materials, limb base overlays, accent stripe, grip stippling or tip overlays are familiar to me. The limb shape also seems to have an additional dip in it that I don't think the Silvertip limb has. I will run it by Dave tomorrow but I think he will agree. If for some reason it is, it's been worked over big time and altered significantly. Good luck and as you said, it seems to be a great find and one I'm sure you will enjoy shooting. Hope life is treating you well!
-Beth"
I keep studying pics on the net, found quite a few pics of confirmed Silvertips that more or less look just like this bow. At the very least this is a well executed copy. What other bowyers made a Silvertip-like bow? Look forward to what Dave has to say about it.
Ok talked to Dave, he says not one of his, though a nice bow and interesting, says he's not seen anything like it specifically and curious if and when I do find out. It seems to me it's likely a small time regional bowyer's work and they happened to incorporate design elements reminiscent of a Silvertip or Wapiti. What's that they say? Immitation is the highest form of flattery?
Please do chime in if you recognize this bow.
I believe it may be a Longhorn. A friend of mine had one that looked like the one you've posted,except the wood composition was different.
Quinn!! that is the make,longhorn was the model. Check that. rat'
Checked out the Quinns. Doesn't match. Limbs on this bow mount on face of riser, all the Quinns I looked at had a inset cut into the riser to fit the limb. Plus this bow has that wacky Chastain-like static recurve limb shape with the hump. Thanks for the idea though.
If my memory serves me correctly it may be a Montana bowyer. He showed some bows on another site and the limbs are really familar. Look like a real performer.
God bless, Steve
Here are 2 pics of Chastain .....2 different riser shapes and the limbs. Keith used a 2 bolt connection along with a slight hook in the limb and built a limb similar to Bill Stewarts Multi Cam limb design.
Looks like someone copied a riser very similar to Schafer and played around with a limb design close to Keith. A lot of copy cats out there trying to build bows from proven designs.
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/hires5_zps2793e96b.jpg)
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/takedowna_zpsb8f1d4cb.jpg)
possibly a Sovereign ? I have only owned one but looks familiar.
Not a Sovereign at all.Not even close to anything I have seen from John, not even the older ones.
No worries fellas. Jury's still out. Sounding more and more like home-brew or small local bowyer no one's heard of. Gonna get me a piggy with this one oh yeah.
K, how about a Stewart, I believe he made a multi-cam limb, not Leon but Bill I think??? Shawn
Did a search on internet and the limbs look very,very close!! Shawn
its a sky archery bow
QuoteOriginally posted by deadeyed:
its a sky archery bow
Could we have it folks?!?!?
You stated that very confidently...
Shawn- on the B. Stewart possibility, I do see what you mean about the limbs. However, I can't find any pics of bows that use the style of limb attachment or shape of the limb mount ends that this bow has. Found another possibility- Bill Stewart had a guy who he mentored and founded 'Cook's Mountain Archery' who made a multi-cam profile bow in honor of Bill in his own style.
This sky thing seems highly likely...the riser on this bow looks more like some of the early Sky takedowns than anything we've talked about yet!
Guys, it could possibly be a Doug Hill bow. he was more famous for his red cedar longbows but also had a one piece called lil thumper and also a 3 piece T/D that was a copy of the Schafer Sivertip.
JD
QuoteOriginally posted by horseapple:
Guys, it could possibly be a Doug Hill bow. he was more famous for his red cedar longbows but also had a one piece called lil thumper and also a 3 piece T/D that was a copy of the Schafer Sivertip.
JD
Thanks horse,
I found one pic of a Doug Hill on Google and it does look really similar to this bow and also resembles a Silvertip like you said. This is fun. We might all get a refresher on lesser known bowyers with this thread.
Looks like something i've been building for years now.... Good looking limb design i might add. I'll bet she put's out in spades..
(http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/Bows%202012/Denis%20Smith%20Sas/CIMG1314.jpg)
(http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/Bows%202012/Christmas%20Sas/SANY0027.jpg)
who ever built it has good taste... it's a great design...
Thanks for the kudos Kirk! You got some great looking sticks there.