Yesterday was a very busy day and I did not have a chance to add on a post on Pow - Wow. However, I did stop by the post office and pic up a long narrow box from Mr. Berry!!!! So, today is the day.
I will spare you all the long story, but James has been working on a very special bow for me for a while now. There have been lots of hurdles in the way, but when I finally got to open that box ... well, I just do not know what to say - I am humbled beyond words.
I wanted an old school bow, string follow with all Yew Lams, and an exposed riser - she would be called "Yew Betcha". It needed to be 68 inches long and 55 pounds @ 29 inches of draw. It HAS to be quiet. I wanted steep riser fades and a very short riser.
James found me a very beautiful piece of Fiddle-Back Myrtle ... it is incredible. The riser is exposed and the bow has 5 lams of Yew wood, an incredible piece of Yew sap wood on the back and a great dark colored and highly figured lam on the belly (slightly rounded) with 3 thick lams in between. It is 55 pounds exactly at 29 inches and the riser is 11 1/2 inches from fade to fade with steep swoops. One may think it to be unstable with such a short riser and long limbs. One would be very much mistaken. This special bow has such a "crisp-ness" to it, it is hard to describe. It is not "mushy" on the draw and is gentle on release but still very crisp. It launches my 600 grain Doug Fir shafts smartly ... kinda hard to believe they are flying so fast. Lastly, the bow is QUIET without any silencers added. The bow shoots (as Leon Stewart says) as quiet as a mouse pissing on a cotton ball. My wife was 10 feet away and said, "Boy that must be your quietest bow yet!" Almost forgot, the serial number is a new one for James. It reads OE1 which means this is the first bow made with One Eye.
This bow fills a void I have had for many years ... a simple yet elegant longbow made of Yew and Myrtle that had an old school look to it. James has had a tough go of it lately as many of you know. I do not know how he does it ... this bow is just marvelous. The craftsmanship is beyond any bow I have ever had before. James is one of the most determined, mentally tough men I have ever known. His bows are beyond belief. I wish I was better with cameras as these pictures do not really represent the quality nor the beauty of this special bow. I am truly humbled.
Serial number
(http://i.imgur.com/9xJZsjT.jpg)
Back
(http://i.imgur.com/BjZFgPC.jpg)
Riser
(http://i.imgur.com/i7rwEr8.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/NzIgupo.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/hhVQjuL.jpg)
Braced
(http://i.imgur.com/kR3o1lm.jpg)
25 yards out ... still a little high
(http://i.imgur.com/Mvl2PNx.jpg)
I am so happy with this bow, it is amazing. "Eat your heart out Mudd" - just kidding buddy, come on over to Dodgeville and you can play with her all you want.
Thanks for looking everyone.
Bob.
Wow!!! In case you're wondering... that is a class "A" compliment.
My 1st question is.... glass or no glass?
I am going to have a void in my chest as "I will eat my heart out!"....lol
Congratulations buddy! and kudos to Mr Berry!
I think a video is in order. I bet you can talk Kathy into handling that for you.
Thank you for sharing.
God bless,Mudd
THAT is one fine Hill style bow. I need to try a Berry bow one of these days.
Bob,
We have spoken quite a bit over the years I this "special" bow you have been looking for. THIS one seems to have fit the bill perfectly for you z
Absolutely stunning, the shooting says she fits you for sure, and for you to call it quiet says a lot as you seem to hear the needle drop in a football stadium!
James nailed it again and this one is breath taking
Congratulations Bob! That is absolutely stunning. I'm delighted to see how well OE1 turned out. I have essentially the same old style Vixen on order and seeing what a superb job the one eyed purple people eater did on yours is not making my wait any easier.
I'll leave you alone now so you can go wear her out. :archer2:
Nice work James!
Hey Mudd, I will give the video Idea some thought. This bow is glassed but as you know James, the wood is doing most of the work. Boy I feel blessed to have such a nice bow!
Bob.
Bob B.,
Congrat's on the new bow and you have answered two of the next questions I was going to ask JD when he called for my build...
1) Would he be willing to use all yew cores?
and
2) Can he show the riser fades OVER the core woods under clear glass by keeping all the core woods behind (In my case a forward handle model) the riser wood?
Your bow confirms it's possible and my hopes are up he'll be willing to do this for me too!
Congrat's on finally catching a beautiful dream bow!
Stump
That's the same name I gave my all yew bow by Jay St Charles a few years back.
(http://i1161.photobucket.com/albums/q506/ORShooter1/bow2005_zps14c76d6b.jpg) (http://s1161.photobucket.com/user/ORShooter1/media/bow2005_zps14c76d6b.jpg.html)
Great looking bow and congrats!
That is a absolutely beautiful bow!!!
Wow! What a beautiful bow.
Bob!
Very nice indeed! I can certainly see what all the fuss is about. You will enjoy it immensely I'm certain of it.
Tim
SPIFFY!!!!
James knocked it out of the park baby!
That is a beautiful bow!! Congrats Bob.
Beautiful Hill style.
Great looking bow, Bob! Sounds like you spec'd it out perfect, and James built it likewise.
Nice! Very Nice!
Actually I would expect it to be very stable. I have a similar bow. shoots like a dream.
And my new Taipan will be OE2 lol. James really is such pleasnt person to talk to and deal with..... he always goes out of his way.
I've always admired James' bows. He makes as fine a bow as a man could want to shoot.
I'm not sure what's going on with him, but I hope he is well.
Even in photos, the craftsmanship shines through! Happy Hunting!
That is one fine looking bow....
Can you give us the dimensions of the grip, Depth, width at the front and back....?
Well I see where my Dyslexia showed up agin, 66"? and I crossed the "h" instad of the"t" Sorry about that Bob. ..James
Mike,
The grip is 4 inches long. It is 2 1/8 inches wide (longest part of dish) and 2 inches long - shortest part of grip. The width is 1 and 1/8 inches thick ( widest part - about - I have no caliper set, I am close to actual measurement ). Front and back is about an 3/4 inch. I have not weighed the bow but I would bet is under 2 pounds, likely a pound and a half. It is light, but gentle on the release and so powerful - so quiet. It is a wonderful hunting weapon.
Bob.
That bow is a beauty. Congratulations!
James,
No worries buddy ... it is not like you were not under any stress to get my bow out! I am so pleased with the bow my friend, I like how everything turned out, the mistake (ever so minor) was not in the craftsmanship, it was a minor edit. It makes the bow all the more personal to me. I was shooting dandelion heads at 20 plus yards with it today with my judo point. The bow shoots very well for me. I love it man, thanks again for such a functional piece of art.
:archer:
Bob.
Awesome and Congrats Bob!!!!
That is one special bow for sure!!!
There's some sort of "magic" that Mr Berry builds right into his bows so the majority of shots taken are in the "X" ring.
:archer:
I should have got one (or more) of James' bows years ago, but now that I have, it is on the top of my list. Can't wait to take it hunting this year.
Yours looks to be typical; beautiful, functional, and a shooter.
I thought belcta, was a Norwegian thing, I guess 'you betcha' is too come to think about it.
JDis a real artist and gifted bowyer .
QuoteOriginally posted by JDBerry:
Well I see where my Dyslexia showed up agin, 66"? and I crossed the "h" instad of the"t" Sorry about that Bob. ..James
This just makes it more unique and adds character! Beautiful craftsmanship for sure!! I truly hope to own a JD Berry someday :clapper:
Wow, awesome bow.. I love yew..
James is the real deal !
Wow! That's a gorgeous bow! Congrats! :thumbsup:
Absolutely stunning,classic lines and good choices of materials. That's what a longbow is suppose to look like.
Ugliest bow I've ever seen I'm sure it can't soot either . But bob to show you what a nice guy I am I'm sending you $25 to cover shipping you can send that bow to me and I'll dispose of it properly for you . James should be ashamed. Matter of fact any body else has an ugly berry bow send it to me and I'll take care of it for you!
QuoteOriginally posted by MikeNova:
Ugliest bow I've ever seen I'm sure it can't soot either . But bob to show you what a nice guy I am I'm sending you $25 to cover shipping you can send that bow to me and I'll dispose of it properly for you . James should be ashamed. Matter of fact any body else has an ugly berry bow send it to me and I'll take care of it for you!
What a guy! Sacrificing for the sake of others!
QuoteOriginally posted by centaur:
QuoteOriginally posted by MikeNova:
Ugliest bow I've ever seen I'm sure it can't soot either . But bob to show you what a nice guy I am I'm sending you $25 to cover shipping you can send that bow to me and I'll dispose of it properly for you . James should be ashamed. Matter of fact any body else has an ugly berry bow send it to me and I'll take care of it for you!
What a guy! Sacrificing for the sake of others! [/b]
Agree:)
Fellas, I truly appreciate your willingness to help me dispose of the "Quasimodo" of longbows. To that end, I could not in good conscience, accept such generous offers as that would surely overburden such fine upstanding citizens as yourselves.
Indeed it is with heavy heart I will keep this bow ... it is my cross to bear. Please know I am humbled by your offers to assist me.
Respectfully,
Bob.
Bob, my friend like myself most of these folks were born at night....but not last night....hahahaha!!!
God bless,Mudd
I'm not even going to post pics of my Taipan when I get her as I can already see where that will go :)
DaveT1963, OE2 is on its way down south today. Well, All I can say is better luck next time. ....Dead Eye
Dang James Now I'll be looking out the window all next week :)