Just wondering if anyone out there intentionally uses plain old actionwood bows rather than exotic wood bows? How many of you prefer a very basic bow that you really don't get too sick to your stomach over when you scratch or ding it? One of the problems I've had with traditional archery over the years is that I love a beautiful handmade bow with exotic woods and limb veneers and have found myself buying new bows I really didn't need just because I wanted a new wood combo or something. Unfortunately, when it comes time to go to the woods, I spend so much time worrying about the dang bow that I can't focus on anything else! I've kind of come to the realization that the next bow I get will be plain old actionwood without any fancy stuff. Just wondering if anyone else feels this way?
I have a Stalker Coyote being built that is just what your talking about. Gray Actionwood, just a plain Jane meant for hunting. Nothing fancy, just a hunting bow. It's not to far from being done, only a week or so.......I hope!
I'm with you Diamond Paul, Less is more to me. A bow is a tool, more interested in functionality than beauty. But... you can have both if you prefer.
Nah! I likes me some purdy stuff. Scratches be damned.
QuoteOriginally posted by Izzy:
Nah! I likes me some purdy stuff. Scratches be damned.
X2
My bows up to now have all (2 sky bows and a 21st century)been action wood cores and plain veneers or black glass. All the deer and bear that have fell to them didn't care how fancy they were and neither did I. Arrows fly true and they put meat on the ground.
That said however, I did order a new Caribow Featherhorn takedown in May and I cannot wait to see the wood combo package Abe puts together for it!
QuoteOriginally posted by Scott E:
QuoteOriginally posted by Izzy:
Nah! I likes me some purdy stuff. Scratches be damned.
X2 [/b]
3x
All my bows are hunting tools and get hunted hard. I do like the paring of certain woods in risers but the limb veneers dont matter much to me. I will probably just put black glass on my next bow if I order custom again. Now antler knobs and chunks of antler just stuck on a bow are well, just plain ugly. Also snakeskins are great on cowboy boots but can ugly up a good bow pretty quick..........
QuoteOriginally posted by Izzy:
Nah! I likes me some purdy stuff. Scratches be damned.
X4
Got a Bob Lee Ultimate being built now with black glass. Only thing not black is overlay on riser and tips. Should ship next week. :campfire:
My two main hunting bows are American long bows that I built with in expensive lams, glass and riser wood. Both have ended up spray painted in camo colors
I love my plain bow, but I may have added some bling over the years. Skinned it, antler bolts, that's about it...
(http://i.imgur.com/iBacjHE.jpg)
-Jeremy :coffee:
Kanati longbow with gray actionwood riser and limbs with black glass. A meat and potatoes bow.
Funny thing is, people that I know who love pretty bows are also pretty sane about it. They see them as tools, and use them accordingly. I have never been able to do that. I have found actionwood to be very consistent in terms of shootability, though, more so than some other woods. I like bamboo limbs, but I've had some with veneers that I didn't think shot that well, and some that did. The best shooting bow I think I ever had was a Wes Wallace Stealth in green actionwood, which I bought from someone here used I think. It was a touch heavy, but I shot it like a house afire. I wrote this post because I talked to Wes today and might order one of his Pardner bows, which are straight actionwood with no accents at all. Same as the Mentor I have, just nothing special to look at. I do love this Mentor, though.
J. Holden, what is that bow, by the way? Don't recognize it.
QuoteOriginally posted by lilbobby:
QuoteOriginally posted by Izzy:
Nah! I likes me some purdy stuff. Scratches be damned.
X4 [/b]
x5
Habu makes some pretty bows, at least the ones I've seen. Never shot one.
QuoteOriginally posted by lilbobby:
QuoteOriginally posted by Izzy:
Nah! I likes me some purdy stuff. Scratches be damned.
X4 [/b]
X6 !!!
Life's too short. I like plain bows, fancy bows, I like all kinds. Kinda like females LOL.
I get where you're coming from. So far though stalking the woods I'm not sure how I'm gonna damage my fancy bows unless I deliberately abuse them or if I threw them in the back of a pickup with no regard. A coat of wax protects from a lot of light contacts btw.
Its funny to me that these same concerns wouldn't be given a second thought on a $1100 Hoyt wheelie machine or a rifle. To me that just goes to show how we truly revere these fine traditional hunting weapons. ;)
Some of my most favorite bows I consider Ugly but My buds think they look sharp.
Whatever.... They shoot out the front... as Big Jim once said.
I hunt this one often.
(http://i1135.photobucket.com/albums/m637/cjohntalk/1362784607.jpg) (http://s1135.photobucket.com/user/cjohntalk/media/1362784607.jpg.html)
(http://i1135.photobucket.com/albums/m637/cjohntalk/1362784529.jpg) (http://s1135.photobucket.com/user/cjohntalk/media/1362784529.jpg.html)
QuoteOriginally posted by Izzy:
Nah! I likes me some purdy stuff. Scratches be damned.
X7
I don't own a bow or shotgun that I won't take hunting.
My ACSs are pretty plain Jane. Mostly black with a little cocobolo in the riser. Have lots of other bows as well, some much prettier. I don't abuse my bows, but I don't baby them either. They're made to hunt and that's what I do with them. If/when bow starts looking a little ratty, I refinish it. :bigsmyl:
I'm a sucker for some pretty wood veneers and fancy multi tone risers, but this is the hunting bow I had built last year.
(http://i.imgur.com/mowbDPx.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/pC19L4N.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/TFXFCVl.jpg)
Hard to beat in the woods when it comes to blending in. Thinking real serious about having the same fella turn me out a "pretty one" for the off season.
"Scratches be damned" says it all.
My ACS is kinda plain.
QuoteOriginally posted by Cyclic-Rivers:
I hunt this one often.
(http://i1135.photobucket.com/albums/m637/cjohntalk/1362784607.jpg) (http://s1135.photobucket.com/user/cjohntalk/media/1362784607.jpg.html)
(http://i1135.photobucket.com/albums/m637/cjohntalk/1362784529.jpg) (http://s1135.photobucket.com/user/cjohntalk/media/1362784529.jpg.html)
Would not call that one ugly!
I actually don't find actionwood ugly, but it's not cocobolo with bocote accents, either. I think most of the silvertips are dymondwood, and they look real nice. Just seems like scratches and dings look a lot worse on an $1100 dollar bow (or maybe it just feels worse when you ding it), and exotics seem like they show dings worse than actionwood for some reason.
QuoteOriginally posted by Izzy:
Nah! I likes me some purdy stuff. Scratches be damned.
X8
I kinda like my stick to be made out of a stick with some sinew on the back. I really don't care for the pretty bows.
My main has had its riser sprayed satin black. Black glass limbs, too.
QuoteOriginally posted by Izzy:
Nah! I likes me some purdy stuff. Scratches be damned.
X9
QuoteOriginally posted by monterey:
QuoteOriginally posted by Cyclic-Rivers:
[qb] I hunt this one often.
Would not call that one ugly! [/b]
I call it Ugly but I sure like it! Then again, I prefer a buck with a funky rack over a perfect main frame 10. But just like bucks, I am not picky if they act like they are supposed to.
;)
After 34 years of being a bowyer, Just like this post, I like plain and simple. You can see the craftsmanship without getting lost. ..James
Amen to that James. Talk about simple! Take a look at this Great Northern Critter Gitter. All Osage and beautiful simple lines. Nice narrow deep cored trapped limbs. Best shooting bow I have ever shot.
(http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee374/sbaez5799/Gitter2.jpg) (http://s1224.photobucket.com/user/sbaez5799/media/Gitter2.jpg.html)
Nice bow Steve, I like my ASLS with Black or brown back and White belly. (wish I could get grey glass) ..OE
If i was going to go plain Jane on a bow for all around durability i'd recommend Iron wood, often referred to as Ipe, or Brazilian walnut. It's my number one choice for a workin mans bow.....
The action wood isn't as dense and it's much softer wood, but you can get some pretty cool looking grain patterns out of it depending on your riser shape.
Here's one i did with Gray action wood that don't look half bad to me.... I added a G-10 I beam to this one for a bit more mass weight though...
(http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/Bows%202014/Jack%20Brown%20SS/SANY0017.jpg) (http://s171.photobucket.com/user/kirkll/media/Bows%202014/Jack%20Brown%20SS/SANY0017.jpg.html)
(http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/Bows%202014/Jack%20Brown%20SS/SANY0016.jpg) (http://s171.photobucket.com/user/kirkll/media/Bows%202014/Jack%20Brown%20SS/SANY0016.jpg.html)
(http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/Bows%202014/Jack%20Brown%20SS/SANY0015.jpg) (http://s171.photobucket.com/user/kirkll/media/Bows%202014/Jack%20Brown%20SS/SANY0015.jpg.html)
Here is an Iron wood riser with a couple straight accent lines & dark Brown glass. I sell a lot of these at my base price.
(http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/Bows%202012/Sas%20RC%202012/Rick%20Tantum%20Sas%20RC/SANY0035.jpg) (http://s171.photobucket.com/user/kirkll/media/Bows%202012/Sas%20RC%202012/Rick%20Tantum%20Sas%20RC/SANY0035.jpg.html)
(http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/Bows%202012/Sas%20RC%202012/Rick%20Tantum%20Sas%20RC/SANY0025.jpg) (http://s171.photobucket.com/user/kirkll/media/Bows%202012/Sas%20RC%202012/Rick%20Tantum%20Sas%20RC/SANY0025.jpg.html) (http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/Bows%202012/Sas%20RC%202012/Rick%20Tantum%20Sas%20RC/SANY0008.jpg) (http://s171.photobucket.com/user/kirkll/media/Bows%202012/Sas%20RC%202012/Rick%20Tantum%20Sas%20RC/SANY0008.jpg.html)
(http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/Bows%202012/Sas%20RC%202012/Rick%20Tantum%20Sas%20RC/SANY0041.jpg) (http://s171.photobucket.com/user/kirkll/media/Bows%202012/Sas%20RC%202012/Rick%20Tantum%20Sas%20RC/SANY0041.jpg.html)
A non ornamental bow, is meant to be shot and hunted with. By ornamental, I mean something that is built with extremely rare woods, intricate carvings and inlays, and maybe gold or jeweled accents! Everything else, including exotic or highly figured woods, in my opinion is worth nothing if you can't enjoy shooting and hunting with it. A scratch or other blemish, can be buffed out or re-finished. Aside from taking care not to damage my bows from mis-use or careless damage, I hunt them hard, no matter how pretty. It would be like having a hot rod, and never driving it. Unless it is highly collectible, or extremely rare, that would be a shame and a disgrace to the bow (or hot rod)! Ymmv.
I'm an exotic junkie myself, but there is one thicket I climb into occasionally and my actionwood plain jane Wapiti comes with me.
Many times I have planned to have a plain Silvertip built and each time it comes out the absolute opposite by the time Im done.
QuoteOriginally posted by Diamond Paul:
J. Holden, what is that bow, by the way? Don't recognize it.
This is a bow that I helped build when I was in high school. A pastor at our church that I grew up attending made them. I cut his grass, watched his kids and helped in the church sound booth to pay for it. Not going to find another like it...
-Jeremy :coffee:
i recently picked up a silvertip that i really like the looks of, simple dymond wood and black glass dave did a great job staining the riser but it almost has a utility look if ya just glance at it but looking harder the craftmansship really shows and this bow is a shooter !! kinda reminds me of the old first gen. Copo camaros with the steel wheels and hub caps and plain jane look but at the top in performance... i really like that look.......
Kirk, that Iron wood with the dark brown glass is an awesome looking bow.
I don't think you can find a tougher riser wood out there than Ipe. It just doesn't have the fancy looking grain patterns most guys prefer. Some of it is pretty straight grained too.
DP...Got a Palmer made exactly like that..and an old Hatfield TD that I like very much...shoots right alongside the Palmer.
my hunting longbow is plain. Maple lams and handle with black glass.
I do both...
Recurves:
PSAX, Zircote and Spalted Maple w/Copperheads
PCHX, Zircote and Tiger Myrtle
CHX, B&W Ebony w/Black Watermocs
PSA III
SA III, w/2 sets of limbs
SA II, w/2 sets of limbs
MA II, w/2 sets of limbs
Longbow:
Thunderstick MOAB, Osage and Bocote riser, Curly Anigre and Osage veneers w/Moose tips
Can grab any one of them and get the job done! :thumbsup:
I like black, brown or green glass. if they come already banged up that's good too.
(http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y434/danamhay/Mobile%20Uploads/1411437663_zpscd29c6f0.jpg) (http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/danamhay/media/Mobile%20Uploads/1411437663_zpscd29c6f0.jpg.html)
- an Old Hatfield TD that i like very much-
Me too! ;)
I like a bow that SHOOTS the best, regardless of what it looks like. After that, the prettier the better in my opinion. If it gets a few nicks and dings, then it's been earning it's keep and that is OK.
I like bows with nice looking woods, I enjoy studying the character of the wood while on stand when nothing else is going on. As for dings and scratches that's just memories of where you've been with it. With that being said probably the smoothest easiest bow I have ever had the pleasure of owning was a northern mist baraga brown glass limbs with some dark wood in the handle. It wasn't much to look at but it was sweet.
They're all pretty even when they're ugly!!
What Izzy said.
I guess my bow is pretty plain, 64 Howatt Hunter, all Rosewood riser (no accents) and black glass. I think it's a beautiful bow though. Especially when I'm shooting it. :archer2:
I got a couple nicer bows and a couple basic ones, they all hunt and get treated the same. Every bow is bought with the intention to go hunting...and suffer the consequences.
until my boss gave me a custom recurve with cocbolo veneers under clear glass for xmas last year, I was ready to pull the trigger on a used Quinn stallion. They dont come mush plainer than that, or much better, in my opinion. Colonel Townsend Whelen once said "only accurate rifles are interesting". Same goes for bows.
"plain jane" bows are my cuppa tea. mike @ 7lakes sent me u-finish longbow with action-boo cores, black glass and an ipe riser. he cut the shelf, i shaped the grip, did all the sanding, added the tip and grip overlays, then sprayed the clear coat finish. she's now my absolute favorite "hill style" longbow, 68" w/string follow, 47@29.
(http://i.imgur.com/g69430j.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/r6bLBWr.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/hyTPjHK.jpg)
Darn nice work Rob! Really like the looks of that bow. :thumbsup:
I like plain bows...green glass....no fancy wood for me.
I like the Good Ol' Plain Best Shooting LongBow I have! No Frills or Bells or Whistles. Just a Dang Fine Bow that I Love to Shoot! "Old Faithful" I call her, she hasnt let me down yet!
Too bad I cant say the same about the Women I have been Foolish enough to choose every now and again. :knothead: But a Good Woman is out there looking for Me, and I am Looking for Her!! :thumbsup:
A rather high percentage of the traditional shooters I know shoot Blacktails. None of them have any qualms about dragging them through the western Oregon pucker brush.
Many of the comments here have me considering another pretty bow now, and scratches be damned! I guess there is something to be said for getting something special if you have to wait half a year just to get it, or more. I don't know if I could bear to take some of the Blacktails I've seen out in woods, though. Some of them look like they ought to be hanging in a museum or something! Funny, though, the only one I ever shot I did not like at all, mainly because I thought the grip was too high for my liking. I could have sat and looked at that bow for a long, long time, though.
I took this picture of my "plain" bow this morning. Funny thing is, I didn't pose it for this photo....I leaned her their while I messed with a trail camera...when I came back I thought "Wow, that's pretty" :bigsmyl:
Plain maybe, but beautiful to me!
(http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h227/rnorris/October2014046_zps054f9770.jpg) (http://s65.photobucket.com/user/rnorris/media/October2014046_zps054f9770.jpg.html)
I have two Bows, Well one in hand and one on the way....
Both are Hill's My Big 5 is Black Glass back and Brown Belly....With Black Walnut Riser....
The one on the way is a Tembo, With Caramelized Boo and clear glass, Don't know what the riser is yet, I told Craig to surprise me since he did a good job of that with my Big 5....
Neither one has overlay's on tip's our riser, Keep it simple....
As long as they perform, I'm happy....
I like beautiful bows with exotic woods but fully believe that some simple designs have a beauty all their own. Plain does not necessarily translate to ugly. Simple designs often have that sleek, no nonsense appeal that just makes it look like a performer. A lot of them perform as well as any fancy design out there and do it with the same elegance as a very expensive designer model. Fancy or plain, I like 'em all!
I hunt with all of these, yeah they are pretty, but they are weapons and I do with them what they were ment to do, hunt and kill.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/comanche/Bows/IMG_1528_zpsa15066c6.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/comanche/media/Bows/IMG_1528_zpsa15066c6.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/comanche/Bows/IMG_0639_1_zps48b0d30e.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/comanche/media/Bows/IMG_0639_1_zps48b0d30e.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/comanche/Bows/MBogo2.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/comanche/media/Bows/MBogo2.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/comanche/Bows/Copy1ofIMG_3008.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/comanche/media/Bows/Copy1ofIMG_3008.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/comanche/0014_zps21cf5f10.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/comanche/media/0014_zps21cf5f10.jpg.html)
Danny, on bow #9 is that riser ebony with bocote, absolutely gorgeous !!
Those are works of art; it'd be tough for me to drag those through a thicket!
I like awesome bows myself and I use them like intended,they will survive me and maybe some more generations of bowhunters,with a little of refinish they will be like new again,we don't.
Roger, Absolutely fantastic bow! There is just something about those Northern Mist bows that says "take me to the woods". I love it. Pure simplicity and beauty all in one. Thanks for sharing.