HH bug got me ... Part One!

sticksnstones · September 06, 2011, 03:25:00 PM

Oh and BTW you are right about the noise, no amount of arrow weight or number of yarn puff balls seemed to get that setup hunting quiet. It all helped, but I wasn't ever confident it was quiet enough.

dragonheart · September 06, 2011, 03:56:00 PM

Others will have a different view, I have tried alot of different strings and now just stay with the B-50. A thick, well waxed, dacron string, without string silencers, you are not giving up anything, you are gaining in a hunting bow.

Dacron on a Hill longbow, has taken alot of game over the years. Quiet trumps speed. I find that dacron is simply more forgiving of my shooting errors than any other material. The current IBO world champion shoots dacron on a "Hill Style" longbow and shot the highest score at the IBO trad world with wood arrows!

It is safer than other materials on a dryfire if a nock break and shoots quiet. Can you tell I like dacron?

MikeM · September 06, 2011, 04:24:00 PM

I second dragonheart regarding the dacron on my Hill bows.

Rob DiStefano · September 06, 2011, 04:52:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by sticksnstones:
Think I might be figuring out my problem shooting my Hill! 70" Big Five, 50#@28, drawing a touch over 31". Every time I shoot it for a few hours my fingers go numb for a few days. Tried 3 different gloves, 3 different tabs, and different 3 strings that came with it and always end up with numb fingers.

Last night I got to thinking about how my nocks are always loose and how the serving is already built way up... Yeah that's where the light went off for me too. All 3 of them are B50 8 strand. All my other strings for my other bows in the same range are all 14 strand.

Does it sound like I could be on the right track here, or should it be fine with that? I've been wanting to start doing my own strings, looks like a good reason to get a few goodies and get started if it might work.
Thom

8 strands of dacron at 60# is a disaster in the making. not enuf tensile strength, stop shooting that string NOW! yikes!!

i do not advocate using dacron for any bow that's capable of handling modern string fiber. the real advantage isn't less weight and faster arrows, it's *consistency*.

at 60# holding weight, i'd advocate 8 to 12 strands of any hmpe fiber (trade names = dyneema, vectran, spectra, etc). i use 8 strands on all my longbows, from 50-55# @ 29". use a larger diameter serving to mate properly with yer arrow nocks - NOT TIGHT, keep 'em loose. an 8 strand dynaflight'97 bowstring and .030" halo spectra serving is more than enuf for your arrow nocks and your string fingers.

September 06, 2011, 06:24:00 PM

Although I would not put a fast flight on my Schulz, on the Hill blanks that I tillered myself, I put 12 and 14 strand padded strings on and I have to admit there is as overall improvement in speed shooting feel and accuracy. I think I get more out of the arrow with them on the bow, which for me gives me more forgiveness to varied releases.

2treks · September 06, 2011, 06:26:00 PM

Stan, I like that bow. Nice pics as well.
Chuck

tradlongbow · September 06, 2011, 06:32:00 PM

I've been shooting only dacron with my Hill. I'm going to try fastflight again to see how much of a difference there is.

Darren

sticksnstones · September 06, 2011, 07:52:00 PM

Thanks for the additional replies guys, I already ordered a few spools of B50 and a jig as well as two diameters of serving. I'll be picking up some D97 for another bow that likes those strings so I'll try some of each and see if I can sort this out!

ChrisM · September 06, 2011, 08:02:00 PM

300 who would have thought.

Bud B. · September 06, 2011, 08:46:00 PM

I must say that seeing these 300 pages of posts and reading only about 1/10th of one percent of the posts you guys have me kicking around the idea of gettin' a straight grip Hill style bow. It'll be a while though. I don't ever see many lefties in the classifieds here so the southpaws must like'em and are hangin' on to 'em.

Great commitment guys. Thumb's up to you.

dragonheart · September 06, 2011, 09:47:00 PM

Okay, I have to admit that I am messing with a 22 strand TS1 string. Jury is still out.

2treks · September 06, 2011, 09:49:00 PM

http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=046050#000000

http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=045910#000000

Couple lefty bows

Bob B. · September 06, 2011, 10:39:00 PM

Well ... oh my goodness I can not believe what I am going to post ... I have given in to my curiousity as well as my longbow sickness syndrome and I bought a Cheetah from Craig today. However, I bought one a bit heavier than I thought I was going to. So, it is 70 inches long and 48 pounds @ 28 inches. So, I guess it is like 52-ish at my 30 inch draw. I hope I like it. I have always wanted one but never pulled the pin ... until now. It is a stock bow so it may be here by the weekend!

Bob.

Raging Water · September 06, 2011, 10:42:00 PM

300 pages, wow! I think that is a testament in and of itself.

I love my Howard Hill bows. I will be shooting my 100# at 28" this weekend and posting a video. It will be fun to see what I am going to shoot at.

Matt

Bud B. · September 06, 2011, 10:46:00 PM

Can't pull the plug yet. "A while" means no $ at the moment. Still have a LB on order and have to send the second half payment when it is ready. Not a Hill tho.

Mudd · September 06, 2011, 10:57:00 PM

Way to go Bob!

Pictures are in order, you know that of course..lol

September 06, 2011, 11:40:00 PM

Well Bud it is good to see you have a bow on order. for a moment there I was having a guilt spasm about my lefty yew/myrtle Pete George that I bought for 200 bucks or so. I was not going to use it this season because my back is not so happy with me at the moment, not for the shooting but for the loading, it has such small tips my bow loader is a challenge with it. It is not for sale and it is honestly one of the best shooting bows I have just gathering dust, until I am in better shape. The whimpy 50 pounders are going to have to do it for me this year.

Rob DiStefano · September 07, 2011, 06:24:00 AM

QuoteOriginally posted by Bob B.:
....So, it is 70 inches long and 48 pounds @ 28 inches. So, I guess it is like 52-ish at my 30 inch draw. I hope I like it. ...

congrats on your order and forthcoming hill longbow.

48@28 and you pull 30? it'll be lots closer to 60 pounds - if not more!

Benny Nganabbarru · September 07, 2011, 07:04:00 AM

So Rob, with the general rule of thumb being two or three pounds per inch, what have you found Hills to be?

JCJ · September 07, 2011, 07:09:00 AM

QuoteOriginally posted by pavan:
Well Bud it is good to see you have a bow on order. for a moment there I was having a guilt spasm about my lefty yew/myrtle Pete George that I bought for 200 bucks or so. I was not going to use it this season because my back is not so happy with me at the moment, not for the shooting but for the loading, it has such small tips my bow loader is a challenge with it. It is not for sale and it is honestly one of the best shooting bows I have just gathering dust, until I am in better shape. The whimpy 50 pounders are going to have to do it for me this year.

Larry:

If that Pete George wouldn't have been left handed it would be in my house now. It sat there in Lamont's rack for some time un-noticed.

JCJ