HH bug got me ... Part One!

Arwin · May 22, 2011, 10:31:00 PM

Here is one of my favorites.

---Song of the Bow---
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

What of the bow?
The bow was made in England:
Of true wood, of yew wood,
The wood of English bows;
So men who are free
Love the old yew tree
And the land where the yew tree grows.

What of the cord?
The cord was made in England:
A rough cord, a tough cord,
A cord that bowmen love;
So we'll drain our jacks
To the English flax
And the land where the hemp was wove.

What of the shaft?
The shaft was cut in England:
A long shaft, a strong shaft,
Barbed and trim and true;
So we'll drink all together
To the gray goose feather
And the land where the gray goose flew.

What of the men?
The men were bred in England:
The bowman--the yeoman--
The lads of dale and fell
Here's to you--and to you;
To the hearts that are true
And the land where the true hearts dwell

May 22, 2011, 10:32:00 PM

Ben,
Lets see that Belcher!!

Ben Maher · May 23, 2011, 01:31:00 AM

I'll get some pics of the Belcher ...

As a side note for the bookworms amongst us ... the main characters in Doyles "the White Company" are somewhat resurrected in SM Stirlings post apocolyptic "Dies the Fire " series... they are still a fine hand with the longbow even if the novels , whilst entertaining , are 'simple ' stuff .

2treks · May 23, 2011, 04:47:00 PM

OK! bring up to speed, was this movie made? is it BEING made? or are we just wishing?

Rob DiStefano · May 23, 2011, 05:54:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by Two Tracks:
OK! bring up to speed, was this movie made? is it BEING made? or are we just wishing?

mostly wishing at this point. i've been writing the screenplay for the last 10 years. i've always thought it would make a stellar big screen epic adventure movie, with LOTS of archery action ... and if the plot, screenplay and actors were right it would be motivating enuf to make a non-archery audience enjoy the flick and pay the bills.

Joe Subler · May 23, 2011, 06:57:00 PM

Just got an email from Vince today that my Mohawk has been sprayed so should have it pretty soon!!

BTW Rob I'd pay to see that movie

Joe

frank bullitt · May 23, 2011, 08:58:00 PM

Rob, are'nt you friends with that Cameron, gentleman?

Who would be your lead man....modern day actor?

If Selleck, was only a little younger!

Rob DiStefano · May 24, 2011, 05:59:00 AM

QuoteOriginally posted by frank bullitt:
Rob, are'nt you friends with that Cameron, gentleman?

i wish :D though as with any action flick, there will definitely need to be some cgi moments

Who would be your lead man....modern day actor?

not my job to decide, though the choice of actors is surely critical

If Selleck, was only a little younger!

no, a LOT younger!

petertschantz · May 24, 2011, 08:06:00 AM

Just got "The White Company", so with any luck soon I'll be able to join in the conversation!

Pete

Dick in Seattle · May 24, 2011, 06:41:00 PM

"Bird's Eye View"

Finally finished Bird's Eye View. Came in at exactly the 20# I needed at my draw.

65" 25@28
.037 clear glass
.057 mixed quilted and birdseye maple parallel
power lam
.120 tapered bamboo
.057 mixed quilted and birdseye maple parallel
.037 glass

18" bubinga riser
shoulder width 1.11, grip width .088
no shelf, just rolled leather at top of wrap

I'm pleased. It came out nice and I'll be shooting it at Western Regional

Mr.Magoo · May 24, 2011, 06:43:00 PM

I've read all the Holmes stories, but had never heard of "The White Company". Here's a site to download it for free. I just put it on my Kindle.

http://www.manybooks.net/titles/doyleartetext97whtco12.html

Rob DiStefano · May 24, 2011, 07:04:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by Dick in Seattle:
"Bird's Eye View"

Finally finished Bird's Eye View. Came in at exactly the 20# I needed at my draw.

...

pretty bow, dick. real nice.

what kinda performance does such an ultralight draw weight offer?

how heavy, er, light is the mass arrow weight?

what are the target distances yer shooting at?

just curious.

Ben Maher · May 24, 2011, 07:15:00 PM

Thats a ripper Dick !

Good job mate . I have a couple of Bows with no shelf and love the way they shoot ...

bicster · May 24, 2011, 07:49:00 PM

Great bow Dick! That is definitely my favorite of all of your bows.
Bic

Nate Steen . · May 24, 2011, 07:52:00 PM

Dick,

I love the way you hang in there with the lightweights! never give up, you're proving that guys can enjoy these bows no matter what weight they have to shoot

Montauks · May 24, 2011, 08:07:00 PM

Very nice bow Dick! .....What differences if any ,do you notice compared to your hills?

Magoo thanks for the link

Dick in Seattle · May 24, 2011, 08:50:00 PM

Rob... Obviously, it doesn't shoot like a 45 or 50 pounder :(

However, it really isn't all that bad. I use lighter arrows, Easton Blues and Jazz at full length. The 1416's weigh in at 257 gr. with a nib point and the 1516's at 268 gr. I have some even skinnier ones, but haven't fletched them up or found good points for them. I'm hoping that I can shorten them a bit and get a match.

I had this bow pretty well matched with the 1516's yesterday, but I added a leather pad when I put the wrap on it this morning. Now they're behaving maybe a bit stiff. I'll try the 1416's tomorrow. As you can imagine, it gets kind of sensitive.

I put it through the chrono a few minutes ago. Hand release at my 25" draw and 20# I got consistantly 126 to 129 fps. Nominally, HS are supposed to produce 115 plus draw weight, but I think that pre-supposes a longer draw. My bows usually will from a machine release, but not from my hand release That would be 135 for this one, so it's a little low, but that's just about average for most of mine. My hand release will run about 5 to 8 fps less than I'd like to be able to say they got.

As to shooting distance, I shoot out to 30 yards as a rule. At the range I'll play games and try some longer shots, even make some if I'm using a bow I've been shooting for awhile, but let's face it, it'll never be a target bow. Fortunately, I gave up keeping score at anything many years ago when I got so intense I almost had a heart attack. Quit in the middle of a bench rest match and bought my first sailboat that very day!

I love 3D and shoot it as if I were hunting. I pass shots that I know I shouldn't take (well, I try to...). I shoot for fun and my light bows are to enable me to keep doing that. Obviously, they ain't going hunting!

I do have a couple of 38 pounders that I wouldn't hesitate to use to hunt javelina, and would love to get a chance at small pigs with. Would not try for a grown hog. Had the chance to try for hogs, but they were running over 120 lbs. and didn't think it was a good idea. I can shoot those bows fine in hunting situations, i.e. a few shots, but not in something like a 3D shoot.

I haven't felt really handicapped at 3D with the bows down to 27#, and even do OK with my 23# Sweet Georgia Brown, but i can tell there are going to be limitations on this one. However, I know it will be needed and wanted to have it built and in reserve. This may be the bow where I start shooting all the targets from the kids stakes!

Don't see anything wrong with that... I really am just a big kid...

MT Longbow · May 24, 2011, 08:56:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by sunset hill:
Great Photo!

Howard adapted his form to the equipment of the day, but more importantly, he adapted his form for the needs of a hunting archer...meaning he was very fluid and not 'locked out'. This helped him make moving shots as well as stationary shots and all the trick shots inbetween. He was not a static target archer in the sense of the term. You can see photos of Larry Hughes and others at that time who have what is commonly termed today as target form.

Howard also was left eye dominate, which blows away the concept that your dominate eye has to be over the arrow and lined up with the string. This photo shows how large and intense his left eye would stare at the target. Schulz commentated on this fact quite a bit.

Back on page 98 it says HH was Left eye dominant...I am as well, I also know that if I dont squint when shooting my Robin Hood, I shoot way left at 30 yards....I have to squint my dominant left eye and make sure im on by sighting down the shaft to ensure left and right is centered. I have also tried to line uo the "left arrow " if you will when focusing on the target because I can see 2 arrows in my peripheral vision ..it doesnt always work an man....eye dominance is surely a big thing for me.....I wonder how Howard overcame it....I also wonder if it was a very dominant eye or just a little bit. How do you guys do it? Im a squinter. I wish I didnt have to do it.

falconview · May 24, 2011, 09:25:00 PM

Dick are you going to be at western states this weekend?
If so there will be a pipe an a home brew waiting
for you Hope to see ya. Steve

Dick in Seattle · May 24, 2011, 10:22:00 PM

Steve... should pull in around noon Friday. Looking forward to it.

Montauk... somehow your post slipped past as my last one was going out. Difference between mine and Craig's... Not a lot, other than he's modernized his bows and puts shelves on 'em.

Seriously though, allowing for the light draw weights, I try to build about the same bow. I use a longer riser because i want a long, forgiving bow in spite of my short draw, and that means a shorter working limb. For the same reason, I use a power lam. Craig almost always uses tip wedges. With me, it's a sometimes thing. Howard was agin' 'em because of the weight. That's even more critical with my lightweights. Again, because of the weight, mine tend to be slimmer in width than his.

I think the biggest difference is in the feel. Aside from draw weight, which is a separate issue, I find that "real" Hills almost always seem to feel stiff for the draw weight to me. I think Craig tillers more power into the lower half of the limb, knowing folks will be shooting heavy arrows with them. He also uses more taper than I do, which, again, is going to leave more power concentrated in the first half of the limbs. Just about everyone who's gotten their hands on one of mine has commented on the smoothness, and that makes me feel real good.