Does anyone here know anything about York longbows? I have an old one that my grandfather gave me years ago, which I've been messing around with in my basement. The logo on the front of the top limb says "YORK" with "FOR SPORT" in small letters underneath, and on the back (the side facing the target) there's a small gold emblem just above the grip that says "Manufactured by Woodcraft Equipment Co., Independence, MO." Pressed into the wood right under the York logo is "FB 56" with "50" under that. The 50 is the draw weight, according to my scale, but the bow is 67" long. It's not cut out for centershot, but has a wooden shelf fastened onto the left side just above the grip. It also has a small hole drilled in the top limb tip. It really stacks up fast as it approaches full draw, but it's kind of fun to shoot. Any info I can get will be appreciated.

pictures speak a thousand words.

The FB56  stands for flat bow, 5 1/2' Generally they were 15# to 40# pull..and cost $600 in the  1942 York Archery catalog. These bows were made of lemonwood with walnut handle risers and tip overlays.
 I bought an old lemonwood York Longbow at a flea market years ago. In 1989 I contacted York Archery  about this bow. I received an envelop from Ed Law, sales manager of Woodcrafters Equipment Co and in the envelop Ed had sent a photo copy of a 1930 and 1942 York archery catalog. In a note from Ed he said that Woodcrafters had been making bows from 1923 until the mid 40's.
 If that bow has been sitting idle for years you should reeducate it to bend before you stress it too much. Work it gradually over a period of time until you get to full draw. Otherwise you can cause un-fixable damage to it. I opted to use my old lemonwood bow as a wall hanger and to study on occasion to see how things were done back then. It has more value to me that way.

Here are a couple of shots. Thanks for the help.

I to would really enjoy seeing a picture of that bow!

Actually, I've already been shooting it, at full draw, for quite awhile now; so if something bad were going to happen it likely would have by now. I had no idea it was THAT old! Great info.

Pat B,  Did you really me 600 bucks?  I'd think back then 60 would probably have been expensive.

Bowmania

MEAN, MEAN, MEAN.  Not me - mean.  That's what I get for proof reading AFTER I hit add.

Bowmania

I was wondering that myself- $600 in 1940 would have been a HEAP of $$! Any ideas about the hole drilled through the upper limb tip?

The hole was for a string keeper

$6.00  I forgot the decimal point.  The same bow with either black or white fiber (paper) backing was $7.50.

Pat B...is York Archery still in business?

Gray Buffalo...what can you tell me about York Archery?

Rick, PM sent.

ttt

It's the same bow as Ol' Buck, my lemonwood bow that is traveling about the country.  That's an aftermarket rest someone installed, you normally just shoot off the knuckle.  Here's a few photos of mine.

This is the buck I took with it in 1992.


And while stump shooting.