Out of the ashes

[George D. Stout]

I recently bought an old bow, pretty much sight unseen, and for only a few dollars.  When I got it I discovered that the upper limb tip had a fracture that went to the edge of the string nock.   The seller was willing to take it back for a refund, but to send it back would cost nearly half of what I paid so I kept it.

I got to looking at it rather seriously a few weeks ago and saw that it was also a bit out of tiller....another whammy.  So I figured didn't have a lot to lose, so out came the hacksaw.

I cut off the tip about the string nock, rounded it off roughly, and then cut a new string nock.  To my amazement, when I strung the bow, the tiller was back where it belonged also.

Well, that made me feel better about the whole deal.  The bow is a Shakespeare R-200, a semi recurve from the late 50's or very early 60's.  It has a nice leather grip and good looking riser that fits nicely in the hand.  Anyway, I set it up and took some arrows to the yard.  The bow shoots very well indeed.

It was marked 45 pounds, and when I was done with it, the scale showed 48 pounds at 28".  It is quiet as can be...not a recurve so the string doesn't touch the limb.  I sprayed a little black and gray paint over the reddish colored limbs and shot it some more today.  Photos are attached.

I nearly threw the bow away...     and that would have been a mistake.  It's certainly not perfect, and I need to finish the tip that I cut down, but it would serve as a very good hunting bow, of that I'm sure.

Here's the cutdown tip...it needs to be sanded better of course:



Some more photos:







This photo shows my last shots from 32 steps...about 28 yards...arrows are 540 grain cedars, 55/59# spine.

[BowHuntingFool]

Nice work and nice shooting! The elboy grease applied did wonders for ya, good job! Congrats on the "new" bow!!!!  

[ChuckC]

Nice save.
ChuckC

[Doc Nock]

Ah...you represent the ole PA Dutchmen well in that willingness to make a silk purse from a sow's ear, there, George! Congrats!