Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Around the Campfire => Topic started by: Gus on July 05, 2011, 05:26:24 pm
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Greetings And Salutations Y'all...
While visiting up at my Uncle's place over the Forth, my Uncle and I started talking about bows and primitive archery and what not.
Well my Uncle, God Bless Him, pulls out this bow that I had never seen, and gifts it to me. Saying this was your grandfathers bow.
I never knew GranHoney even shot a bow much less owned one.
So what I know for sure is that it has not been strung in at least eleven years and maybe more.
I suspect that it is at least sixty years old, but in truth am not sure of that.
It has been stored in a closet for the past ten years unstrung.
Done some looking around on the internet but have not come up with anything so far.
I would be grateful for any assistance in Identifying this bow.
Also, should I string and shoot it? If yes do I need to condition the wood first?
Don't want to mess this up. Rather hang her on the wall than break her.
But I'd rather shoot her.
Thank You.
-Gus
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Looks to me to e an old Darton Recurve....probably from the early 80's....or possibly the late 70's.....maybe Eddie Parker will chime in....he knows a lot more about these old Recurves....
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I agree. I used to have a couple Darton recurves and that riser looks very familiar. I bought my first one used in 1977.
George
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My guess without any labels would be a Darton or Cravatto Brothers. String it with about a 7-7.5 inch brace height and let it sit for awhile, a week or so. Then, start working the string a little at a time. Draw it slow and work it some. It should be shooting in about two weeks unless it was stored in a hot place or car. Keep it strung the whole time and make sure the tips line up. If they don't, let me know and I'll tell you how to fix it.
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Thank You Guys...
There was a label removed above the legend have no idea what the label was...
Thank You Mullet, hope to get her strung tomorrow. :)
-Gus
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Gus, use a bow stringer. Not using one destroyed a lot of these old recurves.
I'd like to see some better pictures of the grip, shelf and tips. the brown glass and Maple has me leaning towards a Pearson.
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See....I told you Eddie would chime in..... ;)
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That's a nice gift
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I hear ya,
Very nice of my Uncle indeed...
I will get some better pic's up tomorrow...
-Gus
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Here are a few more shots of the Grip/Riser area.
Still working on assembling the stringer.
Also Should I go over this bow with tong oil?
It looks like it could use it...
Would it hurt?
-Gus
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Tung oil won't hurt it but I doubt it will help unless the finish is completely gone.
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I spent an enjoyable few minutes looking through the collection of Darton catalogs that are on-line. The first catalog with a bow in it was 1965 (though the 64 is missing). The first catalog with a compound bow in it was 1976. The recurve disappeared in the 1980 catalog and appears to have never returned. Very sad.
George
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Ah... I hear ya George...
I love the lines of a recurve...
And this bow is rather nice looking bow to my eye.
My Uncle was under the impression that this one was made in the 1950's or early 1960's...
But with my Grandfather (Granhoney) who knows? :)
He was rather an interesting gentleman... anything could be turned into a tool of nearly any kind.
Butter knife screwdrivers and Colt Dragoon hammers...
He was an Airman in the Army Aircore flying B-17's over Berlin...
So I guess he can be forgiven.... for removing the offending labels. ;D
-Gus
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Mullet,
Thank you Sir.
The finish isn't completely gone, but it does have some wear and a divit or two in the finish.
Over all it is in pretty decent condition.
-Gus
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Gus;
Those little battle scars won't hurt anything. The big test will be in the shooting and hoping your grandpa and uncle kept it stored out of the sun. Looking forward to Full draw. ;) I'm still leaning towardsa Pearson, they used that brown glass and most old Dartons I've seen liked the black glass. I just haven't had time to dig deeper.
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Okay,
Have the bow strung with the string that my uncle said went with the bow.
How ever I am thinking that this is not the correct string even though the string is 4" shorter than the AMO length.
The AMO is 62", the sting is 58" and the brace height is 9 1/4" measured from the back of the bow.
In any event here are a few photos of the braced bow.
Will get a full draw up once I've got the length issue worked out.
Thank You.
-Gus
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That looks real nice Gus. Hasn't been stored standing in the corner for sure. Measure your brace height from the most forward part of the inside (belly side) of the grip. If I remember right mine were normally about 7". Yours might be a little high but it looks pretty good. The way to tune it is to use a string that's a little too long so the brace height is too low and shoot it. You'll hear the slap of the string as it hits the bow limbs on the belly. Twist up the string until the noise goes away and then go a couple twists more. That's your optimum brace height. You want it as low as possible without hitting the limbs. Having it an inch or 2 too high won't hurt the bow, it'll just rob a little performance. Your new string should stretch some as well.
George
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Egad... I see.
Thank You Sir.
In that case it is 6 1/4" from the riser right behind the arrow rest to the string.
Looking at it this way, the brace height sounds pretty good.
Man, I still have a LOT to learn... ;D
Not that That is a bad thing...
Been reading "The Bowyer's Bible" volume one. Very good read so far.
But think I'm gonna have to read it several times to get any sort of respectable retention out of my sun addled brain.
I've always been a tough learner, as evidenced by all the scars and broken bones... :)
-Gus
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Like George said, most of these bows had a 7- 7 1/4" brace height. That bow looks good, limbs look straight, also.
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Not behind the rest, in the handle where the web of your hand goes. Basically it is the furthest distance between the string and the handle. Does that make sense? It looks pretty good in the pictures. Wait, a picture's worth 1000 words. Here I'm measuring the brace height on my Samick recurve.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6005/5927748973_66e75d484b_z.jpg)
Looks like I have it at 7 1/4".
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6147/5927750223_8e65ce4883_z.jpg)
George
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Good Goolie Mooglie...
Its all clear to me now. Heh heh... ;D
Thank You Sir.
Kinda remends me of a deer I shot years ago.
Nice ten point buck. Group of guys standing around my truck looking in at the head and cape.
Old salt of the earth farmer asks me "Where did you shoot him sonny"?
I said "In the neck"... it took five minutes for the laughter to die down.
He said "No Son, In the state of Texas, where did you shoot him"...
Egad, nearly clicked post before adding the actual brace height 7 1/2".
So this is the correct string length. So I can make a new string this same length and be good to go.
:)
Seems like the coffee never actually kicked in this morning.
-Gus
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Full Draw.
Try to do a little shooting tomorrow.
:)
-gus
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Looks good. If you make a new string don't use FastFlight. Those old bows do not like it and they tend to come apart.
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Whew...
Mullet you must be psychic...
I just got a new spool of FastFlight Plus in day before yesterday and was considering making the new string with it. :o
Okay, so B50 it is.
Thank You Sir!
You Guys are Great!!!
-Gus
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Yea, good catch Eddie. Do you have a recurve collection Eddie, or just have bought, used and sold bows like I have? If you have a collection I really want to see it when get around to visiting Dad.
George
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George, I've got some nice, old bears, Pearson's and a few odd old bows that I will sell but don't care if I do, know what I mean? I'm getting ready to turn loose a 63 Kodiak Dogleg in mint condition and a 64 Grizzly, zebra wood in mint, real soon. I don't like bows hanging on the wall and these need to be shooting and making meat. Or I might trade three, including these two for a 64 Kodiak or a 59. I really want the 59 to go with my 59 replica.
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Nice, good luck with getting that 59. For years I've had an irrational desire for one of the short riser Bear takedowns. I keep hoping I'll run into one at a garage sale or pawn shop but so far no joy. I certainly don't want it bad enough to pay the going rate. I still have an old Grizzly and a newish Kodiak, both very common and both great shooters. Anyway, back to Gus' bow. Have you shot it yet Gus?
George
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No Sir, not yet George.
Was covered up today.
Hope to shoot tomorrow.
-Gus