Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: islandpiper on April 26, 2009, 12:32:29 pm

Title: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: islandpiper on April 26, 2009, 12:32:29 pm
Just curious, since there are "several" bows leaned up in the corners of my dining room (against the resident interior decorator's wishes).   How many bows do you have: capable of shooting, antiques, kids bows, wives bows, favorites, ones you hate but can't burn, etc?  Grand total, how many bows are standing / hanging around your place? 

I know guitar players who have only 10-12, and some fiddlers who keep 4-5 on hand.  Fishermen need at least ten rods.......etc. 

This could be interesting.  And, it will give us ammunition to make a few more so we are "normal".  :) :) :)

Thanks!!   piper
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: sonny on April 26, 2009, 12:55:22 pm
I stopped counting at 15 (a couple of which are fi*@#glass).......
though I'm still on the search for that "perfect" wood bow - you know, the one that feels just right, shoots where you look..........
 


 
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: Gordon on April 26, 2009, 01:21:49 pm
I give most of mine away, but I have 12 hanging around the house excluding fg bows.
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: El Destructo on April 26, 2009, 01:30:10 pm
                                  At this Moment.......17 Stick Bow's.....1 Crossbow....and 2 Compounds

                    But the Two latterly mentioned Items have been sitting in the Closet Drawing Dust for Years!!!

                                                                            ::)
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: Kegan on April 26, 2009, 01:40:32 pm
After I build a new bow that is better than all my previous, I consider it the "new standard" and set all of the old ones in the corner in a back room and start working on new ones to equal or excel the next standard's performance. So at the time being I only have *one* I talk about and shoot... and about three dozen waiting to be redone at a later date :D.
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: Jmilbrandt on April 26, 2009, 03:27:57 pm
I have given most away but still have nine that I shoot.
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: D. Tiller on April 26, 2009, 03:34:57 pm
Never enough!!!  ;)
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: Olschool on April 26, 2009, 04:23:31 pm
I've got 17
 ::) in this room
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: Pat B on April 26, 2009, 04:35:10 pm
I just counted 28, 2 of which are glass bows and one small solid glass recurve. This is in my utility room. Upstairs I have a few old glass recurves, 2 old lemonwood bows(circa 1940) a mahogany crossbow from the Philippians, an old hickory recurve, and an old Bear recurve I'm bringing to the Classic for Mullet. In the basement where my shop is I have no idea how many are down there...oh! and one in a tube(Cinco de Mayo) going to Mysticguido in NJ tomorrow.  I think that's all!  ;D
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: african man on April 26, 2009, 04:51:37 pm
1 F.G. custom r/d ... gathering dust
1 bear take down ... gathering dust
1 vintage steel "Seafab Tiger" ... gets shot every now and then
30 - 40 wooden bows scattered around the place ...  ::)  I should count them one day , but not tonight , I can see 26 bows from here ...  :o

Chris ...  ;)
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: Jesse on April 26, 2009, 06:29:30 pm
I have 1 compound "my first". 1 FG longbow "my first". 1 recurve "my wives". and 4 wood bows "2 are my wives and one is to ugly to give away ;D". Ive given away or sold all the rest. I only keep one bow that I shoot and if I make a better one the previous one gets given or sold and replaced with the new one. I only need one good bow to keep me happy :)
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: Timo on April 26, 2009, 06:38:13 pm
Wasn't sure so I went to the shop and give  a  look. Counted 50,some of which are glass bows. Didn't count the unfinished ones.
Looked in my book and saw that I had finished 10 bows this bow building season.#11 is shot in waiting for finish. ;D
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: islandpiper on April 26, 2009, 08:30:22 pm
Jesse, i like your style!!  You only need one good bow to keep you happy, but you said, "2 are my wives "  , somehow leading us to believe that you have two wives......wow......

Perhaps you meant: "two belong to my wife".......

Anyway , we get the picture, i think. 

As for me, I have four self bows in the dining room, and one FG recurve in the living room, and two more self bows, wrapped ready to ship to my son, and three in the shop for the movie company.......and I really can't call any of them MINE or a favorite.  Like many of you, i build 'em, and give/sell them away. 

piper
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: aruge on April 26, 2009, 08:56:37 pm
being new at this, I only have three shooters at the moment (self bows), one in the works and a compound I used to shoot. Time to rough out a couple more in my "spare" time.
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: TheWildCat on April 26, 2009, 10:35:48 pm
I have 5 Long bows, 1 Pyramid Bow, and 1 Holmgaard Bow. I built all but 2, one was a old Ben Pearson Long Bow that belonged to my Father, and the other was a Old Long Bow from a Collection that was Raffeled off. Best $2 that I ever Spent!
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: Dano on April 26, 2009, 10:51:25 pm
I only count the bows I will not part with, and these my good friends have made.
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: Pat B on April 26, 2009, 11:34:00 pm
I've got a few of those too Dano. ;)  Quite a few of the bows I own were given to me by the maker and those are part of my collection and not for sale. I have an arrow collection too...actually I collect all kinds of stuff! ;D
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: Dave 55 on April 26, 2009, 11:59:28 pm
Well,I just starting self bows this last winter,Ive got 4 that are shooters,one hackberry my last that I think turned out real well,2 I cut the bellys near in half on a bandsaw which wasnt  part of the plan and 1 58 inch osage that became a takedown about midlimb.
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: Aosda on April 27, 2009, 12:26:15 am
I just started last month.  I have 4 so far :-[.  2 shooters, built one bought one. 1 that cracked in the making.  And I'm shooting in my third build attempt.  All you guys were right when you said it was adictive ;D
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: Ryano on April 27, 2009, 12:32:35 am
Right now I have 10 completely finished wooden bows and numerous projects at different stages.  ::)
I can't ever have enough....I think we all are always trying to make a new improved model that far exceeds the old previous atempts.  :)
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: DustinDees on April 27, 2009, 12:50:25 am
My first is a 3 piece takedown all wood flatbow made without power tools excluding the drill (i know its a strange combo) have 2 sets of limbs for it, 4 adult board selfbows 4 kids board selfbows.and an unfinished gemsbok horn bow... still deciding what to do with it.
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: bambule on April 27, 2009, 05:27:51 am
Most of them are given away - 8 are on the wall and 4 of them are shooted by me... (only one FG from the old times)
Didn't count the kids bows...

Greetz
Cord
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: NOMADIC PIRATE on April 27, 2009, 05:57:57 am
25 wooden bows, all ready to be taken out hunting.

4 HILL glass bows, sometimes one of them gets the call to go in the field  ;D
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: ricktrojanowski on April 27, 2009, 06:38:39 am
Nine total, including my son's and my wife's and two glass bows.  I'm new at this so I try to make a completely different bow each time.  When I start repeating, I'll start giving some of  them away.
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: TRACY on April 27, 2009, 09:17:48 am
Just found one in my closet that I forgot about if that's any indication. I've got two that I use day in and day out, but the rest go to those interested in shooting selfbows. I find it easier to build them for someone else than myself. Ironically, the two that I use are nothing fancy to look at, an overbuilt hickory with 2" of set and a slightly deflexed spliced osage with some superficial scars. Kinda like that old pair of boots that are oh so comfortable and feel good. Also have a corner in the barn for the flawed and broken.

Tracy
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: islandpiper on April 27, 2009, 09:36:28 am
Tracy, (and all you other guys), this has been interesting hearing about your line up of bows.  It's amazing how many of you make bows and give them away.  I wonder how many stamp collectors, model airplane guys or HO-Train collectors just "give them away" .   This group of bowyers sets itself apart in many ways.   The productivity and generosity are two of them. 

I'll bet there's more of you that have not checked in yet.   looking forward to hearing your counts. 

piper
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: Marc St Louis on April 27, 2009, 09:56:31 am
A few
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: rkeltner on April 27, 2009, 10:52:30 am
11 counting, including two fg (obtained before i started building!), one compound (sorry!), and eight primitive and traditionals that i built, two of which i built for my daughters! i currently have somewhere between 3 and 5 bows in process 9can't keep track right now, and haven't taken stock of what's out there) i have the makings for more than i have a clue about, and annoy my wife by continually looking for more raw materials!
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: medicinewheel on April 27, 2009, 12:58:30 pm
A few

 ;D

I count ten from here. But that's my working/music room with the computer and a piano, two saxophones and such, the room doesn't really have to do with archery much...
Looks different downstaires in the living room - that's where the bandsaw is, too...
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: adb on April 27, 2009, 02:43:53 pm
12 longbows
2 recurves
2 FG takedown recurves
2 FG longbows

Of the 200 or so bows I've made, I've given away or sold most of them.
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: Kent D. on April 27, 2009, 03:50:46 pm
I dont keep many around.  Right now, Ive got 7 and a few Im working on.
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: rivercane on April 27, 2009, 05:39:01 pm
I've got eleven and three that are close to being finished.
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: deerhunter97370 on April 27, 2009, 06:46:29 pm
I have 1 shootable wood bow 1 broken wood bow( I going to maybe make a takedown out of) 1 glass kids bow. Joel
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: islandpiper on April 27, 2009, 07:29:49 pm
Deerhunter, i think a bunch of us should come over to your house some saturday and help you get some bows on the rack.  We'll bring the gumbo and potato salad, you have the beer cold.  piper
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: mullet on April 27, 2009, 10:48:54 pm
  I've got a boat load.
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: FlintWalker on April 27, 2009, 11:03:22 pm
13 selfbows, two old FG bows and a couple compounds.
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: deerhunter97370 on April 28, 2009, 12:27:31 am
Deerhunter, i think a bunch of us should come over to your house some saturday and help you get some bows on the rack.  We'll bring the gumbo and potato salad, you have the beer cold.  piper

 You guys bring the food Ill supply soda. plus Im down a bow this afternoon I found a crack running between the sapwood and heartwood of my Yew bow. But I have a pre-finished osage on standby and dogwood and osage staves drying.
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: Rich Saffold on April 28, 2009, 12:44:42 am
4 selfbows, two were gifts, one BBI , and at this point 17 either going somewhere, or for inventory. 2 which are "prototypes' which have shown promise, and I'll post some pics soon when I can get the kid to help me.
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: Badger on April 28, 2009, 12:56:33 am
  If I told you I might be commited! I am standing on the fifth! Steve
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: dismount on April 28, 2009, 07:30:44 am
Piper, I keep seven to shoot and mess with. Seven is a lucky number,also spread your extra bows around so other folks can have fun with 'em! You made them to shoot and if you're not shooting them thats a cryin' shame :'( :'(   dismount
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: John K on April 28, 2009, 01:06:57 pm
I have 5 self bows at the moment, just gave one away this last weekend. 1 Bear Super Kodiak and lots of bows in the works........I also have a pile of them in the corner from when i first started, many waiting to be turned into kids bows or takedowns.
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: majsnuff on May 03, 2009, 07:49:05 am
1 compound. 3 Bear and 2 Pearson recurves, 8 bows that I have made, 5 bows in various stages of completion, and enough staves and laminate to make another 30. Which reminds me I need to get out and harvest a couple more staves just in case I run low.
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: Adam Keiper on May 03, 2009, 11:14:37 am
Oh geez, probably 5 or 6 dozen bows, another 2 or 3 dozen in various stages of completion, and a gross of staves.  Plus enough arrows and shafts to recreate Agincourt.   ;)  What can I say?  I just enjoy building this stuff.
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: 1/2primitive on May 03, 2009, 11:18:37 am
As of last week, I had about 30 or so, then I had to get rid of some.
Now I have somewhere around 20.
     Sean
Title: Re: POLL: How many bows do you have?
Post by: cracker on May 03, 2009, 08:51:39 pm
14 Ive given away 11 but I still consider them to be mine like children.Ron