Is my bow really a Hummingbird?

[swampcrawler]

Mods, if I placed this in the wrong forum, please move.

So my bow. I got it second hand. I don't know if it's a Hummingbird as in the Hummingbird kingfishers and alpha males or something different. Looks like a Kingfisher to me, but it's just marked (Hummingbird, 66", 58@28") in green ink rather than actually being marked kingfisher or alpha male. If you guys need different pics I can try to take whatever you would need to see.

The writing is pretty faded plus apparently Iphone cameras have a hard time focusing on ink on clear glass.

 

 

 

 

[swampcrawler]

Also would Fastflite string be recommended?
I plan to contact the gentleman who makes the Kingfishers and Alpha Male bows after the New Years to ask these things, but I'm impatient so I figured I'd ask here for now.

[Biathlonman]

Hummingbird bows is closed, Mr. Grahm passed away in November.

[twigflicker]

Donald,

I believe Mr. Graham passed away this past fall... He was the bowyer of Hummingbird bows...  His wife, Linda, might be able to help answer your questions...

Jonathan

[Steelhead]

The bowyer Ben Graham has passed away recently I am sorry to say.I am not sure what the status of the company is currently.His wife Linda is alive and was very much a a part of the of the Hummingbird company.

Been awhile since I had a Hummingbird.I think that would be an older one.Does not look like the Kingfisher.Those had fancy veneers along with the exotic riser.Yours has a nice riser but plain limbs.The Kingfisher recurve I had was very fancy with select woods in riser and limbs of Kingwood and had a gloss finish.My longbow was more plain and may have been the Alpha male.He also made one called a Dynastick with a heavy black riser of Mycarta or phenolic.

Thier very nice shooting bows IMO.I used FF strings on mine and would say its okay to use them.

[swampcrawler]

Oh wow... I did not realize that he had passed...I hope I didn't offend anyone. Certainly no disrespect intinded.

I may try to contact Mrs Graham at some point or I may just let well enough alone.

[BRITTMAN]

You didn't offend anyone . Ben would be happy knowing one of his bows was being talked about and shot . I've had several over the years and that does look like one bit could be a older model . I bet it still shoots good .

[NothingHappenedToday]

I currently have two Hummingbird longbows (Kingfisher and Dyna-stick). The handwriting on your bow looks the same as both of mine

[Tajue17]

my buddy has a kingfisher and that bow looks really close, I think with a kingfisher the giveaway is the lams will be a fancy type wood for looks,, I don't think you would find action wood or black or brown glass on a kingfisher unless it was specially requested.

[Bud B.]

That may be an early example of Ben's work. He started using a medallion at some point in his bows.

  http://hummingbirdbows.com/Inventory/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/lb-new-5-681x1024.jpg

[Bud B.]

And as far as fastflite, Ben was no fan of Dacron strings. I am almost certain your bow can handle it. Post pic of the limb tips from a side view. And if you call, Linda made the strings for his bows, I believe. She will know with certainty and apprecite and conversation about your bow made by her late husband.

[Tom]

Having had a number of Ben's bows that looks like an early Alpha Male which didn't have the fancy woods of the Kinfisher but came off the same form. Believe that all of his bows are FF as he made them pretty near bomb proof. Good bows and one of the few I regret passing down the road.

[swampcrawler]

Spoke to Mrs. Graham today. It is in fact one of Mr. Ben's early bows. I'm happy as a clam to own it. It will certainly be walking the woods with me for years to come. Thanks guys!

[Marc B.]

It looks like mine I bought from Ben in 96. You have a great bow there!

[vintage-bears]

His bows are great and he was a very ,very nice man.

[Joe2Crow]

I was going to chime in that it looks like one of Ben's early longbows but you already figured that out.  I made my first trad kill on a coyote at 11 yds shooting a 50# hummingbird very similar to that.  Great memory.