Check Mate's Sabre - opinions?

[Thorvald]

Hi! I have almost decided to buy a check-mate's Sabre for target archery. 68" and perhaps 30#. Is it a good (no, not only good: Very good) bow? It's only for target archery, not 3D, field or hunting. I've almost finished to choose between wooden bows and bows with metal risers. I am almost sure that the wooden bows will win, because they are most beautiful. And I think that the performance can be as good as metal bows. (?) Now I am shooting an Atletic, 66", 32#. This bow is  not  smooth to draw as far as I can feel (not only because I've just 4 months ago came back to archery after 6 years break). I guess that the development in limb technology gives todays archers smooth to draw limbs but still as fast as the old bows?? So what I am looking for is a smooth to draw bow and fast - and maybe the Sabre is so smooth, that I can use 30# with pleasure, and still as fast as my old Atletic. A beautiful bow is also what I am looking for - that's why I choose wooden bow.
Do any one know how fast the Sabre is shooting and perhaps someone have a draw weight curve for the Sabre?

[Chris Wilson]

I'll let you know about the sabre in a week or two when mine arrives.  It's currently in mid shipment from Canada to the US.  I ordered mine for target/3D shooting.  It may or may not see some hunting action, we'll see.  It's 66" pulling 45# at my draw length.  I selected a combination riser made of Bocote and Cocobolo.  The limbs are black walnut.  The wood combinations should look nice together.  I'll post a few pictures and some chronograph numbers not too long after it arrives.

[Thorvald]

Thanks for your answer - I look forward to your "review". Other owners have some opinions?

[Thorvald]

In these days I am having a very difficult time choosing woods for my bow. And the funny thing is that Chad is confused too - we are down on two choices but none of us can make a decision.

Just a word first: I am very happy that I found Chad's homepage - of course because of the very nice looking bows but especially because Chad is very friendly. He answers all my questions in all my e-mails - and beleive me - in the past week a lot of e-amils has past between Chad and me...    

Well back to the difficult choice:

#1: Riser made from cocbolo combined with bolivian rosewood, and limbs with bocote veneer on both sides.

#2: Riser made from cocobolo alone, combined with tamo ash veneer limbs, veneer on both sides.

Nuances of #1 and #2 could be:

#3: Riser made from cocbolo combined with bolivian rosewood, and limbs with tamo ash veneer on both sides.

#4: Riser made from cocobolo combined with bolivian rosewood. Limbs with bocote veneer on the front of the limbs and tamo ash on the back of the limbs. In the riser the bolivian rosewood should be at the front of the riser to complement the bocote veneer, and the cocobolo on the back part of the riser to complement the tamo ash veneer.

What do you people think? Me and Chad are very confused!!    :confused:  

I am different I think from many Danish target archers and perhaps not only Danish target archers. Because for most target archers the performance of the bow is more important than the beauty of the bow. That's why hunting bows like Chad's Hunter I and Hunter II are kind of more beatiful than Sabre's design. I have discussed this with Chad, and I was dreaming of a Hunter I or Hunter II design in my Sabre's riser. But that was not possible. People tell me to buy a hoyt or PSE - but I don't want a Hoyt because all archers in Denmark shoot Hoyt (at least many). The choices in Denmark is not many. Secondly I think I would like a wooden bow more, because of it's outstanding beauty and because it's lighter weight. I think a wooden bow would give me more joy to practicing the archery.

Of course the performance of the bow is also very important to me - I want a bow that is smooth to draw, but still with excellent arrow speeds.

[Chris Wilson]

Tough choices there.  The cocobolo and bolivian rosewood makes a very pretty combo for the riser and has good mass weight at well.  Here's a hunter II that another member of tradgang has with bolivian rosewood and cocobolo in the riser.  The limb veneers would be the hard choice.  I really like the looks of bocote but the pictures of the tamo ash I've seen have been beautiful.  I will say, the next set of limbs I order for my sabre will, more than likely, have bocote veneers, but my riser has bocote in it.

[Thorvald]

Hi Chris!
Thank's for your answer! You should not have posted that picture of the cocobolo / bolivian rosewood combo in Hunter II riser. WOW! Now I am 100% convinced that these two woods looks good together - I was not completely convinced before, even though Chad said so. The problem is, that now I am (if possible) even more sad, that I cannot get the Hunter II design into my Sabre riser. But unfortunately the bowyer doesn't have time to take that challenge...

What do you think about the #4, where I put both bocote and tamo ash veneer in the limbs?

[Chris Wilson]

I believe #4 would be a beautiful combination on the limbs.

[Thorvald]

Aren't there other's than Chris Wilson who have opinions on the Check Mate's Sabre bow :-) - owners etc.??

[RKing]

Good evening Thorvald,I understand your desire for a wood bow ,I feel the same.A question, since you like the hunterII why not get one instead of the Sabre? I shoot a HunterII and love it. It is very forgiving and quick.(could be the 60# @30 in draw)but I love the way it shoots and am considering a set of 45# limbs. Mine is 62" and very smoothe and pretty! I know you will be very happy with your dealings with Chad,he is 100% good man!
I have also considered a Sabre so am interested in more oner feed back. Thanks Robert King (Also in Middle Tennessee)

[Thorvald]

Well RKing - I didn't consider the Hunter II bow, because it is designed to be a hunting bow. I am going to use mine for target archery only and for this longer recurves 66", 68" and 70" are better. Yes I like the design of Hunter I and Hunter II - but after I have seen the pictures of how a two wood combo Sabre looks I like also Sabre's design - it's going to be a beaty. Did you see those pictures? - it's in a reletively new Chris Wilson thread.

So I have decided to order a Sabre (I did yesterday) - so now I can only wait. Chad also told me that another who received his Sabre 68", 34 @ 27 measured an arrow speed of 187 fps with a heavy arrow 10 grains per pound drawn to 26,5". That is a pretty good speed.

[TDHunter]

Sabres are very smooth and are quite fast. I hunted with one for around 10 years and took every big game animal under the sun with it. Great bow!!!

[RKing]

I had not realised the length difference on the sabre and hunterII.I think maybe a Sabre might be in my future:) What woods did you order? The wait is like being a kid at Christmas al over again!

[Thorvald]

Originally posted by RKing:
I had not realised the length difference on the sabre and hunterII.I think maybe a Sabre might be in my future:) What woods did you order? The wait is like being a kid at Christmas al over again!

Yes - and a kid can't wait half a year - so how should I be able to do so?? .....    

The Sabre riser are longer than the hunters, and the limbs are relatively shorter - in this way the bow is more stable and the limbs more effecient (I think).

I order Bolivian Rosewood and cocobolo combo for the riser, and a bocote, yew and Japanese Tamo ash combo for the limbs (yew as corewood).

[RKing]

Sounds Beautiful, I liike the riser combo you chose, may do the same myself.My friend just got a crusader with the tamo ash on the belly and I really like it. 6 month wait ,ouch, so much anticipation! On the upside I will have 6 months to save up!
  Do you shoot field archery or 3d or ??? I use my hunterII to shoot pine cones and dirt clods mostly with an ocassional 3D for good measure so I guess I already have a target bow(according to the better half)

[JimmyC]

I see you guys are ordering the longer Sabre limbs for targets but does anyone have an idea how 62" limbs would feel on that baby?  Out to about 28"?

Thanks,

Jim