Any history information? Elburg Cherokee

[J. Holden]

I am awaiting on the post man.  On Monday or Tuesday a used Elburg Cherokee should be at my front door.  It is 62" and 56# @ 27".

I've done a little looking and know that Mr. Elburg was onto something with his designs.  Seems his bows were built to hunt!  Also know they're from Indiana.  I really can't wait to get it.

Anyone have some good information?

-Jeremy  

[twigflicker]

What kind of info you looking for Jeremy?  

Admitted Elburg nut here... hunting with something other than and Elburg for the first time in many years...

The Cherokee was what Harry considered to be a flatbow... anything in the Cherokee line is more along the lines of a flatbow... wider, thinner limbs... Cherokee, Cherokee Special, Cherokee Magnum, Cherokee Mite...

The Cherokee is one of his earlier models... some of the earliest had wood overlays on the limb tips (mid to late 80')... later models say 1990 through the end of Harry's building (2004) had micarta overlays...

Harry was one of the earliest bowyers to adopt FastFlight strings and make them thin... I had to double serve his strings to make arrow nocks fit...

His bows have always been considered to be one of the faster that was available... but many considered them to hard to shoot... "twitchy"

He was way before his time... designing the Grizzly Broadhead, and many of his bow designs as well...

Enjoy your new to you Elburg...  

Jonathan

[J. Holden]

Thanks for replying Jonathan.  The bow arrived today but I'm at the firehouse till tomorrow a.m.  Can't wait to get home!

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to shooting this bow.  The gentlemen I bought it from suggested staying away from FF string.  I'll have to take a look at the tips and see if I can determine for myself.

Can you explain "twitchy"?  I had a skinny Skookum longbow and couldn't find my groove.  I'm hoping the flatbow design is more forgiving for me.

-Jeremy

[twigflicker]

Harry seemed to build more for speed...
Some guys found that less stable...  Thus what I call "twitchy"...

Most of the time Harry had a suggested brace height on the bow... Usually fairly low... I'm more inclined to run it a little higher which seems to help me...

Jonathan

[J. Holden]

Thank you again!  I was able to unwrap the bow today and string it up.  Man what a nice bow.  I like it a lot.  Wasn't sure how "wide" it would be for a flatbow.  It's just perfect though.

I had some arrows that I thought would work so I strung it up, gave it a couple pulls, and then fired away.  I LOVE IT!

I do thin I'm going to send it off to the Bow Hospital for a refinish.  But otherwise I think I'm gonna love getting to know this bow.

Thanks for your time and insight.  There is some black type of material under the wood tip overlay.  Do you think this is Micarta and therefore it's FF capable?  It has a Flemish twist string on there now but that needs to be replaced as well.

-Jeremy

[J. Holden]

Oh, the brace height was written on there, 6.5".  When I initially strung it up it was at 7".  I lowered it before I shot it.  But I think I'll paper tune and see what that shows.

-Jeremy

[twigflicker]

You're more than welcome Jeremy...

Not real sure on the tips... Might help if i saw a pic...  All of mine with wood tips don't have anything under them...  

There were lots of guys that shot and still shoot the wood tips with FF... they just padded the loops some... I popped a wood tip off one of Harry's Condor's one time trying to stretch a string out so I'm a bit leery now... but prefer the feel of the bow with FF...

Glad you enjoy... they are well designed and built bows...  Depending on what year, which yours sounds like an earlier model... Harry used Deftthane if my memory serves me correctly and it was prone to "chip" along the edges... later went to Thunderbird... which was in the late 90's...

Jonathan

[J. Holden]

Perfect, I can get Deftthane at the local hardware store.  Think I may tackle that myself.  We'll see.

Do you know is Mr. Elburg still alive?

-Jeremy

[SELFBOW19953]

What is the difference between the Cherokee and the Cherokee Magnum?

[twigflicker]

He is... still lives in the Madison area... no longer building bows... sold it in 2004...

[J. Holden]

Cool, thank you for all your help.  I went after the bow this afternoon with some steel wool.  I'll hit the hardware store tomorrow and see what I can find in ways of a finish.  Would love to find Deftthane just to keep consistency with the finish.  I'm excited.

-Jeremy

[J. Holden]

I'm not sure to be hinest the difference between the Cherokee and the Cherokee magnum.  Mine just says Cherokee on the limb.

It is reflexed when unstrung, reverse handle, 62" tip to tip.  Not sure if that helps at all.

Maybe the magnum is more weight?  Mine is 56# @ 27".

-Jeremy

[SELFBOW19953]

I don't think it's the draw weight-mine says "Cherokee Magnum, 54@28".  I also have a Jaguar Magnum-51@26 and a Cherokee-57@28.

[twigflicker]

Phil,

It's basically limb design... The magnum has more curvature to the limb when unstrung...

The both when strung up still have the D profile...

Jonathan

[SELFBOW19953]

Thanks, Jonathan.  I knew there was a difference, but, had no idea what that difference was.

[twigflicker]

You're welcome fellas... if I get a chance this weekend I'll try and take a pic to show the difference...

Jonathan

[twigflicker]

Had a chance to take a pic...

These are three different model's of Harry's flatbow (Cherokee) that I happen to have...

 

The top bow is a Cherokee Special
The middle bow is a Cherokee
and the bottom bow is a Cherokee Magnum

The Cherokee was available in 60" and 62"... the Cherokee Magnum was available in 58", 60" and 62" I believe...

Here's a pic of the Cherokee Special... these bows had an additional layer of clear fiberglass in the lamination stack... they were only available in 58"

 

There is an additional model Harry made in the Cherokee line...  It was called Cherokee Mite... available in 48", 50" and 54"...

I've been looking for a Mite for a while...

Hope this helps!
Jonathan

[twigflicker]

Here's a pic of Harry and his now famous Grizzly broadhead that he invented back in the day...

 

Jonathan

[SELFBOW19953]

Thanks for the photos, Jonathan.  I have also been on the lookout for a Mite.  I see one occasionally, but they are always too heavy for me.  One day, maybe.

Phil

[twigflicker]

Welcome...