A Malibu Archery Bow from the 1950's, the All Bamboo Panther Semi Recurve

[2fletch]

The best bow that I ever had as a kid was an all bamboo bow. It was well made with flat and edge grain laminations. Even the handle was of bamboo laminations. It was about 62" in length and 40# @ 28". It was a very lightweight bow and had great cast. I got it when I was about 10 yrs. and used it until going into the Army. While in the service I learned that a friend of my younger brother had broken the bow. He saw the bow, strung it backwards, pulled it to full draw, and broke it. (Sometimes life just isn't fair.)

I mail ordered this bow from Malibu Archery in California in about 1952-1953. They were in business for only  a couple of years, and guess that maybe the bow was made in South Korea. Anyone familiar with this Panther bow, or Malibu Archery? It would be great to find another bow like it. Now, at 76 years old, I'm right back to shooting the same poundage as when I was 10 yrs. old.

[gifford, MO]

Can't specifically address Malibu Archery but I do have an all bamboo semi-recurve bow. It was manufactured in 'occupied Japan' or so the red tag indicates. I got it from an estate sale and was brought back to the US by a returning serviceman in 1948/49 time period according folks running the sale. There were several other Japanese souvenir type items but that was the only bow. Nope, I've never shot it.

[2fletch]

i guessed that my bow was made in South Korea, but it well may have been made by the same company as yours. Do you know the length or weight of your bow? How about the number of laminations and are they both flat and  edge grain? Do you have a photo?   

[gifford, MO]

Well, your bow certainly could have been made in South Korea. Mine shows a 47 on the bows' back, which could be poundage. It's 66 inches long. The bamboo on the back only has one node on each limb. There are about 4 nodes shown on the back but these have been scrapped down. It appears to be 3 laminations, one on the back, one on the belly and a thick one in the middle, not sure if it is bamboo slats but I don't know what it is. There is a handle wrap of black material, in excellent condition considering it's age, leading me to speculate the bow spent is life on the wall, with an occasional shot. There is no shelf, so shooting would be off the hand. There are several drying splits on the upper limb which could need to wrapped and super glued before I would shoot it, which I'm not sure I would. As far as picture, I'm not sure I could provide one. I'll give it a shot in the coming week and see what I can do.

[2fletch]

Malibu Archery also sold a lot of Bear and Ben Pearson bows. The Panther model was lower priced but very well engineered. A lot of cast in a light weight bow. Darn, I'd like to find another one.

[Lucas K]

Jaap Koppedrayer of yumi bows made a reproduction of the bamboo bows imported from Japan after WW2 for a while, you might try to contact him?