Mohawk Longbow Owners - help please

[Roy from Pa]

Mark, have you left anyone else shoot this bow?

I would try that and see what the results are.

It's possible that there could be a problem with the bow.

[Rob DiStefano]

Well thanks for your input guys. I've probably owned 25 longbows and I have never had this problem with any of them. I want to like this longbow but I don't think I do. I can take any of my other longbows and shoot them well.

You give up too soon.  I can't imagine a Sparrowhawk that's difficult to shoot well, they are Very forgiving longbows for both arrow selection and shooting form. 

Noting that your problem is a consistent grouping of arrows off their intended mark tells me it sure ain't the bow, it's the shooter and/or arrows. 

Sparrowhawk limbs are intentionally narrower, and thicker with their added tempered bamboo limb core, and thus are quite forgiving for bow torque.  They are +1/8th inch of center shot, so as with any true longbow there will be some issue of arrow spine, so make sure to try different spine arrows.  My 'hawks in the mid 50s @ 29" loved weak spine Beman 500 shafts that were low 4 fletched. 

Other than that, it'll be a form issue anomaly to uncover and conquer, and first to look at is yer bow hand, it's pressure point on the bow's grip, and what happens during release.  If you rotate the bow hand from near vertical to perhaps a cant of the hand (not the bow) to about 45*, with the pressure point at the thumb base, that will be as torque free as it gets. Then it's up to arrow spine.

One key with all stickbows is how the shelf/window is cut.  The more it is cut to center, or past center, the less arrow spine matters.  There is typically a good difference 'tween a +1/8" arrow plate and one that's cut way past center.  I have a hybrid mild r/d longbow that's 1/4" past center shot and the plate is faced with 1/32" thin leather - that bow shots dead straight with any spine wood or carbon arrow as long as my bow hand is properly placed and the rest of my shot form is well on ... doesn't matter if the bow is "target archery vertical" or "bowhunter severely canted".  The accuracy is then up to the bowsight between my ears and how it elevates the bow arm, and how the string fingers do their releasing thingy.

In any event, giving up and selling off yer Mohawk shouldn't be a problem since Vince has "retired" from bow building for the most part, and Sparrowhawks are hard to come by.

Good luck.

[Roy from Pa]

Noting that your problem is a consistent grouping of arrows off their intended mark tells me it sure ain't the bow, it's the shooter and/or arrows

Very good point, Rob.

My suggestion of having another guy shoot the bow wasn't meant to criticize the bow itself, but to eliminate a bow problem or a shooters problem.

Mark another thing you could try is a thinner arrow side plate.  That will move your grouping to the left.

[Rob DiStefano]

Noting that your problem is a consistent grouping of arrows off their intended mark tells me it sure ain't the bow, it's the shooter and/or arrows

Very good point, Rob.

My suggestion of having another guy shoot the bow wasn't meant to criticize the bow itself, but to eliminate a bow problem or a shooters problem.

Mark another thing you could try is a thinner arrow side plate.  That will move your grouping to the left.

Very good suggestions. 

[trad_bowhunter1965]

I have talked to Mark about this I was having the same problem and Vince call me and we talked and he came up with that the strike plate was to thick Vince mailed me so super thin goat leather it made a big difference. She shooting real good now she loves the Axis 500 29" 175gr point and 100gr brass insert and 55/50 Surewood shafts with 160gr point, great bow waited a long time to get one. Vince is a great guy! 

[Car54]

Always thought I would buy one,  don't know why I didn't.  Always read they were excellent bows. 

[Roy from Pa]

Azhunter, have you gotten your hitting right figured out yet?

[azhunter]

Well, I guess there is nothing a little sandpaper won't fix. I just decided I was not going to be happy with the bow cut so far outside of center. It was just cut way further from center than any of the longbows I have owned. I started with some rough sandpaper and sanded for a little bit on the shelf and then put the rest and and shot it then sanded more until I got it where it was shooting great and then sanded with some very fine sandpaper. I then put a a few coats of true oil on it and let it dry for 24 hours and then hit it with a little steel wool. I put a several coats of Minwax polyurethane clear satin on it. It is shooting right where I want it to now. Always thought the bow was really smooth, quiet and pretty quick for such a mild R/D longbow. I am very happy with it now.

[Steelhead]

Yaa I was gonna recommend you possibly work the sight window down to center.But thought that was something you would not want to do.It does weaken the riser a bit.I have had a bow or 2 that were always cut 1/8th or so out from center and had the bowyer cut them to center.They were lighter poundage bows so thier was no concern with integrity really.

The mohawk I had seemed a little farther out from center than any bow I have had that was 1/8th out from center as I mentioned in my earlier post.

They are really great bows and its good you found a solution to your dilemma.Love that style bow myself.

Enjoy:)

[Roy from Pa]

That's great, Mark.

Glad you got her shooting well.

I've seen many guys do exactly what you did with your bow to tune them better.

[Friend]

Just a little FYI regarding canting:

The cant does not affect actual spine at all.

What it does do is affect the angle you see in the attitude of the spine.

A vertically held bow will show the spine attitude & paradox on a horizontal line.

When an arrow is shot, it goes through paradox in two planes. When the bow is held square, the arrow goes through paradox in the horizontal plane and to a lesser degree in the vertical plane. The arrow bows left (right handed shooter) and right (left handed shooter). The strike plate resists the arrow so it bends away from the bow. The more center shot the bow the less it is pressed into the arrow due to the geometry of the string, arrow and riser.

When you cant the bow ,you are changing the plane in which paradox occurs. Now the bow is more to the 10 o'clock position vs. the 9 so it moves the arrow over on impact thus your assumption that the spine changed. The spine is not changed at all, just the plane in which it is taking place.

The same bow canted to a 45 degree angle will show the same spine attitude & paradox, but at a 45 degree angle. Canting absolutely will affect the shot, but not the spine of the arrow. Canting rotates the axis the arrow is setting on in contact with the bow, sooooooooo canting changes how the arrow is pointing.

[Roy from Pa]

 

[Orion]

Good you found something that worked.  However, if shaving down the side plate is what it took, that means that a weaker spined arrow (weaker than those you thought were too weak) should also have worked.