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Author Topic: Howard Hill and bamboo.  (Read 4731 times)

Offline Liquid Amber

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Re: Howard Hill and bamboo.
« Reply #40 on: February 28, 2012, 01:39:00 AM »
This is a link to the South Bend Bow patent.

 www.google.com/patents/US1779277.pdf

Offline Liquid Amber

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Re: Howard Hill and bamboo.
« Reply #41 on: February 28, 2012, 01:44:00 AM »
The quote on Hill using a South Bend Bow can be found at this link under "Jordon the Rod Maker."

 http://daverichey1.posterous.com/?tag=reviews

Offline Tox Collector

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Re: Howard Hill and bamboo.
« Reply #42 on: February 28, 2012, 10:46:00 AM »
flint kemper - Scans have just been sent.

Cliff, The quote about his lucky number being seven was in the forward to his little pamphlet on "how to shoot".  I didn't know this piece of information either.

Thanks for the information on Cy Johnson.  

When you identified the interviewer as John Schultz -- I assume you mean John Schulz of American Longbow?  Interesting interview!

Can you tell us a little about Frank Garske, who he was and his involvement with Hill and the bow-making?

Apparently Stottler was highly regarded as a bow-maker.  Can you outline his involvement with Hill and the making of the bows?  

Glues were an issue [adhesives were an issue for a number of bow-makers] and a shortage of good bamboo.  Good info.

Thanks for the links!
"...the volumes of an archer's library are the doors to the most varied scenes and the most engaging company."  C. J. Longman, Archery, The Badminton Library, 1894

Offline JavelinaHink

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Re: Howard Hill and bamboo.
« Reply #43 on: February 28, 2012, 10:56:00 AM »
Cliff.....  :thumbsup:  on the links   :D   Hink
A TRUE FRIEND ALWAYS THINKS YOU ARE A GOOD EGG EVEN IF YOU ARE SLIGHTLY CRACKED.

Offline Liquid Amber

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Re: Howard Hill and bamboo.
« Reply #44 on: February 28, 2012, 05:14:00 PM »
Schultz wasn't the interviewer, I didn't mentioned his name, simply identified him as interviewer.  The interviewer was asking Garske if the fellow he mentioned just prior was Schultz, and Garske answered, "No, Stotler."

Frank Garske was a friend of Howard Hill, whom he met in 1939, though he had watched Hill shoot and perform beginning in 1935.  Garske wrote a few articles for Archery magazine and built bows with Hill.  He resembled Hill in size and features and shot heavy bows, and occasionally mistaken for Hill.  He was a sculptor who live not far from Hill in California.  He hung around with Dr. Kenagy, Hugh Rich and others of that era.  A real man, maybe why he and Howard were friends, but there appeared to be some competitive drive between the two.  Garske could hang with Hill physically.  

Some more on the bamboo.

Bob Stotler Letter to Hugh Rich [1985]:

“In answer to your letter, I made a few yew wood bows with Howard before he obtained Bamboo  then I made some bamboo bows with him.  These bows were bamboo with bone fiber backs.  They Howard made some with sinew backs.  Then he made some with baleen [whale] back.  I bought a bunch of baleen while in Point Barrow Alaska and gave it all to Howard for a xmas present; enough for about 30 bows.”

“I forgot to mention that Howard made a few tempered bamboo bows.  He put the bamboo in an oven like box full of 100 watt lights and left them in until the bamboo turned a pretty tan color then he shut off the lights and cooled the bamboo slowly.

“This made for a much stronger strip, also harder.  These were bows that he used in competition and exhibition shooting.”

Hugh Rich letter to Bob Stotler [1985]:

“I remember I [Hugh Rich] tried to tell him to put a thin layer of white hickory over the bamboo, to hold down the grain mix at the nodes and then protect the hickory with calf skin or fiber.  All he said was, “It takes too much time”----I even talked to him about trapezoid limb cross section, and he said I was an idiot------

Winter 1990 “Traditional Bowhunter” – Interview with Bob Stotler:

Bob Stotler met Howard Hill in 1936.

“….Other free time would be spent at the shop learning the art of being a bowyer from Howard Hill, who taught me how to make yew wood, lemon wood, and Osage orange bows with and without backing.  We made about 300 of those and then we made 1100 or so bamboo bows, both laminated with fiberglass and with various backings, such as baleen and others.  We also made about 600 recurves of different shapes and configurations.”

I need to dig around some more and maybe I can find something else.

Offline flint kemper

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Re: Howard Hill and bamboo.
« Reply #45 on: February 28, 2012, 06:07:00 PM »
Great info Cliff. Thanks

Offline Tox Collector

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Re: Howard Hill and bamboo.
« Reply #46 on: February 28, 2012, 07:57:00 PM »
Cliff,  Excellent information -- thanks for taking the time to share it.  This helps to answer many questions!
"...the volumes of an archer's library are the doors to the most varied scenes and the most engaging company."  C. J. Longman, Archery, The Badminton Library, 1894

Offline JavelinaHink

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Re: Howard Hill and bamboo.
« Reply #47 on: February 29, 2012, 04:25:00 PM »
Cliff, Some real nice info thanks for digging that up
Heres another patent link for the SouthBend Bow that has changed their construction somewhat 1930/1934...Hink   :cool:  

  http://www.google.com/patents?id=E3VAAAAAEBAJ&pg=PA1&source=gbs_selected_pages&cad=2#v=onepage&q&f=false
A TRUE FRIEND ALWAYS THINKS YOU ARE A GOOD EGG EVEN IF YOU ARE SLIGHTLY CRACKED.

Offline Liquid Amber

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Re: Howard Hill and bamboo.
« Reply #48 on: March 04, 2012, 10:03:00 AM »
The first public notice of Howard Hill and archery I've located.  I believe this to be the very first publication of Hill and archery and I'm sticking with it until someone finds an earlier one.   :)  


The Miami News - February 26, 1927

 


Ad announcing Howard Hill's first archery business in California.  This one is from the December, 1934 Archery Review.  This ad may have run in an earlier edition as I don't have a complete run of AR to verify.

 


My thoughts on Hill and bamboo based upon the information posted on this thread.  

It appears Hill first played with bamboo in 1931 or so.  From there to the late 1930s, there is little to suggest he did any significant work with bamboo.

It was only after Stotler went to work for Hill in 1936 or so did bamboo became a staple material for his bows.  From there forward is pretty well documented.

Offline Tox Collector

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Re: Howard Hill and bamboo.
« Reply #49 on: March 13, 2012, 01:59:00 PM »
"The Complete Archery Book" by Louis Hochman contains some neat photos of Howard Hill [1957].  On pp. 80 there is a picture of Howard and the caption to the pic is "Howard Hill dries his bows with heat of a blow torch directed into improvised drying chamber."  On page 103, there is a statement that Hill likes the distance between the base of the nock and the rear of the feather to be 3/4 inch.  Apparently, some like at least 1 1/2 inches while Ted Ekin considers 1 inch sufficient.  On pp. 109 there is a picture of Howard Hill and Guy Madison in Howard's workshop going over equipment prior to going on a hunting trip.  Thought I would share!
"...the volumes of an archer's library are the doors to the most varied scenes and the most engaging company."  C. J. Longman, Archery, The Badminton Library, 1894

Offline Liquid Amber

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Re: Howard Hill and bamboo.
« Reply #50 on: March 14, 2012, 04:06:00 AM »
Glenn Curtiss had not hired Howard Hill for the Opa-Locka archery golf Club by January 5, 1927 according to a letter he wrote Don Carson.  He came aboard a week or so after.  I just located this ad, which is a few days earlier than the other I posted.  There can't be too many earlier.   :)

Tox - While in Portland for the upcoming PBS Banquet I will visit Ted Fry and finally get to handle and photo the Don Carson bow that is made from "Florida snakewood."  That's on top of spending some time with two of my grandsons.  I'm really looking forward to my four days there.  

I'd forgotten about the Hockman book.  It does have some good stuff on Hill.  

February 20, 1927.

 

Offline Tox Collector

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Re: Howard Hill and bamboo.
« Reply #51 on: March 14, 2012, 11:36:00 AM »
Cliff, Good info. -- have a great visit!
"...the volumes of an archer's library are the doors to the most varied scenes and the most engaging company."  C. J. Longman, Archery, The Badminton Library, 1894

Offline Bud B.

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Re: Howard Hill and bamboo.
« Reply #52 on: October 04, 2013, 09:44:00 PM »
bump
TGMM Family of the Bow >>>>---------->

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Offline Blackhawk

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Re: Howard Hill and bamboo.
« Reply #53 on: October 04, 2013, 09:56:00 PM »
Definitely worth the "bump" as I enjoyed this history lesson again.
Lon Scott

Offline Bud B.

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Re: Howard Hill and bamboo.
« Reply #54 on: October 05, 2013, 12:01:00 AM »
Fascinating indeed!!
TGMM Family of the Bow >>>>---------->

"You can learn more about deer hunting with a bow and arrow in a week, than a gun hunter might learn all his life." ----- Fred Bear

Offline highlife

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Re: Howard Hill and bamboo.
« Reply #55 on: October 05, 2013, 12:11:00 AM »
Thanks for sharing all of your Archery History knowledge to all of us ... fascinating indeed!
There's something about holding a longbow in your hand!

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