Primitive, Accurate, and Fast...Knight Bows

[2fletch]

This morning a friend of mine called and wanted to come over to check out a bow. It was Harry Angel, and he had an experimental bow made by  David Knight. It was a 64" inch longbow designed to perform at 27" draw weight.

There were several things unique about the bow. #1 It was very lightweight in mass at less than 20 oz. I like lightweight bows...,if they shoot well. #2 It was very fast. #3 It groups arrows  
very close to the spot that I shot at. and #4 It was very quiet with almost no hand shock.

When I first shot the bow it had one of our EFA quivers designed for primitive bows on it. That acounted for part of the quietness of the bow. However, without the quiver it was still quiet, even without silencers on the limbs. When we shot through the chronograph the results were surprising to me. This 42# @ 27" bow with 9 1/4 gr/lb arrows was shooting a whooping 178,179 and 179 ft per second, drawing and releasing at 27".

I had heard Harry talk about how fast these bows are, and I have been beaten by him with one of these bows more than I like to remember. I'm a little slow some times but I believe that I see something a little extradinary about these bows.
I believe that he's on to something. Whether it's a bamboo backed Ipe, or one that's backed with fiberglass (as this one was)all of his bows seem to shoot fast and accurate.

 

 

 

I heard of an article in Primitiver Archery magazine where David's bow was shooting over 200 feet per second. I don't know the details but that's smoking for anything made of wood and bamboo.      

[Rufus]

Mine is Osage w/boo backing, 49# @ 28" and I absolutely love it. Fast, shoots where I point (pointing in the right spot is my deal)and is quiet.
 It shoots 50#-55# shafts like a dream & my 57 1/2#'ers do great also. 500-540 gr. is good too.

[2fletch]

Rufus, most of the bows that I have seen from David Knight are bamboo backed Ipe. I haven't seen one yet that was not fast or that was noisey.  

[Pat B]

David did a class last year at the Tenn. Classic. One of those bows was real close to 200fps with a 500 grain arrow. David is doing another class at this years Classic.
  I have known David for almost 15 years. Two years ago I finally met him in person at the Tenn Classic. When we met he handed me a boo backed and belly R/D bow he had made...then he said it was mine! I believe it is the only one of this style he has made.
  David has figured out these boo backed ipe bows. He offers mild, medium and extreme reflex in his bows. Most are the Medium. Robtatoo built a bow in David's class last year I think.

[2fletch]

One of the guys who shoots here regularly on Tuesday nights got one of the bow blanks that David builds. Between he and Harry they have finished it out nicely and now he's shooting it better than any of the other half dozen bows that he has brought over to shoot. It's always nice to see a project come together.

[Over&Under]

Does David have a website or contact info?

[KentuckyTJ]

Great looking bow Don, are you bringing it to Kentucky? I would sure like to give it a go.

[rainman]

Primal needs Archery, he also sells very nice bamboo shafts.

[2fletch]

Tom, The bow belongs to Harry Angel. I won't make it to Kentucky this year. I had to cancel yesterday because of a family medical problem. (My daughter-in-law had surgery today, and she is doing well.)

As rainman said, "He also sells very nice bamboo shafts." He sells the best Tonkin Cane shafts.

I met David Knight a couple of years ago at Hickory, NC. Since then I have seen him several times and we hosted a bow building work shop for him here at the shop this winter. His skill level is very high and his products are great. I have several of his bow blanks in the (EFA) shop now for resale and a couple that I am completing for myself. It is a great thrill to shoot a bow that you have had a hand in building.

Here is a photo of Harry. Now how can a guy who shoots like that be shooting so well? Lol.