1990 Stewart Multi-Cam....pics

[joe skipp]

Took a break from bowhunting this morning to clean up around the shop and get more "junk" ready for the next 3 weeks of hunting.

As I grabbed my hard case to put in the corner, I realized my old Stewart Multi cam bow was still in there. I put the gorgeous bow together, set the brace and went outside and shot. Been a long time since I shot this baby. I "retired" it after I took an Antelope in '93 in Wyoming. Here are a few pics...the bow is 56" 60# at 28", Yew under clear glass and I stained the light maple riser dark brown. Still has the old plastic limb pockets...
 
 

 
 
 

[WildmanSC]

Joe,

That is a gorgeous looking Bill Stewart recurve.  I had one, but it was all actionwood riser and limbs.  It was a bit too much weight for me and I sold it.

Bill

[Doug R]

I have a 3pc TD longbow Bill made me. I love that bow. It shoots hard and right where your looking. I always wished I would have had him make me a set of recurve limbs also. You dont see very many used bows of Bills come up for sale.

[snag]

It's interesting to see the riser on this bow and then compare it with a new one. The shelf and where the arrow contacts it is way forward compared to the radiused shelves of today. But by the sounds of it it doesn't matter!

[Tom Leemans]

O.K. I'm no recurve historian. Why was it called a multi-cam?

[Otto]

Tom

It has to do with the profile of the limbs.  If you look closely from the side, the limbs have a somewhat "snakey" profile of differing radii.  The top picture show it best.

Never shot one, but they look interesting for sure.

[WildmanSC]

Tom,

Take a look at the side profile of the limbs in the pic below:

 

You will be able to see the hinges or knuckles in the limbs that bring about the multi-cam effect that Mr. Stewart designed into his bows.

Bill

[Tom Leemans]

Mmmmm O.K.

[WildmanSC]

Tom,

The bends in the limbs curve are not nearly as noticable in the pic as they are when you are holding an unstrung bow in your hands.  It has at least 3 hinges/knucles along the straight section of the limb and just before the curve.

Bill

[joe skipp]

I believe Chastain Wapati bows have a similar limb design. Take a close look at Chastain limbs.

By the way...I've been shooting this bow ever since I strung it up. I'm really getting the itch to take it to CT this week and try and add another harvest. These heavy ash are really flying sweet out of her and those Metric Mags are screaming. Could be an interesting week....

[southpawshooter]

Good luck in CT Joe!!!!

That Bill Stewart design is very intriguing.  Several bowyers have followed suite with similar limb designs.  Bill Kerner's longbow has similar hinges........though not quite as pronounced.  Jim Reynolds does a subtle hinge in his MOAB as well.

[joe skipp]

Thanks Scott...we have to hit Jersey again. Waiting on the "Big Guy" to let me know his schedule.
CT should be pretty good, will do some rattling etc...At one time Bill explained the purpose of this limb design and I know I wrote about it in my column but God knows where my archives are! All I know the bow shoots flat...very quiet. Too bad no one picked up his business...same with Groves.

[Doug R]

I got to talk to Bill a few times while he was making my bow. Mine doesnt have the plastic limb pockets.I think those were on some of his earlier bows. I would have liked to meet him in person. A real nice guy and very easy to talk to. He has quite a history in the archery industry. Supposedly TBM was going to have a interview of him in their magazine but I doubt it will ever happen. When I first got into shooting recurves and longbows I read an article about Bills bows that were tested by Norb Mullaney and were rated as one of the highest performing tested at the time. Bill also took the time to hand write a small note to me with a brochure I requested from him about his bows. That first impression was what made me decide that someday I would like to have one of his bows. You can Google his name and read about him and his bows on a web site.

[WildmanSC]

I've owned a Chastain Wapiti as well as a Stewart Multicam.  The only way the Wapiti is remotely close in shape/design to the Multicam is the sharp hook of the curve.  The Wapiti does not have the Multicam hinged joints.

Bill

[Falk]

Joe, thats a very nice wood combination in your Stewart bow         I think I would not have done what I did (see below). Mine was built January 1992. As can be seen its similar to yours - 'cept the material. Limbs are black glas on maple core.
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I wanted a Bill Stewart bow since long - because of its unorthodox limb design - which I had only seen in the Greenhorn Safari's "Jaguar limbs" again. Few years ago I was able to get me a Signature Hunter T/D as second hand. As good as new though and exactly the options which I would have ordered myself: long limbs + short riser (= AMO 59"), 60#@28" but best of all: for small money        

This one was supposed to be my back-up bow on any future huntig trip. However, it turned out somewhat disappointing. The bow has 60# as claimed - all right! But the FD-curve is straighter then on most longbows I own. NO pronounced RC-typical hump with additional energy stored at short draw lenght! It is not a fast bow. But, due to this characteristics, it is sweeeet to draw - thats for sure. It makes a nice target bow and I shoot it regularly as trainig bow when I've problems with havier draw weights and/or had paused longer periods.
         
I gave it a full camo paint job (see pics above: normal + "critter view") and used fleece tape here and there at the riser and string grooves, to calm her down. I ground off the better part of the shelf - as usual with me - to enhence arrow clearence and get it closer to my hand - like I prefer.The plastic limb "pockets" are a nuisance in there own right - as they tend to crack at the worst moment.

   

The protruding stabiliser bushing was obviously "mentaly forced" into the short riser by Stewarts "sales manager" or something!? It is totally in the way and useless because you have to put your hand somewhere. I wouldnt have used it anyway and ground it flush with the handle the first day and was suddenly able to close my fingers around the handle     :D     I wonder how the former user did it? Maybe he was holding it with an Asbell-grip - don't know ...

   
I like this bow cause it's special design. But it is nothing more then a different look IMO. I also prefer this handle style over the deeper ones. Anyhow, I didn't toke it along on my last trip. Bloody luggage restrictions with air travel made it prohibitive to take ANY extras with me - not even a back-up bow     :(

[WildmanSC]

Falk,

I exchanged emails with Mr. Stewart before he died.  He told me that fastest Multicam bow was a 60" bow comprised of the long 18" riser with the short limbs.  That is the combination Norb Mullaney tested and attained an AMO speed of 203+ fps shooting a 540 gr arrow at 60#@30" draw.

Bill

[Longbowz]

This thread is pretty aged since the last post but since I have one of his bows I couldn't resist.

  I got it after talking with him at the Washington State Bowhunters rendezvous in 1999.  He was a very interesting man and truly one of the main players in modern archery.  He was also a generous man.  For several years he donated a bow to WSB's banquet to be auctioned.  So there are quite a few  WSB members who shoot one of his bows.  I've never heard anyone who didn't like them.

Mine is a 64 inch 55lb. @ 28 inch draw. It has a grey (almost light green) actionwood riser with accent stripe.  I ordered yew limbs which to me are a little smoother then maple and look much nicer.  If I get around to it I will add a photo of the bow to this thread.

His bows are quite fast as well as being smooth.  I've had more then a few compound shooters raise an eyebrow after I released an arrow.  All I know is it's as smooth as any other recurve I've shot and flatter shooting then most.

An interesting story about this bow happen the first time I took it out.  My wife and I went deer hunting the weekend after I received the bow.  As we walked back to camp in the failing light she spotted what she thought was a deer.  She kept pointing to a bush that try as I might I couldn’t see a deer next to. After a few minutes instead of a deer a cougar came out from under the bush and stood broadside.   The light was pretty well gone and as I was trying to decide what to do my wife whispered to me if I was going to shoot.  The cat only 20 yards away heard this and not knowing what were came over crouched down and growled from maybe 12 feet.  The possibility that my first shot from my new bow was now going to be a defensive shot at the head of a very mad cougar in the dark seemed a possibility.  After what seemed like an eternity the cat swapped ends and took off.  My wife didn’t think any of this was a bit funny as we headed back to camp.  Ever since that time by bow has kept it’s mojo.  It’s been in several successful hunts since that first day out.

[joe skipp]

Bill gave me as a gift, which I in turn gave to one of my friends was his first 3 pc T/D Longbow.
This monster was close to 68# and I believe 66" long. I couldn't shoot it and I think my buddy still has it. Light tan maple riser with Yew Limbs under clear glass. I'm going to try to get the bow and post some pics....