Herter's Itasca LB- finally got a string! Handshock monster!!??

[nineworlds9]

So I posted a while back about an absolute mint Herter's Itasca "longbow" 68"/64# that I acquired.  It did not come with a string and I did not have any appropriate length B50 strings lying around.  Ordered and paid for one from a well known string maker and I have yet to see the string.  I think over a month wait time on a bow string is ridiculous.  Anyway, I got impatient and ordered and promptly received a string from another maker, it's a nice string and cost about 1/3 what the other guy's did.  Maybe I'll finally get that string someday who knows.  

Anyway, strung up the Itasca and let er rip.  Never shot one before.  Opinions were split on my last post on how she'd shoot.  Somebody mentioned handshock.  Well, they were right.  This bow is a handshock MONSTER.  I mean like bite your hand bad...makes my Hill Redman and Miller Old Tom look like kittens.  Funny, the Itasca has a recurve style grip and flat limbs...it's kind of a recurve with longbow limbs really.  I'm just blown away by how it bites.  Brace height issue??  Maybe that's why they are so rare and never caught on, haha.  At least it's an accurate bow.  The centershot/elevated rest no doubt.  Pretty fast bow, slings a heavy arrow nicely and on target.  But man!  That bite it gives your hand on release is something.  I was originally very excited about owning this oddball/collectible bow.  We'll have to see.  I'm going to shoot it some more and play with brace height and maybe some string silencers and see what happens, but don't be surprised if you see a mint condition lefty Itasca in the classifieds in the near future...

[Fletcher]

Might just need a little help with tiller and limb balance.

I had a chance to buy one once in perfect condition for $10. The first thing I was planning on doing was to reduce the limbs as far as i dared. i did that before for a Bingham longbow that was too painful to shoot and it made it a such a good bow that it was used to kill several very nice deer for the owner.  When I mentioned the handshock, the person trying to sell it to me said "you just have to open up your hand like this."  When he opened his hand drew back the bow and then showed me how far the bow would shoot itself down his driveway and out onto the street.  The only time I ever saw a faster longbow than that was when I left a Big 5 on the top of my truck and it decided at about 45 mph that it could fly. No harm came to my flying Big 5 while it hovered lightly into the ditch brush, but the bouncing Herters totaled itself.

[Rob DiStefano]

i bought a new itasca back in the 60's, 70" and about 58#.  easy to draw and scrambled yer brains with every shot!  what a shock monster!!

[nineworlds9]

Pavan- definitely had a few laughs at that story, crazy!  

I dunno about retillering etc.  I could contact a bowyer about trying that, but I'm not sure it's worth it to me.  

It's definitely a very smooth and easy drawing bow for its 64#.  The nice draw and the accuracy it seems to have make it a pleasure to shoot EXCEPT for the RELEASE, LoL.  

Wonder if some yarn balls on the string and some Mini Limbsavers will help???

I've been shooting it with a brace height appropriate to a 68" LONGBOW, perhaps I'll treat like a recurve and raise the brace height up to about 8"?

[chanumpa]

Thats what I would try Nineworlds,except I would try two Bass skirts on the string instead of the yarn balls.I had to increase the braceheight more than I thought with one of my bows.Big difference.If it doesnt have a leather grip,that can help too.

[nineworlds9]

Yeah I'll get some skirts from a buddy who freshwater fishes.  Also maybe grab a bow saddle or slip on grip.  Then try the high brace height and see.  If I can get her somewhere close to feeling like my Hill bows then there's hope.