HH bug got me ... Part One!

[MT Longbow]

Thank Charlie for the insight and the comments, good story and I always like to hear about the person who built the bow I'm shooting, it's important to me for some reason....goofy I guess but knowing he was such a good guy and knowing the story a little bit gives me more connection with the bow I am carrying.


Now I'd like to hear from Denny on his old bow.......the history behind it.

Russ, the little leather cookie was more important years ago when Howard Hill would cut his arrow rests barely to the center of the arrow and it became a tradition. I have had bows that did need the shelf extension as well.  Now days most do not, but it is still cool to have it.

[Widow's Son]

How accurate have ya'll found the poundage listed on the bows from HH archery? What I'm trying to say is if the bow is marked 50#@28" is this it's true draw weight? Also, my draw lenght is 27", how much poundage will I lose per inch if the bow is marked 50#@28"?
Maybe I'm getting older, LOL, I know I am, but I've found that I shoot better with a bow in the 45# to 48# range. Anything over that and I have to warm up first. When deer hunting warming up is not an option.
I've been looking at the in stock bows from HH and trying to find something that will fit me.

Ross

[David Mitchell]

HH bows seem to be all over the place on weight.  Some claim they are right on as marked.  I have never had one that was.  All of the ones I have ordered have been 3-4# above marked weight.  I have two that I got that were "previously loved" on the classifieds here--both from stabow (great guy to deal with) that are only about 1# heavy on my scale.  A buddy has one that he got from Craig that is right on the money--his scale and mine read the same on the same bows.  So I don't know.....I got one Hill used that was actually 6# heavier than marked weight.  

[Overspined]

I have checked the past few Hills that I have had or ordered and I found them right on, and really, +/- 1 #??  Not significant or easy to discern via any scale unless you have a tiller stand with a scale that's calibrated. Plus, these are not certified scales...  I found Northern Mist bows were 3# light almost every time. Makes them seem even smoother to draw huh?  Which is more frustrating? Craig said to me a few months ago that he gets bows back on ocassion with this issue, and most times the weight is as marked.  6# I agree would be an issue!  He said they absolutely want happy customers so if it's off, I would bet he'll fix it. If you check arrow speeds and you choose a bow 3# lighter and actually get it back at that, there is almost an imperceptible change. A couple fps.  If anyone is worried, it might be good to err on the light side.??

[cbCrow]

In the last 18 months I have bought a used "Owl" and a new "Tembo". Both were within 1.5 lbs. of stated weight. I sold a "Redman" and "Wesley" that I've have since the 80's and they were definitly miss marked. The Redman was 5 lbs heavy, the Wesley was 4 lbs under.Seems the newer ones are alot closer to the stated weight.

[David Mitchell]

To follow up on my post above, my scale weighs my other bows from several other makers as marked or +/- no more than a pound which I can certainly live with.  Only my Hills don't match what's marked.  That said, I still love my Hills and seem to enjoy shooting them the most.

[ChrisM]

Quick question.  HH archery has a video call indirect aiming by bob wesley.  Is it any good?

[cbCrow]

I read Bob's book quite a few years ago and it helped me to adapt to shooting a Hill. Over the years I have made it more my way by changing little things, but basically use the way Bob describes in his book. The vid will probably help.

[toddster]

Bob's video is decent, but if you can swing it, I highly reccomend as am sure along otheres on this thread will, to go to his shooting school.  It is 500.00 dollars I think, but it is well worth it and the knowledge will last a lifetime.

[Ron LaClair]

Patrick, Your Ron Maulding bow is a keeper for sure. I owned many of Ron's bows and I still have two of them that I don't shoot anymore (too heavy) one is a maple core 104# and the other is tamerack core, 87#

The bow you have is tamerack with maple veneers on either side under glass. Ron's tamerack bows were made from a huge old dead tamerack tree that Ron found in the mountains. He thought that the tamerack had some good shooting characteristics. He had some breakage problems with it in the heavier weights, I broke two of them myself both in the 90# range. That's when he started putting the maple veneers over the tamerack core and it solved the breakage problem.

Denny would probably be glad to know that his old bow is still in service.

Charlie, that sounds like Ron, he was always a true Gentleman, soft spoken and a very kind person. I wish he were still active in the traditional archery community.

[MT Longbow]

Ron, that's great, I got it today and boy , STOUT !

It's in good shape very straight and alignment is perfect.  No separations , and tips look great.


I'm very glad to own this bow.


I'll post some better pics soon.

Thanks for all the information.


Patrick

[MT Longbow]

sorry.. double tap

Patrick

edited for double tap.

[Weasel]

I just picked up a Tembo in an estate sale for $50.  69", marked 45# @ 29", but it's actually 52# at 29".  It had three coats of heavy paint on it, but I thought I recognized the shape as that of a Hill so I bought it.  It took a long day of rubbing with acetone and steel wool to get the paint off.  According to Craig it was built in the early 70's by John Schulz.  

After a few coats of Deft, a new leather wrap and new string, I took it out for a test shoot.  The first arrow out jarred me a bit, but I soon got used to it and started stacking arrows.  Good shooting bow!  The only down side is there are vertical cracks on the back like you see in older Bear bows.  So now it looks like I have a bow to back with snake skins.  Oh well.  :-)

[benmmc]

Originally posted by Weasel:
I just picked up a Tembo in an estate sale for $50.  69", marked 45# @ 29", but it's actually 52# at 29".  It had three coats of heavy paint on it, but I thought I recognized the shape as that of a Hill so I bought it.  It took a long day of rubbing with acetone and steel wool to get the paint off.  According to Craig it was built in the early 70's by John Schulz.  

After a few coats of Deft, a new leather wrap and new string, I took it out for a test shoot.  The first arrow out jarred me a bit, but I soon got used to it and started stacking arrows.  Good shooting bow!  The only down side is there are vertical cracks on the back like you see in older Bear bows.  So now it looks like I have a bow to back with snake skins.  Oh well.  :-)

Wow, amazing deal! Careful with those cracks. I had an old Bear Grizzly snap on me a while back right along one of those cracks.

Congrats on your find!

[jsweka]

Weasel - You lucky dog you    

(Now why can't I find great deals like that?)

[Ron LaClair]

Good find Jerry...  

[MT Longbow]

Anybody ever hear of a Boyer named John Tangredi?  Hill style long boyer?

[Pat B.]

I've tried to access Nate's videos but they appear to be blocked..

Doesn't anyone have links to them that work ??

Sure would appreciate being able to see them..

             Thanks

[MT Longbow]

He sent me the links a while back but ive since lost them, let me look in my Pm's and see if they are there,  if so I will Pm you with them.

Patrick


Update: cant find them...sorry.