Anyone own a Bodnik Slick Stick? Thoughts?

[KevinK]

I am window shopping for a new Deer Bow. I have read some really nice things about the Slick Stick. What is the grip like? In pics it looks like a recurve grip, medium to high which I would like. The guy I talked to a 3R said it is still more like a longbow grip than a recurve grip. I have a Bear Montana and with my carpal tunnel in my bow hand I can't get good with it and it kills me. I own a Bodnik Kiowa and it is a sweet shooting bow, even though it is short but the grip is perfect and it is very accurate. Was thinking about another Bodnik but a longer one and see what I can do with it. I draw to 28.5 if that matters.

[riser]

I had a 64" Slick Stick made for me, drawing 45#@30".  Points and shoots well.  Very smooth. Grip is low, thin.  It reminds me of a 1959 Bear Kodiak Special.  Simple bow that zips an arrow.  None-min handshock.

Check out youtube.  There are several videos from Wolfie Hughes (and a few others > ie  Karma tales) on the slick stick.

I'm very happy with my Slick Stick.

[Trenton G.]

I shot one in Kalamazoo and I didn't really care for it. It felt really unstable to me. It was fast and smooth though.

[KevinK]

Thanks for the feedback. I am thinking about a production 58" in 50#. I don't feel I'm good enough to get anything custom just yet. Besides I enjoy buying more bows. So I see what they mean that the grip is still longbow-ish. I was also looking at a Mohawk but leaning towards the Slick Stick, I am not a fan of the color combination on the newer model Mohawks. I also see that Kustom King is going to sell the new Hunter 60" recurve next month, which is a possibility.

Riser, what weight arrows do you shoot out of it and do you have any chrono numbers? I don't care for the whisper strings so that's the first thing I replace.

Trenton, what length do you draw to? Was it a 58" that you shot?

[Trenton G.]

Kevin, I believe that it was a 58" bow. My draw length is just under 29", and the bow handled that without an issuel. I think that it just felt so odd to me since I'm used to shooting longer bows.

[KevinK]

OK good to know. I am a recurve guy and like a Grizzly to SK length. I could never get the hang of a long bow although I would like to. My Montana is not working out how I expected.

[riser]

I shoot xx75 aluminum 2016 Easton Tributes with 150-175 grain points. I don't have a chrono, but it is quick indeed.

I wanted a 64" bow to minimize any "stability" issues. The Slick Stick weighs about 1 pound. It IS light.  I never shot a Slick Stick of any length before ordering my 64" bow. I personally felt 58-60" was just too short for my desires.  There is a guy in my 3d club that had a similarly designed highly r/D design 58" longbow. It was 55+#@28" and very low mass, 1 lb. The guy who owned this bow is a very good shooter, but he struggled with it for accuracy.

To ME ( and me alone), I thought the combination of low mass, high draw weight, and short amo length worked against each other.  

I knew I wanted a longer, lower draw weight version.  That's what I got, and it is a delight to shoot. Due to the low mass, it IS less forgiving if you don't use good release/ follow through.  It makes me a better shooter, and I shoot it pretty well now.

I am experimenting with a Big Jim's strap on quiver on this bow. It does add some mass and stability. So far so good.

There is no way around the fact a 58-60" longbow is low in mass. It IS less forgiving to sloppy techniques. Don't blame the how-to that's what it is. I'd opt for at least the 60" amo Slick Stick with a 45# draw weight (@ your draw length) if you want a "stock" Slick Stick.  

I'm not sure if Bearpaw/Bodnik still offers a custom Slick Stick option or not. Might be another option for you. Email them. Another option is the Bearpaw/Bodnick amo 64" Dakota longbow. Kustom King Archery has them. $350+ ???  Looks like a nice bow (and 30 year warranty too).

[KevinK]

Thanks, this is the kind of honest feedback I was looking for. As stated earlier I already own a Bodnik Kiowa and I'm sure the Slick Stick is a great quality bow and is very shoot-able in the right hands. I don't think it is a bow I would buy without at least shooting it though, it might not be for me. I would jump on the Mohawk in a heartbeat but the color scheme I just can't take, it looks like a Samick Nighthawk Clone and I've had the unfortunate experience of owning a "bad" samick.

[Biathlonman]

I had one come through.  Probably the nicest production bow I've tried.  I thought the grip was like a low to medium recurve grip.  The one I had was fast and quiet.  I don't know if the bow was not smooth or heavier then marked but that was my only complaint.

[riser]

KevinK

I seem to remember seeing a youtube video by Wolfie Hughes ( a great instinctive shooter, lives in Wales) reviewing the Bodnik Mohawk.  I believe his opinion could be condensed to "it's OK, nothing special.".   I think he was being kind to Bearpaw/Bodnik.  It certainly was not an enthusiastic positive review.  He DID like the Slick Stick , and Quick Stick in his other videos.

Try to find it.   Sounded like "no wow factor."

Just my humble reporting.  Do some research yourself.  It may indeed be a great bow for you.

[KevinK]

I got interested in Bodnik because of their 30 year warranty (if bought through Bearpaw USA it is lifetime). I had a bad experience with some bad Samicks. And yes I do take good care of my gear but it does get heavy use. In addition to my 3 Samick purchases I also own a Vintage Grizzly, a new Bear Montana and my wife has a new Kmag. I can say compared to my 40 plus year old Grizzly I am not impressed by the new Bear quality or finish. It isn't bad but doesn't compare to the old ones that are still in good shape. My Kiowa, basic, plain but you can just tell a big difference in the quality of the construction. It has the typical "rough satin" Bodnik finish which I didn't care for at first but learned to really like, especially when I have a ton of string wax on my fingers. And I'm also impressed with the Kiowa's shootability. I bought the bow for a special purpose turkey blind bow and it is my most accurate bow I own (at least me shooting it). I figure if a 52" by Bodnik is that accurate then a 58 or 60" bow should be even easier to shoot.I thought the old finish on the Mohawk was "OK" Back when the limbs and riser were the same color (See Kustom King or Lancaster's site) but the new color (Bearpaw USA and 3R) just give me a headache to look at.

[KevinK]

And Yes I'm familiar with Wolfie. He is a great shot. Fun to watch him shoot but usually the opposite is true because he's so good of a shot and makes below average bows look good. So definitely something to consider.

[Rough Run]

I have one of the Black Forest bows, sold by Kustom King and made by Bearpaw/Bodnik.  64", marked 50#@28, but #53@29" (my draw, and KK scaled for me.)  The grip is a little thinner and lower than I am used to from my recurve, but I am adjusting pretty quickly.  I love the bow.  It is smooth, easy to point, and doesn't feel like 50+ pounds.  Although it is very light, I don't feel any hand shock or vibration.  It smokes the 2016s with either 125 or 145 gr points - I can't tell any difference.  The Dakota that is coming soon may be the replacement for the Black Forest.

I like it so much, I recently purchased a used 60" Slick Stick, #45@28".  And I was excited to find one that was 60" instead of 58".  I just like, and seem to shoot better, with bows in the 60-64" range.  Going to try 1916s to start, because I like to keep all my points at 125 or 150 gr for simplicity.  

Unlike most, it seems, I like the Whisper string that was on the Black Forest.  All my Easton, GT, Marco & Arizona nocks fit it well, and it is very quiet.  I have tried other strings, but they didn't offer any advantages (that I could perceive) over the Whisper string.

Good luck with your search.  I hope you find what you are looking for, and enjoy yours as much as I like mine.

[riser]

I noticed Kustom King has two Bearpaw one-piece recurves new for spring 2017.  One is a 58" RECURVE version of the Slick Stick.  The other is a 60" Hunter ( bamboo limbs, bubinga riser).

  http://www.kustomkingarchery.com/Bodnik-Bows/products/52/  

They look interesting in design and quality (with lifetime warranty).  Good luck.

Or   find Wing Red Wing Hunter ( amo 58") recurve from the 1960's ( Houston or Head Ski mfg).

[KevinK]

Funny you mentioned the Wing Riser. I have had my eye on one and almost pulled the trigger. I love vintage bows. The way they made bows back then doesn't compare to production bows these days, Bodnik is very close but if you want same or better quality you have to go custom anymore.

[Westkyhunter]

I've posted before on other "slick stick" threads about mine. It's called the "little stick" which is the older version of the slick stick. Mines 45@28" 58" and I've been shooting it almost two years now. I draw just shy of 28". I've had nothing but good times with this bow shooting a wide range of arrow setups and spines. All the carbons were bare shafted but the river cane and spruce shafts weren't. They all fly perfect for me. I've had zero problems with stability either. I think that has a lot to do with what your used to shooting and how bad you want to learn a different length and mass weight bow. It seems to me some guys shoot a short bow a few days and say they don't like it because its unstable. And it's probably not compared to their much longer and heavier bows that they've been shooting for ten years. However if you get one and try it a while and honestly practice with it for a longer period of time I believe you'd really enjoy it, especially for hunting. I too have severe corpal tunnel in both wrists. I use a wrist support strap for my string hand and it really helps. I wrap it really tight and it kinda locks and supports my wrist and hand together. May be something you can try. Most days I can shoot but some days I can't draw even my lightest bows which are in the 35lb range. I won't go into detail about the different arrow specs since I've discussed them several times on here already. You should be able to pull them up with the search function. My "little stick" helped me fill four whitetail tags this past fall. I just love short bows!lol

[KevinK]

So I have been watching the 45 and 50# Slick Stick on 3 Rivers website. I have seen it be available then quickly be on back order. This morning I saw they had a 50#, RH in charcoal in stock so I placed the order. It said in stock until I got the email it is on back order. I called and 3R said it should be fulfilled in a few days. Hopefully I like it but at least if I don't it seems that they sell quickly.

[Rough Run]

I have been eyeballing the Slick Sticks for a year, and just bought a used model off the Classifieds.  I got really lucky in that this bow was a 60" model, which is no longer offered - I thought I missed my chance.  #45@28" was just what I wanted, too, and the bow is in immaculate condition, really well cared for.  Lucky me, a late birthday gift to myself!

I have only put about 5 dozen shots through it with both 1916 & 2016 shafts, but it seems to handle them both with no variation that I can perceive, but there is only 12gr difference in total weight.  The 1916s seem to be the better shaft - or maybe it is just my imagination - but the bow flat out screams those arrows.  It shoots where I look.  It draws to my 29" draw with no stacking.  It is very light, yet I feel no shock in my hand or arm.

In short, I must be in for something bad, because I got so lucky with this bow!  I love it!  I know it is still the honeymoon, but I have 2 others that I really, really like and it took significantly longer to get there with them.

For an affordable, factory bow it is hard to beat, in my opinion, for experimenting with length and style/type before sinking significantly more on a custom that may not fit the bill.  And you may get lucky like me!

I hope you enjoy yours just as much!

[KevinK]

I hope I do like it as much as the guys that love theirs. I only draw to 28.5" but my carpal tunnel doesn't handle a traditional longbow grip. I did order a bow saddle just in case I need it.

[Rough Run]

If the grip hasn't changed, you may like it.  It is slender, but not skinny - seems more like my my recurve, not a high wrist but swelling more in the palm than my other longbows.  And it has a bit of a thumb locator, which I find very nice.  I have never shot a Montana, but the grip definitely appears noticeably different.  My bow has a leather wrap grip drying on it now, and I hope to get its final fit, cut & stitching done tomorrow.  I want to shoot some more!