longbow,
that is the insert for the limb bolt attachment, South uses the same system on Stalkers. It's just a different way of doing it vs the usual insert that's threaded into the wood from the front and hidden. They have a brass finish so it looks quite tasteful.
That question being addressed, I have owned one Royal and one Mentor so far. My overall impression of Wes's work is that it is superb. In fact of the makers Ive recently tried he is one I'm most likely to order a new bow from anytime in the near future if I wanted a 3pc recurve. His build quality is top notch but feels different than a Blacktail or Stalker, it has an old world handmade feel that I can't quite describe, I guess what I'm saying is that with the newer Blacktail bows for example they are so well finished they almost seem like they belong in an art gallery not the back of a pickup truck (this is NOT criticism just admiration), VS Wes's bows to me you almost picture a guy with his sleeves rolled up listening to some John Denver, sweat pouring, sawdust everywhere and taking a quick break to sip on some suds, switching off the sander for a moment to listen to some yotes singing off in the valley LOL...and the end product is still gorgeous with fine attention to detail but feels as familiar as an old pair of your favorite boots.
The grip shape is to die for. Very similar to a Stalker, melts right into the hand. Lots of mass weight. Proportionally a large bow, my 64"er I marveled at how solid and durable it felt. His limb tips are constructed bombproof. This is not a fragile feeling bow in any sense. The longbow is similar. A dedicated hunting tool. He picks some lovely woods. The recurve limbs are thin and wide, tapering to a spear point, with long working fades, they remain stable and are not noodly. VS a Schafer or Blacktail I did find the Wallace to be a bit more sensitive to sweet spot for brace height as far as quieting it down, but it wasn't a loud recurve. I'd say it was similar to a Blacktail in this regard. I most recently had a Schafer and to me the Schafer was marginally more quiet but it was also a 60" bow so who knows prolly not a fair matchup. Anway, the Mentor was a pleasure to shoot and VERY smooth. The Royal longbow was a real sleeper. The trapped limbs where neat and it was quicker than it looked and very easy to shoot. Bottom line Wes is a sure thing and he's one of the nicer guys to deal with and his wait time is reasonable also.
Topic: Tell me about your Wes Wallace Mentor bow? (Read 4127 times)
