Harry Drake & The Double D feather rest...

[d. ward]

Finished up the Drake and thought you guy's may enjoy seeing what one of Harry's bows looked like when they left Lakeside Ca.The feather rest adds the final touch..They look just super and work even better on the vintage bows.The old Drake may be heading for the meat market later today(classified add listing).Hey you ever shot a real Harry Drake ? Better yet you ever see how Harry built them ? couple extra laminations here and there.Hey double D thank you again for the fine looking feather rests,it made my bow look complete.bowdoc  

[d. ward]

[d. ward]

[TRAP]

Looks like I need to start building some feather rests that are a little narrower, 5 fletch models or even 4 maybe.  Trap

[toehead]

My grandpa used to shoot along of field archery tournaments in California and I was asking him about which bows he used to like.  He said he always wanted a Fire Drake...Is this from the same person?  This would have been in the late fifties and early sixties.
That is a beautifull bow BTW!

[MJB]

SWEET Don  

[d. ward]

toehead yes that would be the man Harry Drake and that would be the model your looking at above 69" 42# Fire Drake.Lakeside is the place they were built.I believe that one I have in the picture is a 1959 or 1960 the serial number is 3329.Really good shooting bow super smooth draw.If you will forgive me ??? kinda like a compound of recurves if you will(sorry).And built different then lots of other recurves.That Drake shoots over 185 ft.per.second with the proper spine and weight arrow with 65-80 grain nibb for a tip.Not bad for a 69" 42#er........bowdoc

[d. ward]

first check out the back set Harry put into his bows.The limb tips are well ahead of the riser...bowdoc

[d. ward]

[d. ward]

[D.Sheppard]

Hey Doc is the # stamped in the riser opposite the site window. The Drake I have is stamped 602. What year did Harry start building his bows and where do you think #602 falls year wise? It has multiple lams with a leather wrapped handle.

[d. ward]

Oh yeah #3329 opposite the sight window....Well one weird thing about Harry.He for sure had no rime or reason to his serial numbers.I would say the earlier number like yours must have been around 55-57...But I've seen 3 Fire Drakes and 2 HunterFlites with the same numbers stamped on them......Really good shooting bows....bowdoc

[toehead]

Now I can see and read why even after 40 plus years he still raves about the FIRE DRAKE...Said he had ordered one but for some reason it never came it.  

Thanks Bowdoc !

[TRAP]

Was the bow originally sold with a leather grip?

[d. ward]

Trap I don't think any Drakes were sold with leather grips originaly on them...but I have seen several that do have em...added after the purchase maybe.But thats not to say....for a price you could get anything.....bowdoc

[D.Sheppard]

A picture of my Drake with a leather wrapped handle. A very good job if its aftermarket.

 
Looks like the left over lam bow. Seduha, Birdseye maple, Zebrawood, Rosewood, Bubing , and ????  and micarta tips to boot. Were the tips made fatter for a reason? (shoot lighter strings,  increased energy,  for the hell of it ! ) If I had the extra $$$$ to blow this is the bow I would have redone by Doc or Drop.

 
 
 

[tippit]

I seem to have a couple of those Seattle Salt Water finished Drakes...Hunterflight, Fireflight and a Holcom knock off Hunterflight.  Sorry for the poor detail but the dang finish is too shinny   :eek:  the other Doc

 

[d. ward]

Man Doc I love that HunterFlight.Those got to be one of the all time best shooter Harry ever built.Shep I think your Drake is a 1957 I see a small sliver of Harry's trade mark purple heart in the middle of your riser...Cool bows....bowdoc

[tippit]

Bowdoc those top two are the ones you refinished and maybe that Holcom Drake was your job too!

[d. ward]

Wow you sure...those look to nice to be my work....see you soon,bowdoc