What's the History of the Modern Bowyers??

[String Cutter]

I thought I'ld start a tread to find out alot of stuff about bowyers I read about all the time. Maybe even have a few bowyers themselves tell how, when ,and where they learned their craft and who they worked with that inspired them and their current bow designs.
I'm pretty sure that Fred Bear and Howard Hill were friends. Did Howard teach Fred how to make bows.
Who taught O.L.Adcock, And what ever gave him the idea for his limbs???
Who taught Mr. Schafer,Wallace,G. Fred Asbell?
I think we're letting alot of history slip right through our fingers.

[ozarkcherrybow1]

Very interesting thread String Cutter. I'd like to know a little history myself.  
 May I add to the list: Dean Torges, Dano, Timo, RocDoc, Wingnut, Feret, Ralph, All the authors of the Bowyers Bibles, man the list goes on and on....lets hear your stories. This will make a great read!
Terry

[poekoelan]

I have nothing to add here. But it is a great question. Looking forward to hearing from people on this one.

[NorthShoreLB]

Tap, Tap,  Tap, waitingggg  :rolleyes:    :rolleyes:

[4runr]

Being tradgang members they're all too modest to think we're actually talking about them, and waiting for their response!    

[mjc]

ttt

[Bill Carlsen]

In 1989 Dan Bertalan wrote a book called "Traditional Bowyers of America". Not all the bowyers are still around and some never got in the book but it is a great book if you want a place to get started. If you searched for the tilte in Amazon.com you might find a copy of it. I remember that Ken Beck, Dale Dye, Rocky Miller, Martin Archery, Bear Archey and others each have chapters. Since the book was done in 89 I am sure that if someone has the interest and time it could be a project for someone inclined to do such a book on some the newcomeres to the bowyers craft.

[snag]

Here in Oregon I believe both Wes Wallace and Norm Johnson(Blacktail Bows) worked in Jim Brackenbury's shop while he was alive.

[the Ferret]

shoot, thanks for the kudos Ozark, but I am hardly a bowyer. I am a wood hack, pure and simple. If I've said that once, I've said it a million times and I truthfully mean it. My ability lies in being able to hack my way thru the process and explain how I did it, in terms that other people can understand AND take pictures that clearly show what I'm talking about. That hardly qualifies me as a bowyer.

As far as wood bowyers go,I would say Dean Torges is a bowyer, Joe Don Jones is a bowyer, Gregg Coffey is a bowyer, John Sturtevant is a bowyer, Vinson Minor is a bowyer, John Stunk is a bowyer,Brad Merkel is a bowyer,Wingnut is getting there, Tim Ott is pretty darn good, plus a few others that don't come readily to mind, however the rest of us are just hacks who can make a decent wood bow.

IMO it's not that difficult to make a decent wood bow, but takes a special talent to be labeled a bowyer.

[String Cutter]

Ferret, Who taught you what you know???? Do you have a job that helped you out with making bows...Like cabinet making or other wood working skills??? How old was ya when you started??? How many bows have you made??? Have you mentored any bowyers that are now selling bows??

[the Ferret]

String Cutter..my dad was a bow maker and made bows from 1938-1988 or therabouts. He laid the foundation by trying to teach my brother and I how to make bows when we were teenagers (I'll be 57 in May). We learned some from him, but after his passing is when Randy and I got serious about making bows. We learned some from books, some from videos and a lot from interaction with other bowyers on the net and at events like Mojam. We dug into it with a passion for quite a few years before Randy became disinterested, but I kept making them.I guess to date I have made about 125 bows, some glass bows, but mostly wood bows which I prefer. I've guess I've helped a few people get started both in person and via the net thru my website and board bow instructions.

 http://groups.msn.com/ferretsarcherywebpage/welcome.msnw

 http://residents.bowhunting.net/sticknstring/brdbows.html


 I have very little in the way of "wood working skills" ...never did. Bout flunked wood shop in school. Can't saw straight, can't hammer a nail in straight, my hands on skills are really rather pathetic. Strangely I can make a pretty decent bow. I'm better at reading, writing, spelling,documenting, instructing etc than I am at doing things with my own hands. I have designed some things that I am proud of which have helped others I believe like the Floppy rest and the Floppy ruler.

I am also proud that I have been published a bunch in the last 6 years. Something like 14 articles in Primitive Archer, and 6 in Bowyers Journal. I have also had articles in Bowhunter, Traditional Bowhunter, Instinctive Archer, North American Whitetail and Ohio Game and Fish.

[The Whittler]

Bill, I bought the Traditional Bowyers of America back then and love it. I read it so many times it's a wonder the pages haven't fallin apart lol.

It's a great read, wish someone would do a 2nd one. Alan

[ozarkcherrybow1]

hey Mickey, That's the stuff were looking for. Like it or not we consider you as a bowyer. I use my floppy ruler on all the bows that I attempt(picked it up at last years Ojam), thank you for that.
 When I posted, I meant to include J.D. There are just too many to name.  
 Manny, I would also include you on this list. I would say all of you out there that inspires the rest of us should be included. Osagetree, Krewson,(don't mean to leave out the glass guys, selfbows are just where my passion lies).
Stringcutter, I don't mean to be stealing your thread, just think this is COOL...Terry

[Killdeer]

Ron LaClair has had that bug in his ear for a couple of weeks, now.
All the others are still polishing up their bios, getting ready to email them to me for proofreading.

Almost done, Ron...    
Killdeer

[String Cutter]

Ferret, Believe it or not you're one of the good guys that everyone will remember for a very long time. You've given more than one guy the itch to build a bow. I know you did for me.... Past on info. freely and have helped and taught more folks then any of us can remember. You're truely at the heart of what Traditional Archery is all about . One of the things that drew me and alot of others to this great sport. Thank You!

[NorthShoreLB]

Nah, Nah, Nah, Like Mikey said, there's bowyers, than there's, ...wood hacks    , and than there's rookies wanna be wood hacks, with 23 bows under my belt there's where I stand, start this thread in 10-15 years and maybe I'll be able to talk.

...In the mean time I would really like to hear some storys from the real bowyers        

[Eric Krewson]

As a fellow wood hack I will tell my story if anyone is interested.

I started shooting bows when I was 7 or 8, made a few and thought the Paul Bunyan fiberglass bow my folks gave me was the best bow in the world.

When I got out of the Army in 69 I bought a bear recurve, shot and hunted with it until wheels came out. 18 years later the wheels fell off and I returned to traditional archery.

One day in around 94 I was walking down the road on our hunting club and ran into a guy carrying a crude but very functional wood bow he had made. I asked if he hunted with "that thing", "yes" he said, "kill any deer with it" I asked. Again he answered in the affirmative. The idea of making hunting bow from a piece of wood intrigued me so I introduced myself and asked if he would show me how he made his bow. Joe Bogle was his name and he invited me to his house for an introduction into bow making. We have since become great friends and hunting partners.

After watching him work on a bow and having been a serious duck decoy carver in the past myself I knew how to handle wood and also knew I could make a bow.

I bought every book and video on the subject, absorbed all the info I could and started hacking out a few bows.

Osage is common where I live and as soon as I could identify it I went on a rampage of tree felling, splitting and preparing staves. I cut and stored so much osage during this period I may never have to cut it again in my life time.

In my bowmaking I like recovery projects the best, fixing a completely destroyed bow or making a great bow from a stave that looks impossible. I am gravitating toward experimental designs now just to see what happens.

Like Mickey I have come up with a few new ideas. My tillering gizmo and osage pin knot scraper come to mind.

Bow number 103 and 104 are in the works. 103 is a simple little BBO for a friend's 4 year old that loves archery. I thought I would surprise him with a bow and set of arrows. 104 is a reflex-deflex, bend in the handle, maybe sinew backed, shorter bow for a guy who really knows his bows so it has to be extra special.

Kinda' a long story but that is how I have "arrived" so to speak as a bow maker.

[DesertDude]

Thank you for keeping this alive for generations to come. It's guys like you, Ferret, Northshore, and others who must pass it on.  I enjoy seeing your crafts applied.  Thank You...Mark

[String Cutter]

ttt

[Sant-Ravenhill]

I too would love a NEW Traditional Bowyers of America book. I've read my original copy, until as someone else said, the pages should fall out.

Lots of wonderful bowyers out there since 1989 and some missed in the first book. Plus updates on those that were in the book would be great. I would buy at least 3 copies the second it was published!!!