"Sporterized" my Martin Take Down, anybody else own one?

[Owlgrowler]

It was 1986 and Gene Wensel was extolling the virtues of hunting with a recurve in prose and seminars, so I decided to get me one. Took my Martin Warthog down to the Bear dealer where I had purchased my first bow in '68 and traded it in on a Martin Take Down recurve, had the same Warthog B riser as the compound, just recurve limbs.

I never did try to shoot it instinctively, set it up like a compound;Hoyt Pro rest,Berger button, sights, sling and even a stabilizer     Hunted with it a couple years, even shot my only tournament with it the summer of '87,( 12th out of 120 shooters, the only stick, rest were shooting compounds.) Here's a pic of the first buck  

Then in '88 I went back to the dark side.

Recieved Asbell's  Instinctive Shooting for Christmas of '99 and made my year 2000 resolution to learn how to shoot my recurve without all the stuff on it and go out and hunt that way.

This is were things get a little fuzzy. I wanted to shoot off the shelf.But I think the shelf was sloped down and out and wouldn't hold an arrow. So, I carefully took my Sawzall to it, flattened the shelf out, then glued and screwed a layer of luan plywood to that to raise the shelf up to the level of the plunger hole, because I thought that's were it HAD to be. Man, it was ugly.

I didn't have much time to hunt that fall, didn't kill anything, missed a doe I think.

G. Fred's a big advocate of having the arrow down on the bow hand, this thing was like an inch above. Out comes the Sawzall again. Off goes the shelf. And then I decided that sweet looking and shooting used Wes Wallace longbow on the rack at the local Trad shop was calling my name. The MTD went on the rack and hung there for 10 years.

A couple weeks ago I decided to see if I couldn't make her right. Some of you guys joke about BW's being plywood bows, well this thing was like a 2x6 bow, very thick and heavy. First I radiased the shelf. Then, because it was 3/4 of an inch wide, I ground her down to 3/8ths. When I had originally cut it down, I went too far, so I raised her back up with a heavy piece of tooling leather.

Where the limbs attach to the riser it was 1 3/4 inches wide and I thought, "What the heck", I can always use her for kindling. So I took her to the belt sander and took 1/8th off each side of the riser and the limbs. Then I had to taper the limbs out to the tips.

Sanded her smooth, put a coin in the plunger hole, rubbed in a few coats of poly, soft leather sideplate, calf hair on the shelf. Like a dummy, I never took any before pics, or weighed it, or scaled it for draw weight, or checked it's tiller.(Once I get something rollin...)

Shoots good, no speed demon.
 
 
 
 
 

[jr1959]

Looks like you did a nice job.  I just put mine up for sale on stickbow if you want to sporterize another one. The hatfield is a great bow.  I think the large riser turns many people off, but that one reason it shoots so well.  jim

[wtpops]

Man as many times as you wacked and hacked and sawed on that dude it sure looks nice. very nice job

[shoes]

I remember the old Warthog compound. That looks very nice! Much cleaner lines than the original. Enjoy

[cacciatore]

For sure very personal,not a bad job too.

[PICKNGRIN]

I also had one just like that!  I did the same thing with the shelf.  I had a set of 55# and 65# limbs for it.  Neat old bows.

[Owlgrowler]

Thanks guys. Hey Jim, I forgot to mention that I think this bow is the predecesor to the Hatfield. I'd like to do a side by side comparison. Here's a pic of the writing, do the Hatfields have MTD on em?(L stand for limb?) WH must stand for Wart Hog, don't know what the D is, I thought it was a B handle, the A's were laminated maple I believe.
 
 

[Owlgrowler]

ttt

[jr1959]

I purchased mine in fall of 1991 and just like you Gene Wensel's writings and seminars were a big influence in going back to a recurve.  The upper and lower limbs have #1720 on the belly.  On the riser under the stabilizer bushing is MHTD 1670.  The  only other markings are the weight and draw weight marked on each limb.

[Stumpkiller]

Doesn't look bad at all!      

 

So, I carefully took my Sawzall to it . . .  

   Usually mutually exclusive terms.

That's like: "Dremel - providing work for gunsmiths since 1952."

The wood looks a little thin at the shelf but that could be the picture angle.

[Jimbow39]

I think yours is the "A" handle. The Warthog "B" handle was the laminated one.

[TOEJAMMER]

Still have mine purchased in the mid to early 80"s.  Two sets of limbs 74 lbs at 28 and 60 lbs at 28.  Have toyed with doing the same thing as you but never had the nerve.  Maybe now.........

[capt eddie]

I bought a Hatfield the first year they came out.   I did not like how bulky and overbuilt it was.  I used two part epoxy to reshape a high pistal grip and shaved alot of the weight and bulk down.  I have to send it back to the factory for some reason.  The limbs were maked backwards?  I got a phone call from someone at the factory named Glen I believe.  He ask me all kinds of questions about the handle and how it shot that light. I have customized two others the same way. If you do it, you will wonder how you have ever shot a stock bow.

[Owlgrowler]

I bought a Hatfield the first year they came out.

What year was that? I started this thread because I have never seen another one at shoots or hear anyone talking about one on this forum. I think if Martin/Howatt were to shave about 6 ounces off them they might be more popular.

[swampsSonny]

My first trad bow was a Hatfield and I took my first trad deer with it a long time ago with a wood chuck being my first critter.

I also altered the grip to move my hand up towards the shelf and make it fit my hand a little better.Probably ruined it as far as value goes but I've still got that bow and use it for bow fishing now.Only killed 2 deer with her before I got a longbow and left her set up as my dedicated fishing bow but it always shot well for me.I'd hafta look to see when I got it but 80's seems to ring a bell