Selfbow Etiquette

[PaddyMac]

Thanks for this post!

I don't think I'd ever draw someone else's bow without permission, but there is always the anomoly, and I have monkey arms and wide shoulders, too.

Did not know that. Thanks again.

[John Nail]

Originally posted by wingnut:
I have been known to unstring a selfbow before handing it to someone for inspection.  

Mike

Me too--always!

[chanumpa]

I shoot annually at a couple of Mtn.Man rendezvous,that originally were all black powder,hawk+ knife events that now have primitive and trad archery courses.The clubs rules for primitive are:selfbows,no shelf,no plastic nocks,trad is recurve/longbow regular plastic nocked arrows.Because around peoples camps there is always blanket goods to be sold/traded,you really have to be carefull and keep a close eye on your self bows as they are a magnet to non archer traffic/visitors.I have seen many a train wreck and so learned the hard way.Great post,awareness is the answer.

[JamesKerr]

Well said Eric!

[bowslinger]

Thanks for the post Eric!  I did not know the draw length restrictions on selfbows.

[Stripstrike1]

Good stuff Eric!

[Terry Green]

Yeah...good stuff....

Someone needs to tell those folks that post shooting videos on you tube that it aint cool to hold them selfbows at full draw for 5 seconds either.

Dang it just irks me that they are ruining those bows         :(         :(    

[Osagetree]

My selfbow etiquette is as follows;

Never leave my bow strung - prevents set

Never lean it against something - it may fall over and break a tip

Never lay it down - someone could step on it

Never hand it to someone else - They may over draw it

Never, never hand it to a woman - she may shoot you with it

 

[OffTheKnuckle]

Had a decent looking Ben Pearon fiber backed bow off theauction place.  Just got comfortable with and I handed it to my wifes uncle.
He promptly drew it back BEHIND HIS EAR! with his arm stuck straight out.
It survived till the next session and broke after grouping 3 arrows touching at 10 yards.
I have another BP coming in hickory, I will not hand it to him.

[OffTheKnuckle]

Is there an Old Bow Sticky?

[eminart]

Great post.

Although I know I, personally, would be paranoid about drawing any wooden bow that didn't belong to me, this is something that I don't think most of us with no experience have ever thought about. I'm just getting back into archery and self bows weren't around when I shot. I doubt it would ever cross the mind of the average compound shooter that the bow might break. You have to remember, the majority of archers have only dealt with compounds which have a "wall." There's really no way to overdraw one of those.

[Mike Mecredy]

I want everyone to know I'm not a violent guy, or even really what I'd consider tough, or theatening. But this is what happened:

Once at a 3/d shoot, I leaned my selfbow against a bush to remove my jacket and I had a guy, I didn't even know, just walk up and grab my selfbow.  Fortunately, since there's no let off, he got it to a bout 25" and it was too heavy for him.  As I took it back from him, I quietly and politely informed him, that when he grabbed my bow, it was the closest he's ever come to feeling a steel toe boot on the side of his face without it actually happening. He started to say something, he stopped myself, and walked back to his buddys.  Not exactly ettiquete but he probably won't do it again.

[ScottL]

I had no idea that this was an issue. Most people hand me a bow and say shoot it. Probably doesnt matter too much with me since I am only a 26" draw though. Good info for in the future.

[wingnut]

That reminds me of a story that happened at one fo the early MoJams.  A well known wood bowyer that worked in mostly what I call second tier woods showed up with a beautiful bow he'd built from ipe.  He was sitting around the lantern one night (fire wasn't allowed) and handed the bow to Connie.  She asked if she could draw it and he said something smart like "if you think you can" so she pulled it back slowly.  At about 24" it blew up into about 12 pieces.  He was pissing and moaning that she'd overdrawn his bow and broke it.  For the rest of the weekend everybody that walked by Connie hid their bows.  LOL

Mike

[Blackie76]

I do not hand a strung bow to anyone these days without clearly telling them not to draw it and why.  I recently built a bow for my father and my 6'2" brother who is 250 lbs of solid muscle drew it back to full draw.  Snap!

Luckily it gave me and my dad an excuse to teach my brother the noble art of bowmaking to replace that particular bow, so I consider that bow to have been a noble sacrifice.