Dave Johnson! Great guy! Great bow..and story...

[rushlush]

Very cool!

[Lambow]

That's a real neat story, Russ.

I orderd a bow last summer from Dave, and have really enjoyed shooting it.

That 80 pounder would be a chore for me. He won't make one that heavy anymore.

I agree, Dave Johnson is a great guy, and one of the finest American style bowmakers there is.

[stik&string]

Russ I've been waiting for this story. Thanks for sharing!

[Russ Clagett]

So I decide to call Dave Johnson and see what he could tell me about this bow.....

Well, it's no huge surprise...Dave is a great guy! We talked for a while and exchanged some emails....

When he asked how I came to have the bow, I told him the story about seeing it for the first time at Smitty's after my first tour.

The big surprise came when I asked Dave if he would refinish the bow for me, and how much that would cost......

In his next email Dave told me in honor of my service in the Stan, he wanted to refinish the bow....and not charge me a thing.

I was astounded by this, but he insisted. I had a 3 week trainup coming up, where I went into the field with a deploying unit, and taught combat marksmanship and sniper training, so I sent Dave the bow.

To me I think one of the most interesting things for a bowyer is wondering where my bows go, what kind of hunts are they going on, and where they end up years after being made......Dave and I talked about that and put the pieces of this story together.

Dave told me this is the heaviest bow he ever made, and it was made for a brain surgeon who was bound for Africa with it, but apparently passed away before he could go.

I was overwhelmed by this man's gesture, and could not wait to see this bow restored to its former beauty...

[Mudd]

I have one of Dave's bows on my want list.

I am always looking these days at different ways of funding one.

It'll happen.. I am a man of faith.. God willing.

His servant, Mudd

PS: My buddy Cobweb reminds me frequently that it never hurts to want....lol

[Russ Clagett]

Then another amazing thing happened......

About halfway through the trainup I get a call from my wife, telling me I got an email from Dave. He says it's gonna take a little longer than he thought.......cause he and his wife were in a car wreck....and wanted to know if that was okay......

!

Of course it's okay! Who cares about how long it takes......how are you and your wife?!

It turns out they were a little banged up but okay, and Dave wanted to finish the bow.

Amazing....we told him to take as much time as he needed, but to make sure and take care of himself and his wife.......

[rxhntr]

I love this story. Shows the "spirit of the bow".

[Russ Clagett]

So now I'm home from the trainup, and the big PVC tube shows up in the mail!

The bow is prettier than ever with a new finish, and Dave has even put my name on it...

Before I left I took a dozen surewood doug fir shafts and soaked them for 5 days in a PVC pipe filled with Danish Watco Oil....and they soaked up alot of weight.....

I cut them to length and tipped them with 190 tuskers.....they weigh in at 850 or so grains now...perfect! The oil made the natural grain pretty striking on some of these......

This bow shoots like a quiet, smooth rocket with these heavy arrows.....

So now this bow, built over 20 years ago to go on a special hunting trip....is mine. I am beginning a new love affair with a heavy Hill style bow...and truly, I never imagined this. I never imagined all these stars would line up this way, and that I would meet these obviously special people involved in this story...

But it ain't over yet.

[Russ Clagett]

Cause, out of the blue...I got another email from Dave Johnson......

[SlowBowinMO]

Great story Russ, thanks for posting!  

[Russ Clagett]

Thanks guys.....just so everyone knows...Dave is back and building bows again.

He doesn't want to build any heavy ones anymore but he is building red cedar longbows again..

And they are works of art.

[stik&string]

Yes his bows are awesome and he will build them up to 50 lbs. Russ thanks again for posting this.

[Ben Maher]

Awesome stuff Russ ... thanks for sharing.

[Canyon]

Hey you haven't even told me about the other email from Mr Johnson!! What did he have to say?

[slivrslingr]

Great story!  And?...    

[Russ Clagett]

So I get this unexpected email from Dave....I had asked what his recommendation was on arrow spine, and this is what he said....


WAY BACK IN THE 80'S WHEN I WAS SHOOTING A 60# BOW, IT BECAME POPULAR FOR LONGBOW SHOOTERS TO SHOOT ARROWS THAT WERE SPINED MAYBE 20#'S HEAVIER THAN THE BOW.  FOR THAT REASON, I JUMPED ON THE BANDWAGON AND GOT 23/64" ARROWS THAT WERE SPINED AT 80 #'S...WORKED O.K. BUT I SOON REALIZED THAT 11/32" , SPINED AT THE ACTUAL WEIGHT OF THE BOW WAS THE TICKET FOR ME.

LONG STORY SHORT.....I HAVE 2+ DOZEN ACME PREMIUM ARROWS, 23/64", ALL SPINED AT ABOUT 80#, THAT I HAVE BEEN WAITING  TO FIND A GOOD HOME FOR.  I WANT YOU TO HAVE THEM.  THEY HAVE SAT IN MY SHED FOR 25 YEARS AND AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THEY NEED TO BE REFLETCHED.  ALSO, THEY ARE DIPPED IN WHITE PAINT (I LOVED TO WATCH THEM FLY), BUT THIS CAN BE REMOVED IF NEED BE.  THERE IS NO WAY YOU COULD HOPE TO FIND SHAFTS LIKE THESE ANYWHERE TODAY AND I JUST HOPE THEY WILL WORK FOR YOUR BOW.....IT WOULD BE A THRILL FOR ME TO HELP YOU HARVEST THAT ELK WITH MY BOW AND ARROWS.  THERE ARE A FEW THAT ARE SHOOTABLE AND YOU CAN TRY THEM OUT TO SEE IF THEY WILL WORK WITH YOUR BOW.  SO, BE WATCHING FOR A BOX IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.  WILL NOT SPEND A LOT OF EFFORT IN CAREFUL WRAPPING SINCE THESE SHAFTS ARE GOING TO NEED SOME RESTORATION ANYWAY.

BEST TO YOU MY FRIEND,

DAVE


Wow......what do you think of that?

Amazing......

[Russ Clagett]

If you read what Dave wrote you can probably see where this is heading......

I just found out I drew an archery bull Elk tag in northern Arizona.....

My lifetime buddy Canyon and I are going elk hunting in God's country this fall, and with the Lord's help, I am doing to stick a bull elk with this Dave Johnson longbow....and arrow....

[Mudd]

How cool is this?.... Way!....I'm saying....

That is the mark of a.... Tradgang member!!

God bless,Mudd

[Canyon]

The planning has already begun.

I am aware of a rather large bull in your hunt unit that is a spectacular candidate for a Dave Johnson combo. The bull was seen just prior to the sheds dropping meaning he made it through our mild winter this year. We will need to find where his girls live in September to arrange for an appropriate meeting but I have a good idea of their address....bring your climbing shoes.

[Downwind Lefty]

Excellent story and generosity galore. Good luck chasing that bull - you definitely have karma on your side!