In search of Bigfoot!

[Yohon]

Great thread guys!!!!! Congrats on the bow, you picked a winner with ol Kirk    

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Here is a film clip i got at Baltimore this year to study Doc's grip and shooting style.

 

I've got some film clips of David's son shooting at Denton Hill i'm editing right now. I've been to busy to play with my video editor much lately... Kirk

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Here is one for you explaining what i did to make that grip fit you well Doc....

 

[Doc Nock]

Well, boys and girls, there ya have it...the Meister at work and straight from the horse's mouth.
Kirk had sent me those 2 last week, but I figured I'd not be able to do justice to them...been having Photo bucket issues and videos won't post anyway.

Yohon,

Thanks...now all I have to do is hook up with some of you MD boys on them fine tasting Sikas and slip a shaft thru one...been too many years!

Does Blackwater got any water this year?

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Originally posted by BeNoIt:
My son David and I were able to spend a good bit of time speaking with Kirk at ETAR (and shooting his bows     )and I will say that this whole thread is further proof to me of the type of bowyer Kirk is. He was so willing to discuss, not only what he does, but why he does it, and that speaks a lot. It really seems that bow making, and that includes designing, trying, testing, etc. is really a passion for him and it shows in his work. I can only say that if I was to look for a new bow his name would be at the top of a very short list.

My son, however, has a really short list, one, and that is Kirk. I just have to get him to the point where he can earn money from people other than me.

 

Here is that film clip of your boy David.... Keep in mind that we can put together a package for a high performance bow for him without going to the fully blown triple carbon limbs. Start out with some black or brown glass limbs and he can always order some carbon limbs next year.

 

[BeNoIt]

Indeed. That is mostly likely the direction he will proceed. He has already started working on getting the finances in place.    Thanks, Kirk, for sharing the video and the time spent.

[Doc Nock]

SWEET! That kid has the best accuracy I've seen with an unknown bow in a long, long time.

Now if I can shoot that well when I get my Sas...I might have to change my will and add Kirk in!

[Yohon]

Doc.....no water at "blackwater" thats for sure....dry, dry ,dry BUT it wont take much for that to change.....I figure we'll make up for the rain as soon as the season comes in!!!  There is one plus to the dry weather.....hardly any mosquito's!!!!

[Doc Nock]

1:30pm and no mail delivery "yet"... if not in within the hour, then it won't happen today more than likely!  :(

But there is always tomorrow! LOL  

Thanks, Yohon...sent you note

[owlbait]

Hey Doc did you say you were going to hunt with this bow? If so, please mark the date and give us a 1 year review on how stable the performance and finish is after 1 year. Always interesting to find out if high performing truly custom bows can remain on the edge over a period of time.  

[Doc Nock]

Owly...

Interesting request...

I know a few folks who have had Bigfoot bows for a good number of years and no such issues, but sure, I can continue to report my experiences...

I expect and would demand nothing but the best from any bowyer.

I've only ever had one bow that the finish blistered and they had some issue and told me up front...then refinished the bow when I wanted it because it was their problem.

With Kirk's vent toward perfectionism, I have no doubts this bow will withstand the rigors of hunting.

You should hear the stories his bows go thru in the rainy Oregon coast hunting elk!

Ok, folks...it arrived!!!

I had to chase the silly mailman down as he drove past but was just looking to park... LOL

You wanted pics when it showed up so here is it's "arrival" snap shot!

 

I got corn-on-the-cob cooking and hate when it gets tough...I'll be back... (in my best arnie Swartz accent)

[coaster500]

This has to be killing you Doc!!!

[coaster500]

Spoke to soon    

[SAVIOUR68]

Owlbait I have 2 of Kirks bows that are both over 1 year old and the finish and performance are still.the same as when I got them new. Top quality bows from a top notch guy

[owlbait]

Thanks Scott. I know Kirk hasn't built a ton of bows yet and so I'm trying to find out as much as I can. The 2 people I spoke to directly REALLY like the performance. But, they have had them less then a year. I did notice some shiny finish spots on the one I got to fondle and I'm curious as to how that finish holds up after a year of good hard use. As pretty as they are, they have to hunt!  :D

[Doc Nock]

Mike,

Kirk is in his 6th year.

Did you read all the posts I've made?  Kirk has likely built more limbs and risers than you can imagine...

When he undertook carbon, there are so many materials and flavors of carbon, types of lay up, and he's built scores of limbs and changes just one factor at a time.

Then he's pulled them back to full draw, fixed them in that position and hooks up a camera that is high speed to watch how they act under extreme stress over time... when they finally "let go" he can go frame by frame to watch what happens, where, and ascertain WHAT happened and then make adjustments to his lay up and start testing all over.

As I understand it, he's been focused on testing every conceivable combination of carbon in varied ways for over 2 years...blowing up thousands of dollars worth of limbs just to ensure that his stuff exceeds market expectations and his OWN demands.

There is a reason this ole buck invested what I did, scrounged the recycle bins for weeks and saved up extra pennies to get THIS man to build me a bow.

Corn is calling...gotta git

Oh, yeah...all my bows are mat finish...and everyone of them over time has developed shiny spots in the grip where I rubbed it constantly over time with sweaty paws and wool gloves.

Only one that will stay as it was would be High Gloss...and you'll never see that in my hand!

[billy shipp]

owlbait......exactly what is your question regarding Kirk's high performance, on the cutting edge bows holding up over time, and especially in 1 year? What do you think may possibly change in 1 month or 1 year?
If it ain't going to stay together. it would blow up before it ever left Kirk's shop.

As far as the finish on a bow.....any bow.....any type finish, it's going to get shiny any place it's handled a lot over time.....especially on the grip.

Let me give you a testimate to Kirk's bows. I have shot the devil out of one for quite a while now.....yes sir....the grip area is shiner that the rest of the bow, but I'm not going to talk about Kirk's finish because it's as good as any out there. Kirk is not the only bowyer using this particular finish, so it is indeed time tested and proven....now....on with the story.
Folks talk about a bow being bomb proof. I doubt any are bomb proof, but I can attest to how well Kirk's bows are built.....long story short...my Big Foot was snatched out of a crew cab Ranger Polaris, which is pretty big, heavy machine. The bow was jerked out of the Ranger, on a solid rock road, ran over two (2) times with both the front and back wheels. I had a Thunderhorn quiver full of POC arrows in the quiver. Quiver was smashed completely flat, and the arrows were a pile of toothpicks. The bow was ran over while lying on it's side....limb edges up. It had some nice, deep gouges in both limbs and the riser from being ran over on solid rock. Neither limb was even twisted, much less broken....and yeah....the finish was messed up too.... It was like new after a simple refinish.
This bow had been shot thousands of times before the wreck, and it's been shot thousands of times after the wreck.

Maybe this story will help answer you questioning Kirk's bows holding up for any length of time.

I could let you hold it, look at, and shoot the bow today, and you wouldn't know that it wasn't delivered  today.....well, except for the shiny area on the grip.

[larry]

oh c'mon man ! nobody gets a brand new bow and waits till after they eat to set it up and shoot it! we want info!!

[BenBow]

Looking forward to your review. Glad you finally got and hope it fits like a glove.

[Doc Nock]

Billy, you make such a good testament, I feel impotent to try! Those are some incredible experiences.  

Mike(owlbait) has good questions and has gotten some good answers... Kirk hasn't been around "as long" as some others, but I dare say with his penchant for "Testing out the whazoo" he's caught up pretty quickly.

Mike, I hope these testaments help resolve your questions.  Legitimate thou they be, the length of time one is in biz seems to pale to the level of effort, testing and perfectionism evidence in that testing to challenge the status quo and get definitive answers.

I would never worry about fit or finish on this knuckle headed, perfectionistic yahoo's bow finish! What he builds...will last!

Billy gives some powerful examples. I've had to refinish other top end bows... but time will be the tale you wish and we'll for sure share here but you've got some good longer version tales already... and Kirk just keeps learning and adapting.

Hey, Larry...how old are you? AT my age, food comes first. I had to sit around all day Saturday and NOT get to play like you did...cut me a break...I was hungry and my corn was getting "old"--ate good though! LOL      

I'll be back!