And the beauty is... they are on my Phoenix!!!!!
Sticshooter made them for me!
Okay, some of you might remember I got a Whippenstick Phoenix last summer. To say I am glad with this 3-pce recurve is an understatement...
But something was missing.... some nice antler limb bolts....
So I searched for someone who could make them for me and ended with Sticshooter (Frank and Michelle). They made them for a lot of Tradgangers already. Their bolts seems to be rock-solid and gorgueous to see. They are the best! So I contacted them and asked if some custom-carving was possible... They asked me to make my own design and mail it. Then they would judge if it was possible or not... In the beginning I thought that was difficult, but then I got this original idea... Why not a Phoenix, since it is the name of the bow.... Phoenix limb bolts for a Phoenix bow! That made sense.... I simply love it when a plan comes together....
So I send in this design:
I thought it was perfect, but they told me that that it was way to detailed for carving on such a small surface, they would make me bare ones.
I had a lot of demands for the burrs; no cracks, exactly the right diameter (same as the width of my limbs), an antique look, a beautiful crown and so on...
Then Frank and Michelle got a lot on their plate, illness in the family, a bad or not working phone/computer connection and so on... so I ended up with a loooong waiting time...
But, every time their computer was on line, we kept contact. They also explained they were waiting for a new connection for their phone and computer and hoped that would improve things.
I had lots of contacts wit Michelle and suddenly there was this mail that they were on their way...
So last saturday the postman ringed, and had a package for me... the limb bolts had finally arrived....
When I opened it, I fell of my chair: they actually carved the design. They had just told me it was not possible to surprise me! There was a note saying it was the first and last time they did this.... So they truly are unique!
There were some very thin plastic washers with it for lining them out and two big washers (one plastic, one brass), as base. After some fiddling around I could line them out perfectly.
They even polished the little Phoenixes and they look just great on my bow, like they just belong there. The colors match great too. Everything is more then perfect and Frank and Michelle are a tru artists with their hearths on the right place.
I am outrageous, insanely glad with them! And I want to state that Frank and Michelle are about the nicest, generous people you will ever meet, with hearts made out of pure gold! Besides of that: their craftmanship and eye for detail is beyond believe. The pics don't do justice to the bolts.
Oh yeah, before I forget it.... PICS! What do ya think????