Jim Brackenbury

[wapitirod]

/With the post about Paul Schafer and my post about Wes Wallace bows I'd been thinking about Jim. In july it will be 22 yrs since Jim drowned in a boating accident on the John Day river here in Oregon.  Jim was a true artisan and a neat guy to talk to.  He was always willing and eager to talk no matter how busy he was or what was going on.  He built bows for many notable archers and I only wish I'd got to know him better than just over the phone on our many chats when I got serious about traditional archery.  I still have my Drifter that was built 89/90 and although semi retired I still shoot it. Wes recently straightened a limb for me and he was probably involved in it's conception.  It's easy to see Jim's influence in Wes's bows.  I guess I'm just writing this because you don't hear his name mentioned much anymore and men like him deserve to be remembered.  I did find a tribute site for Jim and although it's still under construction there are even a couple original bracks for sale.  Hopefully the moderators don't mind that I put the link to the site on here.

    http://www.brackenburybows.com/tribute_to_jim.htm    

I am curious as to how many of you ever got to talk to him or knew him personally and how many of you own one of Jim's bows (not the new bracks) and if you still shoot them.

God bless you Jim and I'm sure your on a mountain somewhere with a bow in hand on the other side.

[wapitirod]

[northener]

Back in the late 80's early 90's when I became interested in traditional archery I sent for information on Brackenbury bows. He sent out literature and a price list. I he hawed around for a couple of years mulling over the thought of ordering a bow. Well in the mean time Jim met his untimely death, sad indeed. a few years went by, I kept thinking Tradional archery was the way to go, I ordered my first bow from Wes Wallace, a Mentor, bubinga riser, red elm limbs, to this day it's my favorite bow.

I recently placed another order with Wes,in our conversation, I ask if he had any interst in the Brackenbury literature I received years ago. He thought about it for a moment and said there is a tribute in Jims honor with memorabilia, maybe they could use it. I do not remember where Wes said this is at, maybe Oregon Bowhunters Society, anyway I sent the old literature to Wes, he is going to see if he could find a fitting home for it.

[pete p]

i was 16 when the trad bug hit me hard. i had pics of a drifter taped up in my locker. i called Jim prolly once a week after i ordered my first custom bow...a drifter. He always took time to talk to the annoying teen. i still have the letter he sent telling me the bow  was done. i love that bow, would   love to get it back. back in the late 80's Brackenbury, Bighorn, Black widow, Schaffer and Robertsons seemed to be the big names at that time.

[Paul/KS]

I was lucky enough to get a Drifter in a trade last year. I really enjoy shooting it and often wonder why the original owner, who's name is on the riser along with Jim's signiture, let it go..?

[pete p]

well if anyone runs into a drifter with "pete Pappas"  on it please contact me, id buy it back in a heartbeat. think about that bow often.

[bowgy]

I've still got my first bow, a drifter made for me by Jim.  It shoots as well as it did when I got it but it is 65# so I don't shoot it very often.

[snag]

I think it was during last year's Western States Rendevous that they had a Jim Brackenbury event. You were encouraged to bring your Brackenbury recurve and people who knew Jim and his work would tell you if your bow was a "real" Brackenbury built by Jim or not.
I never had the privilege to meet Jim. He was gone before I had the opportunity. Oregon guys like Dave Doran, Wes Wallace, Norm Johnson who knew him personally always have made it sound like Jim was a guy you'd love to share a camp with.

[Orion]

I was on a business trip to Portland many years ago and called Jim to ask if I could stop out and look at his bow building operation.  He didn't know me from Adam, but enthusiastically invited me out. He picked me up at the end of the short rail line, which was about 15 miles from his place, early in the morning.  His bird dog, or was it two of them, rode in the front seat of his pick up with us. We stopped at a meat market for steaks and a grocery store for brewskies. Talked and shot bows throughout the day, grilled the steaks in the evening.

Jim had just completed his new shop.  Had a long belt sanding operation with several stations on it.  He could take a roughed out riser and move from station to station and totally shape the riser on the various belt configurations with one trip around.  Only finish sanding remained.  

He got me to the train station just before the last train back to Portland about 9 or 10 p.m. One of the best days I ever spent.  Jim was a helluva guy. Lived life to the fullest.

[wapitirod]

I messed up on my original post as my number lock was off, but it's been 22yrs in july since he died.  From what I've read he jumped in after an oar that had come loose.

[snag]

He was starting to build wood driftboats. He made a maiden voyage down the John Day River with two of them during high water in the winter. He went through a rapid and pulled over the next boat came through and one of the oars had gotten away from the oarsman. As it floated by Jim, who was an excellent swimmer, dove in and didn't came up. His body was found down stream. That is how it was told to me by one of his close friends.

[Longbow1953]

1984 sn 49 66in. 60lb.Legend.  Killed my first 2 deer that bow.Wish I still had it.Jim was a good guy.

[mnxs54]

The first "custom" bow I ever bought was a Drifter from Jim. I was pretty uninformed and talked to Jim on the phone a bunch of times. He was a great guy and answered every question I had. I still have the bow. Great bow, great man.

[Rick Butler]

My first custom bow was a Brackenbury Old Timer, ordered just  prior to his death.  Sold the bow off to a buddy of mine and then bought it back a year later.  Like to get it out now and then and fling a few with it.

[Hermon]

Please refresh my memory.  Several bowyers learned under Mr. Brackenbury.  I think I know who, but don't want to say incase I'm wrong.  Who were they?  Thanks

[soap creek]

I bought my 1st custom bow from Jim back in 84. It is a drifter 62in. 65lbs. I still have it today. 5yrs ago I had Wes Wallace build me a set of 51 lb. limbs, he matched it to my old riser. Its the bow I use today. I've tried different bows over the yrs, but I always go back to my Brack. Its going to be my sons someday (when I cant draw it any longer) I'd talked to Jim a couple times when ordering my bow. He was easy to talk to, had a good visit with him both times. I remember asking Jim what they cost,he said the  same price they were 10yrs ago, then he just laughted. I said, sounds good I'll take one. I paided $225 for the bow and $25 for the quiver.I would'nt take $1200 for it today.

[northener]

Originally posted by Hermon:
Please refresh my memory.  Several bowyers learned under Mr. Brackenbury.  I think I know who, but don't want to say incase I'm wrong.  Who were they?  Thanks

Wes wallace worked for Jim, unsure if he became a business partner or not.

[Big Lefty]

I believe Charlie Bisharat of Stalker Recurves also got his start from Jim.

[wapitirod]

I don't think Wes was his partner or he probably would have kept the Brackenbury name but as I remember his sister was his next of kin and she sold the business to it's current owner.  I do know that Wes was building bows along side of Jim and in the latter years before his death pretty much every bow that came out of the shop had, had both their hands on it.

[stykbow67]

My first custom bow was a Brackenbury Legend that I bought in 89/90. I still own it but don't shoot it much, I just can't seem to take my hands off my Longbows the last few years!

Steve