HH BUG GOT ME - Part Two!

Originally posted by pavan:
I need to disagree on the grip aspect a bit.  Whether it is dished straight or what ever may not be a big deal, but when a grip get far to big for a smaller hand, it becomes unnatural and one can start wrestling with it.  

I also will disagree with this statement as it applies to me...and to me alone.  I have owned and shot numerous hills in the past six years or so and have found by handling and shooting all of them that the grip configuration alone, without  regard to the "thickness" can be a major distraction.  Dished, sharp(er) or mild, straight and short(er), teardrop...whatever.

I have modified most of those bows grips to accomodate my grip preference.

I have handed down a number of Hill style bows. I got into the habit of buying them when people just wanted to get rid of them.  At least half of those that I have given out had the grips adjusted to match the person that I gave them to. I am always surprised how many young guys these days have bony hands that feel pain when shooting a sharp longbow grip. It is very easy to flattened and gently round the edge of a grip. A shot of quick dry poly, some new deer hide on the grip and they good to go.  I have witnessed immediate improvement when the grip suits them. Even Howard Hill corrected his grips at times.

Originally posted by pavan:
I have handed down a number of Hill style bows. I got into the habit of buying them when people just wanted to get rid of them.  At least half of those that I have given out had the grips adjusted to match the person that I gave them to. I am always surprised how many young guys these days have bony hands that feel pain when shooting a sharp longbow grip. It is very easy to flattened and gently round the edge of a grip. A shot of quick dry poly, some new deer hide on the grip and they good to go.  I have witnessed immediate improvement when the grip suits them. Even Howard Hill corrected his grips at times.

Yeah...its not difficult to do.  I never really felt any "pain" or even discomfort with sharp(er) grips / deeper dish but just an annoying "sumpin ain't right" feeling...

[K2]

Just ordered another HH Halfbreed longbow with a carbon layer.  I love my special edition Black Mamba with the carbon layer so I ordered it with the carbon layer.  I draw 26.5 inches so I ordered a 64" this time.  My Black Mamba is 62".  I ordered a Cocobolo handle with Cocobolo tips clear glass, 2 Yew lams (back and belly) and 2 bamboo in the middle with the carbon towards back with the faux snake skin grip and rest.  Should be nice one. Should be about 3-5 weeks.  Ken

Ken, I am sure you know the rules.  You must post pics of all new bows.  I have never seen a 62" Hill.  Did to you post a pic that one tip tip.  I am trying envision a 62" compared to say a 68", forgive me, I am forever curious.  My wife's 64" Cheetah  is a blood thirsty little bugger, 37.5 pounds at her draw.

I deepened the center shot about 3/32" to get it to shoot a slightly stiffer arrow.  

[K2]

The 62" Black Mamba is not new.  I have had it for over a year.  Will look for pics of it.  Ken

[Tradcat]

Hey Pavan..  Just out of curiosity, what grip profile is that? Dish or Locator ?

The Cheetah has a mild locator.   Personally I prefer straight with an asymmetric to the hand side in my single option bows, my latest Sunset Hill has a very slight dish, It must work just right, because I never thought about it.  I think I just grab it.

[Tradcat]

So Pavan ,are you saying that the slight dish is now your favorite grip profile ?

I like bow grips that I can grab and forget about, without doing anything in process special to keep the bow behaving itself.  I made a couple of bows with the straight slightly asymmetric grip. I impressed myself how they floated dead on target at the release. i gave one away last year and kept one for myself, that one is also very fast, considering my draw length. Looking at it, one cannot tell, put it in the wrong hand and one can feel it. Just a tad softer to the bow hand.  My JD Berry duo shooter has the flattened belly side straight with rounded edges, that bow plants right into the life line with either hand.  The Sunset Hill fits my hands so perfect that it plants and stays without much grip pressure as well.  My lefty Morningstar is a narrow straight but it it soft enough that after a couple of shots, I don't give it a second thought.  I like longbows that give a feel of being suspended and in line at the shot. I have had a couple of bows, I don't know what caused me to do it, but every so often I would hit myself in the butt with the lower limb.  Me feeling the need to grasp the grip on the shot.  Both of them had wide fat straight grips.  One I gave to a guy with big hands, the other I trimmed down.  With duo shooters it is, of course, not possible to have a grip that favors a side, but I have a fairly light hand on the bow by the time I reach anchor, as long as everything sits still and does not get squirrely it works for me.

[Sam McMichael]

I freely admit that I am not a great archer. Never have been and never will be. But, I can't help but be amused at the tremendous fuss made  over various handle styles on Hill type bows. I have bows with all these grips, and there are no show stoppers in the group. Straight and dished don't really feel especially different; however, it took a couple dozen arrows to get used to the locator. If the handle is set solidly against the heel of the hand, the grip issue is generally settled. I have rather small hands, so I do have to adjust a bit for that. Obviously, it is a bit more complex than this, and everyone will still have preferences, but, at least for me, it is not major.

[Tradcat]

I'm contemplating ordering a Howard Hill Halfbreed string follow bow. My draw length is 26.75". Not sure if I should get a 66" or a 68" model ? Also, I can't decide which grip profile to order: (1) mild locator or (2) slight dish ? I shot a friends ASL that had a wedge style grip (not sharp on the belly side) with just a very tiny locator/dish for the web of your hand to sit against. Not sure what you would call it but I liked it ! Any suggestions ?

With a string follow and less than 27" draw I would go for 66".  The Sunset, this is 2&1/8" with the low end of the slight dish a bit above center, at the gravitational center of the tiller.  

[Tradcat]

10-4 Pavan. Thanks !

[frassettor]

I wanted to put a copy of the thread I started in the pow wow.
I’ve asked a few questions on this thread about ASL’s. Thanks for everyone’s help ..

 http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=156966&p=2#000022

[DesertDude]

Great information about the grip. I just bought a Hill that started as a bow blank that the owner could not finish back in the late 80s or early 90s. He said that he sent the bow to Massey to finish, I don't know how true that is but it sure shoots great. I'm going to refinish it and put on a new grip.  I'll take before and after picks. I'm sure I'll have alot of questions about Hill style bows and the best way to shoot them. I'm also making one of my hill style quivers and will post picks when finished.

[evgb127]

Now that posting pictures is so easy, let's see some more Hills.  Time to get bit!

[Ray Lyon]

OK, time to post some pics again.  Northern Mist Shelton with some vintage Microflite arrows from the 1960's. 

[Ray Lyon]

From the Master himself, John Shulz 'Grandpa' all bamboo no glass.  Another Tradganger has this now, but it's a dandy.