Self-bow vs. production bow.

[Brock]

Originally posted by pavan:
I carved a shag bark hickory, it shot nice, nice and slow.  

that is the thing every wood is different every design has different results...you cant get great performance following guidelines or instruction meant for osage.

hickory is hydrophobic...it absorbs and holds moisture much more than osage.  So you need to get the moisture content down to an optimum range....if you leave it as damp as others and done keep it in a dry box while tillering and until it is completely sealed...it will be non-responsive and with no cast.  Dry it too much and it will explode like dynamite....  get it around 8-9% and then start tillering...put in dry box monitoring either relative humidity or mc...depending on choice...and make sure it is there entire tillering and shooting in process and especially before you seal it with varnish, french polish, etc.

you do that it will shoot fast and far....

here is a good article on hickory bows...
 http://www.murraygaskins.com/durable.html

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Originally posted by kagross:
Wow, thanks for all the input guys.  The reason I started the thread is that I'm trying to go traditional.  I have a '58 Bear Alaskan that's 48@28", but I only pull 26", and the bow is only 40# at 26".  I'm a bit concerned that 40# is not enough, and I have a friend with a hickory longbow (selfbow) that I really like that is 50#@26" (too short for him, probably get it for free), so essentially 10 lbs heavier than the Alaskan, but a less-efficient design (maybe, hence the question).  I was wondering if the self-bow would be a step up from the old Alaskan or not.  I know it's hard to tell, because of all the variables with selfbows.  I want to work up a set of woodies for it, and if I'm good enough, hunt with it, if not, I'll use the compound, and keep practicing until next year.

Taking a step up from a 40 glass bow to 50 pounds in a self bow would certainly get you into the deer hunting range at close yardage. I know there are many guys on this forum that have no problems shooting low 40's for deer and harvest their fair share of deer with them too. I may be hesitant to hunt elk with that set up.

It's always best to shoot as heavy a bow as you can comfortably handle and shoot accurately. if you are young and strong, i'd recommend finding a bow in the low to mid 50's or higher if you plan on doing a lot of big game hunting in the future.

[kagross]

Originally posted by Kirkll:
 

Originally posted by kagross:
Wow, thanks for all the input guys.  The reason I started the thread is that I'm trying to go traditional.  I have a '58 Bear Alaskan that's 48@28", but I only pull 26", and the bow is only 40# at 26".  I'm a bit concerned that 40# is not enough, and I have a friend with a hickory longbow (selfbow) that I really like that is 50#@26" (too short for him, probably get it for free), so essentially 10 lbs heavier than the Alaskan, but a less-efficient design (maybe, hence the question).  I was wondering if the self-bow would be a step up from the old Alaskan or not.  I know it's hard to tell, because of all the variables with selfbows.  I want to work up a set of woodies for it, and if I'm good enough, hunt with it, if not, I'll use the compound, and keep practicing until next year.

Taking a step up from a 40 glass bow to 50 pounds in a self bow would certainly get you into the deer hunting range at close yardage. I know there are many guys on this forum that have no problems shooting low 40's for deer and harvest their fair share of deer with them too. I may be hesitant to hunt elk with that set up.

It's always best to shoot as heavy a bow as you can comfortably handle and shoot accurately. if you are young and strong, i'd recommend finding a bow in the low to mid 50's or higher if you plan on doing a lot of big game hunting in the future. [/b]

Young? Well I'm 45, but I'm pretty strong.  I lift weights regularly, and shoot a 92 lb compound (50% letoff) regularly, but hunt with a lighter bow.  I have never found a bow I couldn't pull and hold easily, but my drawback is that I have short arms (and inseam).  I only hunt whitetails, so I don't need anything heavier than that needed for whitetails.

[Kris]

kagross -

You're from PA, head to Dentin Hill up near Coudersport this July and have the time of your life.  They host one of the largest trad shoots in the country (world?).  If you truly are interested in Traditional, you'll come back a changed man.

Don't limit yourself to thinking about these two bows, get out there and start shooting trad!  I've never known anyone to not become hooked.

Best of luck and have fun!

Kris

This has been interesting.  Lots of stuff about arrow speed and design, but once sufficient power is obtained, the bigger question would be which bow works best for comfort, shot timing and accuracy for the way you would shoot it and use it.  Everyone has their own requirements, mine could easily be different than the next guy.  The cool thing is that there are plenty of good choices and the way to learn what your choice should be is half the fun.

[trubltrubl]

what is the length of the hickory selfbow....shorter will give you a quicker bow but not as smooth or accurate as a longer bow....as alot have said ..really hard to give you an answer unless you know more about each bow....what are you hunting?

a good selfbow will take any animal ...
you ned to take both out and shoot them and decide yourself...
your arrow set up will also make a difference..I shoot heavy arrows with my modern traditional bows and selfbows.....good arrow flight and a sharp broadhead from any 50# bow will do the trick IMHO

[kagross]

Originally posted by trubltrubl:
what is the length of the hickory selfbow....shorter will give you a quicker bow but not as smooth or accurate as a longer bow....as alot have said ..really hard to give you an answer unless you know more about each bow....what are you hunting?

a good selfbow will take any animal ...
you ned to take both out and shoot them and decide yourself...
your arrow set up will also make a difference..I shoot heavy arrows with my modern traditional bows and selfbows.....good arrow flight and a sharp broadhead from any 50# bow will do the trick IMHO

The 50#@26" selfbow is 58". Pretty short, but so am I.  I really only hunt whitetail.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Originally posted by Kris:
kagross -

You're from PA, head to Dentin Hill up near Coudersport this July and have the time of your life.  They host one of the largest trad shoots in the country (world?).  If you truly are interested in Traditional, you'll come back a changed man.

Don't limit yourself to thinking about these two bows, get out there and start shooting trad!  I've never known anyone to not become hooked.

Best of luck and have fun!

Kris

I would second this post brutha.... get out there and shoot some different stuff, and you'll have a hard time going back to the compound... Its the fun factor that gets you hooked, and the additional challenge of getting up close and personal with your hunting that keeps you there....

Take your time and savor the journey bro... This is good stuff here.    Kirk

[John Scifres]

Yea, ya gotta shoot them both.  I have made a bunch of selfbows and love many of them; some, not so much.  I also shoot a few glass bows now and again and hunt with a Jess Stuart recurve now that I shoot so well, I doubt I will ever give it up.  Both will kill a deer so shoot the one you like best.

One thing about a short hickory like that, it has to be well designed and crafted.  Tiller is everything on a wooden bow.  If it is pulling 50# but stacking like hell the last 3", then it is likely slower than the 40# recurve.  If it has a lot of set because it is too short, then even more so.