What have I gotten myself into?

[RxChuy]

I had no idea what I was getting into when my 9 year old son talked me into this bow and arrow thing.  Our "friend" donated a kid's sized compound bow.  My boy insisted that I join him and get my own bow.  Honestly, I couldn't imagine anything more boring than shooting pointy sticks at hay bales.  Not only that, I don't find those funky looking bows with wheels, cables, and pullies all that aesthetically pleasing.  Nope. If I was going to play with archaic weaponry, I wanted something simple.  I wanted a nice old stick with a string tied to each end shooting other smaller sticks with a point on one end and feathers on the other.  

Well, wouldn't you know it?  I got hooked hard!  My first Craigslist purchase was for two bows completely covered in paint - no distinguishing marks at all except a rustoleum-covered coin on one of the bows.  Turns out that one is a 1961 Kodiak Special 40 lbs beauty in zebra wood!  The second is a JC Penny Formost recurve.  Well, two bows for $50 bucks is a good deal, right?  I should be satisfied with my bows and just go out and shoot. No need to buy anymore sticks. Then, I found my second deal.

Craigslist is either my best friend or worst enemy.  I picked up a stunning Custom made longbow from White Wolf Archery...for my "wife", of course.  Then today I picked up a Martin Savannah. Hope the wife doesn't look in my work area of the garage anytime soon.

Is there an intervention group on this site? Oh, and don't even get me started on arrow making! That's the next step.

[SheltonCreeker]

Welcome to the fire!  

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Its a fun ride down hill from here.  Enjoy the ride!

Welcome to Trad Gang, sounds like you will fit in here well.

[cyred4d]

What you have gotten in to is a whole lot of fun. Enjoy the ride.

[hitman]

How do you get that lucky by purchasing painted bows and getting what you got. Congrats on the find and welcome to our gang.

[RxChuy]

The funny thing is, I thought by going traditional it would be simple.  Now I'm reading from all you experts that I not only have to tune the bow, but I have to tune the arrows! Brace height?  Arrow flight pattern? Helical fletching? Bear vs Martin...recurve vs longbow...Ford vs Chevy!!  

One funny thing is that when I picked up a string from the archery shop for the Kodiak Special, the salesman mentioned that the old bows can break once in a while.  My wife got so worried that she told me that maybe I should buy a new bow! heh heh!

[awbowman]

If you are looking for intervention from these guys, you are at the wrong party.  Most of us are addicted worst than you.

[non-typical]

You might want to consult your Pharmacist and see if he can suggest a supplement that will help curb your appetite for your addiction    

[snapper1d]

RxChuy you are OK right now just dont try building your own bow because you will really be in bad trouble then.You get that bow building monkey on your back and its like trying to get off crack!!!

[mcgroundstalker]

Have fun with this... After all it should just be a hobby... Right?  :rolleyes:  No Way! For most of us it has become a major part of our lives...

Welcome to the Gang...    ...

[Norminator]

Put down the bows, and back away now. You will never shake the monkey later.

[joe ashton]

I know in my personal case the day I picked up that longbow my 'life was over as I knew it'

[GRAYBEARD]

Relax and Enjoy! You are spending time with your son and developing a common interest and bond that can last lifetimes and bridge troubled waters. This is a problem that isn't a problem! Get your wife out there with HER bow.

[mike g]

Ya got bows, now ya got to start collecting all of the different types of Quivers....

[58WINTERS]

RX,
You have to negotiate the next pitfalls arrow building, Hill longbows and building self bows.
You're pretty much toast.
58

[slivrslingr]

Intervention?  Not a chance, we're enablers!  Welcome to the sickness...and have fun!

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

Same thing happened to me 35 years ago or so!

[58WINTERS]

Mike G is right!  The hunt for the perfect quiver is the journey of lifetime.
58

[Bladepeek]

Don't listen to these guys. Archery, especially the trad kind is just a harmless hobby. Nobody can get hooked into spending thousands of dollars on dozens of bows by just trying a couple.

By the way, you interested in some mountain top property in FL?

[stickum]

Trad archery...the more you learn, the more you seek. First is the search for the PERFECT bow...if you accomplish that...then the search for the perfect arrow...that's as far as I ever get before starting the process over again.  Welcome to the freak show.