[gwm]

in reply to: Collecting into the 21st century #37542

This is the “crackle” I was talking about.

[gwm]

in reply to: Collecting into the 21st century #37461

First of all, my apologies for bumping an old(er) thread.

I’ve been searching for answers to some questions I have about cleaning up (not a full-blown refinish) a Wing Falcon I recently acquired. I kept running across the name “droptine” in the responses in the myriad forums and threads from previous similarly asked questions: “Call droptine,” “ask droptine,” “droptine will know for sure.” Everything seemed to point to this droptine guy. Lo-and-behold, he does exist! (I tease a bit; I did find your website, droptine.) 😀

Anyhow, instead of starting a thread where my questions might have already been addressed, I started working my way backwards in the pages of this forum. When I read the title of this thread, I found it interesting at first glance, but then I noticed it was authored by droptine. That made it a must read, and now a must comment.

Droptine, I read your post like I used to listen to my dad talk about his old cars. I guess there really was a day when old Bear bows where as common as ’64 Impalas. What I wouldn’t give to have anyone of the old man’s ’64 1/2, ’65, or ’66 Mustangs today. Some of those old cars are probably stashed in garages today like we find Bear or Wing bows in closets or attics: some in pristine shape, others way beyond repair, and some–the lucky few–that were gently used and just waiting to be polished up and returned to glory. And it is those few that have kept you collecting “into the 21st century” and me just beginning.

I can’t remember at the moment if it was Steve Sr. or David Petersen (my apologies to the original author if it was neither; I’m afraid to click away to track down the original post) who mentioned Shunryu Suzuki’s “beginner’s mind” the other day. I thought about that as I read this post. You, and others, can remember the golden days of collecting. Bows and accoutrements where there for the finding at reasonable prices. Those days are, for the most part, gone thanks to the internet and auction sites. I read your words like I read stories from 50 and 60 years ago about tiger hunts I’ll never go on and before states had bow seasons. (Is that really the case? There was a time before archery deer seasons??) I read them with the beginner’s mind. I can’t know such times, but I know they existed. I live vicariously through the words of those who did know them. I say I can’t know them, but maybe I can just a little bit. I don’t think I’ll ever acquire 800 bows, at least not for the same monetary investment as you, but maybe it is knowing that the bows we consider jewels are fewer and farther between that make the 21st century hunt just that much sweeter. There’s no denying that I wish I could pick up two or three or more sweet recurves for less than the price of one custom bow today, but that thrill of success is still present when even one “trophy” is harvested at a summer garage sale.

Not being a player at the final table of bow collecting due to a low stack of chips, I’ve started on what I considered a reasonable quest. The first recurve I acquired was an AMF Red Wing Hunter, originally meant to help me rehab my shoulders after two surgeries. This plan failed because pulling even a 40# recurve proved too difficult until recently. But now that I can, I enjoy the RWH and want more! 😈

Just last week I picked up a Head Ski Falcon. This bow is in good shape, but does have a mark here and there and a little crackle(?) in the finish in one spot. Now I’m faced with what no doubt comes with the sickness of an aspiring collector: the desire to make an old bow shine, which led to this longer than I anticipated post and my questions, which are, btw, for anyone who may care to shed some light on the subject (and thank you in advance).

On a laminated bow like the Wing Falcon, how does the layering of bow construction work? If I were to take a piece of sandpaper to the bow, would I be sanding fiberglass right way or some polyurethane finish? Are decals and serial numbers under glass? I realize just now that a picture is in order, but I don’t have the camera handy. If I get a response (again, by anyone…please join in) I’ll go ahead and post some pics.

If anyone has read this far, I hope my comments have given you pause to think about your own start in collecting. No matter if you began in the golden age or the post-modern present, I think there is much to be said for the beginner’s mind perspective. In fact, I think all collectors must have a beginner’s mind because in this mind the possibilities are endless, and that is what keeps us going, I think. Maybe one day, in an old shaded garage, I’ll find a green ’66 Mustang with a factory 289 under the hood and an old Texas-era Red Wing Hunter long since forgotten in the back seat. Until then, I’ll just work on getting this Falcon polished up. 8)

Regards and thanks,
Gary

[gwm]

in reply to: Questions about strings, twists, and brace height #13976

Treetopflier wrote: If the bow is loud with a heavy arrow and string silencers, you may be braced too high. Try untwisting the string to take it down gradually until it gets quiet. If the brace height is too low you’ll know because the string will start slapping your forearm. Enjoy.

Just went down to the garage to experiment. I think I remember starting at about 7 1/2 when I first got a stringer and could adjust the brace. Then I found the recommended height on archeryhistory as 8 1/2 to 9 1/2. Anything in 7″ range did slap the arm quite a bit. 9″ shot good but loud. Just now I could tell a difference between 8″ and 9″. Settled on 8 1/4″ for now: quieter and no slap. Thanks for the input.

[gwm]

in reply to: Questions about strings, twists, and brace height #13960

katman wrote: To many twists if the string coils up on itself when off the bow. Other down side is you have more string/mass than you need. A 58″ amo bow (the 58 on your bow) should take a 55″ string and brace at the recommended height without twisting until it stretches a bit.

Your extra 55″ string was probably put in a 60 amo bag.

Have you put any silencers on the string, cat whiskers work well. Try putting them 1/4 the distance of the string length measured from were the string leave the limb.

I didn’t write that very clearly. The packaged string reads like this:
Flemish spliced bowstring
Recurve
AMO String Length: 60″
Actual String Length: 55″
String Material: B50
Number of strands: 14

It came with cat whiskers on it. The serving right under the nock appears to be separating a bit, so I see a new string in my future. I figured I’d experiment with this one and order a new one when I knew exactly what I needed.

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