[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: A Few Pics of My New Robertson #60242

*bump*

A follow up, in which I’m happy to report that lusty infatuation has blossomed into long-term romance. So permit me a gushing review…

As elk season fast approaches, I’ve been trying to decide which bow I’m going to use. There are a couple bows that, for various reasons, I want to use. But then I pick up the Robertson again, and the decision is made for me. After getting intimate with this bow over the last 7 months, I can safely say that while there are still plenty of bows out there that I’ve never had the pleasure of shooting, there is no bow I know of that shoots for me like this one does.

Just picking it up, it fits in my hand so perfectly that I swear Dick took a mold of my hand before constructing this riser. But then there’s something more – something undefinable that sends a jolt of primeval current through my arm and to my brain and telegraphs an electro-cranial impulse that says, “we are one, my friend.”

And then I draw, smooth as butter, and hit anchor and pause and release and the astonishing power and accuracy of this masterpiece leave no doubt in my mind, as if there had been any to begin with. Yes, I will always own a Robertson. In fact, I just placed a down payment on another, because when you find something that works perfectly, you better have more than one.

How’s that for a bow review? 😉

And here’s a pic from the Idaho Backcountry Hunters & Anglers rendezvous a couple weeks ago in Stanley. A sweet home for a night:

A great time and excellent folks. Good things are in the works for BHA. If you believe in traditional hunting values, please support it.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: Blind Olympian sets new archery record #57278

Very cool story.

And while they certainly aren’t low-tech bows by any means, I’m glad to see that the Olympics is still strict about not allowing compounds nor mechanical releases. I hope that stays in place.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: mistakes #54887

I once discovered I was mistakenly in Wyoming. Luckily I hadn’t killed anything.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: KME Broadhead sharpener, Single Bevel? #53695

As others have already said, the KME knife sharpener is an excellent investment, both for maintaining knives and single bevel heads. It allows you a precisely consistent angle that would be very difficult to achieve if you were freehand sharpening.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: Steel Force Traditional Heads? #53357

While not inexpensive, I personally don’t find the Steel Force heads are any more expensive than a number of other similar heads.

And the ones I have are the slender ferrule version, which I don’t think presents a penetration issue. I agree that the glue-on version seems to have an excessively large ferrule. More so than I would ever choose.

So far, I haven’t found anything not to like about them. They’re a 3:1 ratio, good hardness and well made. But I also have some 200gr. Eclipse single-bevels on the way that I’m curious to compare.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: Bow Stringer #43313

Humpy wrote:

Do I really need a stringer?

Yes, you really need a stringer. At least if you care about not damaging your bow, or yourself. You can get a good stringer for $10. No brainer.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: How would we rate! #42752

Well, if I was suddenly in a situation where I had to fully rely on my bow for whatever reason, I probably wouldn’t have a job, or a lot of other things to worry about anymore, so there’d certainly be a lot more time for practice. And nothing motivates like imminent starvation.

Would my hunting ethics change in a situation where I had to depend on it for my livelihood, i.e. – survival? I’d be lying if I said “no.”

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: Is there a general guidline as a STARTING point? #40849

handirifle wrote: Thanks, never thought of the 2113’s as being heavy before.

I should qualify that by saying that they are “heavy” for a typical EFOC setup. Not sure which model you have, but most 2113’s seem to be 10gpi and up. The more weight you have in the shaft (along with larger than necessary fletching), the harder it’s going to be to get a high percentage up front. Keep us posted!

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: Is there a general guidline as a STARTING point? #40795

I’ve never played around with aluminum arrows for EFOC setups, so I can’t offer a lot of useful specific advice there. But my first reaction is that a 2113 shaft is a fairly heavy shaft to start with, if you’re trying to get EFOC.

Yes, adding more weight will weaken the spine. However, I wouldn’t necessarily assume that they would be “too weak.” If anything, a 2113 should be able to tolerate a fair bit of weight up front before it’s going to be “too weak.”

You’re shooting a recurve – is it center shelf cut? If so, center shelf cut bows tend to be more tolerant of a wider spectrum of spine.

Since you already have the 2113’s, start experimenting with what you have. It’s easy enough to add a 100gr. insert and see how they fly. But if anything, you’re probably going to end up wanting a lighter shaft – remember it isn’t just about a heavy arrow, but a heavy arrow with most of the weight in the head. And you might also consider switching to carbon, where a lighter shaft will help immensely with achieving EFOC.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: Calculating FOC: question for Dr. Ashby #36325

Dave –

You bring up a question I’ve been wondering about for a while. I’ve never really understood measuring from the back of the head to calculate FOC. After all, I’m obviously not shooting my arrow without a head, and it seems to me that the FOC measurement you’re getting including the head is the more useful and accurate calculation.

But, as you point out, that means overhauling a lot of existing information.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: Wood, Woody weights, high FOC, etc. #36215

TomBow wrote: …They fly well but the EFOC numbers from Ashby have me considering a heavier arrow for hunting deer and turkeys. Granted, the Ashby info is based on BIG, Heavy boned game ….

You’re on the right track, Tom, and getting excellent advice.

But I can’t resist the need to dispel the, “Ashby findings only apply to big game” myth every chance I get, since it’s such a common misconception (addressed at 2:30):

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: how many arrows for hunting? #32438

On my quiver: 3 broadheads, one blunt.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: Summer Reading #31095

Paleo – If you are enjoying “Empire of the Summer Moon,” I would also highly recommend checking out “Blood and Thunder” by Hampton Sides.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: Looking for a Take-Down Longbow/Hybrid… #27345

Congrats! Sweet looking bow!

[Bruce Smithhammer]

in reply to: hunting feathers #26230

4″ shields.

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