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Post by Onimusha on Jul 3, 2013 22:11:46 GMT
If you get one of those Ebay bows, you'll want to rub it down with some type of finish, like tru oil or minwax.
With any longbow or recurve, you'll want to instring it while it's not in use. Store them flat on the floor or on a shelf. Lay longbows on their back (the part that faces out when you string it). Don't lean them up. If you get a takedown bow, disassemble it and store it flat in it's box.
String waxing is a universal bow maintenance measure.
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Post by THE_SUPERWEIRDO on Jul 4, 2013 3:21:23 GMT
Thanks again! So Tru Oil or Minwax... And that also doesn't apply to a recurve or a longbow? I would expect you can do the same... :?
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Post by Onimusha on Jul 4, 2013 7:38:38 GMT
The bows in the $100 + range will come already finished. Those Ebay bows come as a bare piece of wood. If you don't seal them, they'll dry out.
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Post by bigpete on Jul 4, 2013 7:45:58 GMT
Tru oil works best I've found and its easy to apply. As for stringing/unstringing your bow every time you use it,not entirely necessary. Fine if your not going to use it for a few years,but pretty much all modern laminated bows can be left strung for a long long time. I've done it with several myself,in fact I rarely unstring my bows. The longest I've had one strung for was about 10-11 years,never developed any problems or lost draw weight. A full wood self bow is a completely different story. Also you pretty well can leave a longbow standing in the corner as long as nothing heavy is on it,but if you do that with an UNSTRUNG recurve you may develop a limb twist,which often you can twist back the other way and get out,but sometimes you can't. Also if you get a recurve make sure you get a bow stringer with it or you WILL at some stage twist a limb.
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Post by THE_SUPERWEIRDO on Jul 4, 2013 15:25:34 GMT
Thanks for the heads up about finishing and the unstringing info. I did finally decide on just starting out with a simple primitive longbow from the eBay seller before getting into the more expensive longbows. With that I might buy wooden arrows from another well-known seller and I'm good to go. I keep hearing the for a bow like this that's not centershot I need wooden arrows, so that means I'm pretty much good to go?
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Post by Onimusha on Jul 4, 2013 17:27:37 GMT
You don't have to use wood. You just need arrows spined 10lbs or so lighter than the bow. Wood arrows just work best with them. They're also cheaper. You'll need glue on or screw on tips for them. You may want to get an arm guard that covers the top if your hand if you get one of those bows, since your hand is the arrow rest. If you get raw shafts and build your own arrows, you come out cheaper, and it gives you the opportunity to tune them for accuracy.
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Post by THE_SUPERWEIRDO on Jul 4, 2013 22:25:50 GMT
So it won't be good if I had the arrows 40/45 for a 45# bow?
And would a stringer be necessary? I believe it is for recurves but not so much for longbows...
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Post by Onimusha on Jul 4, 2013 22:28:31 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2013 2:28:26 GMT
You're not making it easy for yourself, no archery stores nearby? Unless you intentionally want to get into 'primitive archery' I personally would have chosen a recurve with a cutout in the riser section allowing the bow to be shot closer to center over a more primitive longbow, it's much easier to master, but would still take a lot more effort and practise to get good at than compound. Your going to have fun getting consistency with wooden arrows in terms of weight and spine, wood is very variable. I've used wood on a recurve, not fun. Make several dozen, then weigh them and group them, then 'spine' the ones of the same weight group, and if you're lucky you might find half a dozen that match your bow well... Aluminium shafts are easier to use and have enough give to accommodate 'paradox' (the way an arrow bends sideways when released with fingers). The idea of something like the Samick takedown you were considering with some aluminium hunting shafts of reasonable quality would have been a reasonable starting choice. Just a few thoughts...
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Post by Onimusha on Jul 5, 2013 2:52:15 GMT
Dealers of wood arrows have different grades of arrows. Higher grades are more consistent.
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Post by THE_SUPERWEIRDO on Jul 5, 2013 18:49:36 GMT
I actually wanted to start primitive archery without knowing what everything was :mrgreen: So after a few researching and asking some questions, I found that I just needed a simple, cheap primitive bow that I can start out with. (And that a recurve and a longbow are two totally different animals, starting with a recurve might not help me with longbows I think) I plan on saving for a more quality sub $350 bow, like the Greatree Solo Black or maybe the PSE Legacy, but for now I'll just practice with the one from Kp Archery from eBay. Also, it's a bit too late for recommendations... I finally decided on buying a bow and some arrows :mrgreen: Just hope the arrows I picked can be used with future bows I buy, really don't want two types of arrows that are for each, too much money... I am a bit confused on the ordering of the arrows, didn't know where to email or message the seller about the lengths to cut and what tips to install :? And about the archery stores near my area, I actually have a decent amount of archery stores (That I found out recently...) Yet, ironically, I have time to wait a week than going to one :? (Though I might go to one in the future maybe) Maybe it's the fact that there's multiple archery stores, I can't decide :mrgreen:
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Post by Onimusha on Jul 6, 2013 2:54:57 GMT
Archery stores aren't necessarily the best place for a beginner to go, at least not for recommendations. As the owner of one told me, "What they need is the most expensive thing you can sell em." It's like that old saying, "the best product in the world is the one you're selling." They can, however, help you set your arrows up and things of that nature.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 6, 2013 8:59:31 GMT
Your archery stores don't seem like the friendliest places on your side of the world! Archery stores (good ones) can help make your decisions easier. A good archery club will give you good guidance/tuition which speeds up the learning curve if you've never practiced archery before. Unfortunately, unless your bows are very similar, you will end up with different sets of arrows for each one. If you want to learn primitive archery and longbow, definitely don't buy a recurve, it's a different beast! Good luck with your archery, let us all know how you go.
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Post by Timo Nieminen on Jul 6, 2013 9:43:16 GMT
Well, at least don't buy a gizmoed-up recurve. A traditional recurve doesn't shoot that differently from a primitive longbow. I am sure I could find a traditional longbow and two traditional recurves where one of the recurves shoots more like the longbow than it shoots like the other recurve (I probably have such a trio of bows, but I've not shot (or strung) my yumi).
Not that many big manufacturers make many traditional recurves, so most recurves are non-traditional.
Depending on what one means by "primitive", "primitive" means traditional materials where possible, while "traditional" means that modern materials are OK, even if it is possible to do without, as long as design is traditional. Some will exclude laminated bows from "primitive", even if made with traditional materials. Some will allow relatively modern things like arrow rests as long as the bow is an unlaminated self bow and arrows are wooden (there is Medieval precedent).
"Traditional" is easier to get into than "primitive"! Get a traditional design, accept modern materials where they aid safety, durability, and low cost. No sights, arrow rests, stabilisers.
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Post by THE_SUPERWEIRDO on Jul 7, 2013 3:14:23 GMT
Than I should change how I say it then :? Traditional is what I was thinking about :lol: Though I don't know about center-shot longbows, the ones I really want to get :mrgreen: In general, a proper laminated longbow, preferably with an arrow shelf that's center-shot, is what I want. And that's what a bought, without a shelf however. I can't wait to get my bow and arrows and start building my archery skills I am a bit vexed at the fact the expected delivery of my arrows is that it's a week after I get my bow , but that might give me time to do the things you guys recommended, which is adding a finish to my bow to seal the moisture or something like that.
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Post by Onimusha on Jul 7, 2013 4:01:17 GMT
If it doesn't have a shelf, it's not centershot. That's not a problem though.
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Post by THE_SUPERWEIRDO on Jul 15, 2013 16:52:33 GMT
I really didn't want flood this section of the forum with another thread, so I just somewhat reincarnated this instead... Anyway, I got this in the mail Now all I need is to wait for the arrows... So I'm stuck with a bow with no arrows :lol: I am a bit curious of the dark spots I found on the bows, thinking they might be weak spots or something. And another precaution I'm already thinking of is what finish I need to give this bow. I can sand this bow to a smoother finish and apply something I guess :? I did some independent researching and read that a good finish is some urethane finish for a hickory bow... All I really need is a durable finish that can seal the moisture in the bow so it can have a longer lifespan, so any recommendations?
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Post by L Driggers (fallen) on Jul 15, 2013 17:10:14 GMT
I wouldn't do any sanding on it just seal it with linseed oil or my favorite birchwood Casey Tru Oil.
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Post by Valandur on Jul 15, 2013 19:03:54 GMT
I think Tung oil would work as well. It's a natural type finish. I've used it on stocks for my M1 Garand and my M14. It seals well and goes on easily.
Yars ago I wanted to get into archery. I bought a #85 compound bow along with arrows and sights, arm guard and other small parts from a guy I worked with and started shooting it. The bow having such a high draw weight meant I couldn't fire it quickly though it did some impressive damage. I went to a martial arts shop that was also a dojo (Shaolin Kung Fu) and asked the people there about bows. They didnt have any bows, but the guy said I should look at bows that have a lower draw weight, like #30-40 lbs so it could be fired rapidly especially as no one wears armor any more so a heavy bow isn't really needed except for distance shots.
Eventually I picked up a #35 LB. Martin recurve bow with a good many accessories for $100 on Ebay. (The guy was getting out of archery and was selling off all his stuff). Might take some time but keep an eye on the auctions, something good will eventually come up for sale.
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Post by THE_SUPERWEIRDO on Jul 15, 2013 19:28:21 GMT
No sanding then I guess, but I guess using some sealer would do the job fine, right? And after rummaging through the garage, I found this can of Minwax: Would this just be enough for my bow? It would be so useful if this was just enough and I can start on sealing my bow right away
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