New To Trad

[Hills Twinky]

Gday guys, my first post on Ozbow, so a big howdy all around.
Firstly, i have been shooting for about a year, not full on just leisurely. I have a pretty oldish (+4 yrs i think) PSE ThunderFlight Express, 60lb. Im a lefty and my compound has i think a 30% let off with a 31" draw length... I mean i love the bow but i have really wanted to get into some trad shooting.
I am currently thinking Recurve mainly because i love the curved bow and my mates getting one also.
I am just wondering on any advice or perhaps even a possible buy.
Cheers.
Vaughn

[longbow steve]

Welcome Vaughn, get a trad bow, whatever type and you wont go back. Steve

[kerrille]

gday mate your compounds old??? i bought mine in 1987 and my son still uses it

anyway wecome to trad


...nev...

[Hills Twinky]

Sorry, old comparative to my archery career, i got its second hand and it was about 4 years old then i think... i must confess i have a shocking age perception.

[Stickbow Hunter]

Welcome to the site Vaughn.

Jeff

[Blinkybill]

Hi Vaughn!
Welcome Welcome!
Have fun!

Ben

[Nomad]

welcome mate!!! have a look at the Samick Talon or the Samick Woodsman for a first trad bow. when going from compounds to trad i do believe the rule of thumb is to get a bow that is 20% less puondage than your compuond...if that makes sense. (correct me if im wrong guys ) if you can afford a little more on the price side of things, check out www.blackwidowbows.com they sell for about $1000+ but i still suggest the Samicks for first trad bows good luck mate!

Jake

[losty]

If your going to spend $1000 on a bow, id look locally first. Plenty of aussie bowyers around making great gear. As for first bows, samicks are a good option.

[jape]

Welcome, there's a few (shy) bowyers on here could make you something really good if you ask!

[hillbilly WA]

Hey Mate
About time you joined! Nah, just kidding, hurry up and get a bow so we can do some hunting!
See ya tomorrow.
Carl

EDIT: For something more constructive, i think you should check the Trade Blanket and also chuck in a WTB post in it.

P.S. Why am i telling you on here when i can just tell you tomorrow?...

[woody]

Gday guys, my first post on Ozbow, so a big howdy all around.
Firstly, i have been shooting for about a year, not full on just leisurely. I have a pretty oldish (+4 yrs i think) PSE ThunderFlight Express, 60lb. Im a lefty and my compound has i think a 30% let off with a 31" draw length... I mean i love the bow but i have really wanted to get into some trad shooting.
I am currently thinking Recurve mainly because i love the curved bow and my mates getting one also.
I am just wondering on any advice or perhaps even a possible buy.
Cheers.
Vaughn

Vaughn,
For a beginnner to the world of non compound, I would recommend you think of a bow draw weight about 45 pounds. You have a long draw, which will store plenty of grunt from its longer power stroke, and the 45 pounds will be better to learn with.

A longer draw can also give some problems with finger pinch, to avoid that, maybe you should consider bows about 62 to 64 inches long, or even longer.

The string angle of the longer bows are less likely to pinch your fingers against your arrow, and make shooting much more pleasureable.

This is important because lots of practice is fun and the fastest way to improve. Your bow needs to be comfortable to shoot for extended periods.

Being a left hander can be a blessing or a curse, if you're a looking for a good used bow to start with.

A blessing because leftys seem to go for lower prices due to less demand for them and a curse because they are harder to find in what you want.

If you were considering buying off overseas and/ or Ebay, a take down bow will save a fortune in postage costs and give you options of upgrading to heavier limbs later as you get stronger with practice.

If buying new, Samick or Martin are reputable brands, or, for a little more there are some great custom bowyers right here in Australia.

Spend a little time browsing the archery forums, and ask plenty of questions

[Hills Twinky]

Thanks heaps guys, especially woody, that was really helpful... To be completely honest I dont really know what i would be looking for in a recurve but those things like the height and poundage are really helpful. I did a look around at some Samick bows, they seem quiet good and the Samick Talon jumped out quiet a bit. It is 62" which woody suggested, its a take down and its from an Aussie shop so it saves the horrid exchange rate of the US.... i was just hoping someone might have used on before and could give me a little review, or if you know and bow review sites (obviously the Samick site and shops are a bit bias).
cheers heaps guys.
Vaughn

[Gringa Bows]

gidday Vaughn,ive had a samick talon for a couple of years havent used it for awhile now but when i was i loved it,even got a couple of trophies in a.b.a shoots,now my son uses it and shoots pretty well with it i think they are worth the money i.m.o

[Jaydo]

G'day mate,

welcome to the site, and to the trad side, once you start you'll be stuck for life

as for the samick talon, ive never shot one, but i did own a samick deer master for about 3 years, it was for what it was worth a great bow, it was quiet and shot well,

however like anything you get what you pay for, and in saying that a samick bow may last 10 years or it may last 1, such is the way with the mass produced things these days, but from personal experience samicks are just as good as anything

personally i'd be keeping an eye out on the places like the trade blanket on here, or anywhere you would find second hand archery gear,

also worth consideration is the internature range, they are good value for money,

keep us updated with how your going, and remember the local bowyers when you wanna spend a bit of cash

[buzz]

.....and the Samick Talon jumped out quiet a bit. It is 62" which woody suggested, its a take down

I was going to do you guys pics of the essentially unused LH 50lb Talon I was discussing with 'hillbilly WA'. Gotta pull my finger out.

[Hills Twinky]

Hey Guys,
Yeah buzz, Hillbilly and i go way back, he had told me about that bow, it sounds quiet good but i am not sure how I would go with a 50lb straight up... hmmm let me know what you think.
Vaughn

[Jaydo]

i started with a 50 pound bow, it just means you have to work a bit harder but once you get the correct form you'll be right

[jape]

I started with a 35+# longbow less than 2 years ago because of back and other injuries. I had difficulty even with that so cut it back to a lighter weight - but now I handle a 45# recurve no problems except during bad periods when I can't even walk.

I started out really unfit with wasted muscles and torn tendons, so if you are generally fit I think you should handle 50# pretty quickly. And another thing, good form actually hurts a lot less as the proper stance avoids some of the strain, so as I concentrated on form (and how to actually get into position which many don't have to worry about) it got easier very quickly.

If you are badly out of condition or have an injury, do go lighter but I think most people could get to 50# quite quickly. I used to under draw because it hurt to extend, but now I find full draw is easier once I have eased into it by raising the bow and lowering into line across my sideways turned body and not turning my head until the arms and back are in position! No-one shows you this stuff of course as it is irrelevant to most and probably differs from person to person, but a good experienced archer should be able to watch and coach you into that weight quite easily I reckon.

[buzz]

Let me know what you think. I could probably readily count the number of arrows I put through it without needing to take off my socks... it is immaculate and I reckon I could do you a deal significantly better than what a new one would cost. I just need to make sure I have a spare string to suit - the one I was using I put onto another bow. I should have the one that came with it.... 50lb is too heavy for a total newbie, but if you are already shooting (even if it is a compound) you will have the grip and draw movements down pat, so then it is the release to focus on.

[Hills Twinky]

Cheers guys, you have all been really helpful, fingers crossed i may be getting my first Recurve from ozbows very own Buzz , I am just a little over excited, which is kinda bad considering i have exams coming up! Cheers again guys and keep your eyes open for more annoying posts from me still but a newbie.
Vaughn

[Stickbow Hunter]

I hope ya get ya new bow mate and all the best with your exams.

Jeff

[Brumbies Country]

If you are badly out of condition or have an injury, do go lighter but I think most people could get to 50# quite quickly. I used to under draw because it hurt to extend, but now I find full draw is easier once I have eased into it by raising the bow and lowering into line across my sideways turned body and not turning my head until the arms and back are in position! No-one shows you this stuff of course as it is irrelevant to most and probably differs from person to person, but a good experienced archer should be able to watch and coach you into that weight quite easily I reckon.

Hi Jape

I've had some similar injury problems to you, initially neck injury limiting nerve supply to the shoulders, then shoulder problems as I tried to compensate. I have two objectives currently,the first being to get better with my new ELB which I'm finding great fun. The second is to use my 48lb LB on a more regular basis because of it's flat trajectory relative to the lighter bows I have been shooting.

Re the latter I'm getting there but I'm very interested in your description above. Sounds like you draw above the point of aim and then lower, but it's your head position I'm interested in. It sounds to me reading this that you are more or less sideways on to the target and your head continues to look ahead ie more or less at rightangles to the target until full draw, then you bring your head round to face the target and complete aim adjustment. Have I got that right? I can see a possible advantage for me in so much as it would take some strain off the neck.

Cheers

Simon

[jape]

Yes, you got it right Simon. A small difference in drawing the bow that seems to really help and has made a big difference in getting the last couple of inches of draw on the 45# longhorn. Difficult to describe these things! The 'lowering down' with head at right angles to the bow-arm line seems to allow the shoulder/neck to stay out of the equation more and the back muscles between the shoulders (deltoids? I'm not sure) do the work as you pull the nock hand backwards , then as you get to level it is all in place, straight and able to take up the strain as you push the bow hand forward only a touch - only problem is that the arrow sometimes falls off the bow-hand fingers ...!

[Brumbies Country]

Thanks Jape

Can't wait to get home tonight and try that.

I really appreciate the clarrification. I will let you know how it goes.

Cheers

Simon

[buzz]

Young fella is sorted and should be kitted out by this time next weekend.

[jape]

Thats good news, enjoy it Vaughn, tell us how you go.

[Blinkybill]

Hurrah! Good Show!

*Sneaky-like* Now with our army of trad archers increasing exponentially our army is almost complete!

Nice work Vaughn, now for the postage...

Ben

[Hills Twinky]

Yay! haha, exciting week ahead then, cheers Mark, you have been really helpful and patient! Now i get to be more annoying again on public forum .

I know most of you are quiet adamant about not getting involved with arrows, especially wood but i could really use some help. I was looking at getting some 11/32 Sitka Spruce... with my 30.5" draw it has been recomended that i used some spined to 65-70# but i was hoping on some more advice or perhaps even a breifing on how all this works, i have tried to read though most of the forums and i kinda get how to test the spining of the arrows (measure the flex with a 2# weight(i think it was...) applied across the grain line) but the rest of it just kinda goes over my head.
Cheers in advance guys!

Vaughn

**i got most of my info from http://www.ozbow.net/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=7158 and other posts on Trad Tackle .

[Jaydo]

with my 30.5" draw it has been recomended that i used some spined to 65-70#

I think you'll find that is a tad bit over spined, but that is no problem, do yourself a favor, get a few different field points, as in different in weight, say like a 125gr 145 gr that sorta thing, then bareshaft untill they are hitting right, if your shafts are overspined, buy putting more weight up front you are weaking the spine,

i wouldnt worry about getting into spining them yourself at this stage, just make sure they are matched to a reasonable tolerance when you buy them, in weight and spine,

i should explain that bareshafting is shooting the arrow at the target from about 10-15 meters, with no fletching on the arrow, i wouldnt worry about paper tuning, as this is too annoying

good luck with it all mate, keep us informed on how your going

[Blinkybill]

Hi Vaughn!
I agree with Jaydo. I think 65-70# may be a tad overspined. Maybe more like 60-65# and then try different point weights until you get the right spine. When youve got time after exams probably, come for a visit and Carl and I can help you. Although youve probably already organised that with Carl. And I think Sitka Spruce is probably a good option.
Anyway, Good luck with it all Vaughn!

Ben