Trad Gang

Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: tippit on January 04, 2020, 04:12:38 PM

Title: Early John McCullough Griffin
Post by: tippit on January 04, 2020, 04:12:38 PM
In my younger days this bow harvested a number of deer for the freezer.  Now however it is/was too heavy.  58 inch Griffin Osage palm swell handle with Bamboo limbs reduced from 59#@28 to 37#@28 and back in action for this old man...tippit

[attachment=1]

[attachment=2]

[attachment=3]

[attachment=4]

Title: Re: Early John McCullough Griffin
Post by: Possum Head on January 04, 2020, 04:38:32 PM
Appears in perfect condition do you know about when she was built?
Title: Re: Early John McCullough Griffin
Post by: Doc Nock on January 04, 2020, 04:57:30 PM
Good you could get it back in service... I got to know John some and he built some great bows...I had one of his LB entry level ones and sold it to a chap here decades ago...

He had a buddy who traveled with him to shoots who built nice wooden arrows but as I've gotten older, that name slips my mind...
Title: Re: Early John McCullough Griffin
Post by: tippit on January 04, 2020, 05:03:09 PM
Bow is in great condition...but then again I re-ground almost everything and re-finished it.
Title: Re: Early John McCullough Griffin
Post by: Car54 on January 04, 2020, 05:21:06 PM
Good luck on you "new" bow.  It should be a killa. 
Title: Re: Early John McCullough Griffin
Post by: OkKeith on January 05, 2020, 12:27:59 AM
Great looking bow Tippit!

You wouldn't happen to have a photo of the unstrung profile would you?

OkKeith
Title: Re: Early John McCullough Griffin
Post by: Airdale on January 05, 2020, 12:38:08 AM
Thanks for sharing.  Was this after his Shrew years with Ron? Leave me a few hogs, have some property outside Laurens SLC
Title: Re: Early John McCullough Griffin
Post by: hardbern on January 05, 2020, 07:00:23 AM
my guess is your bow was made in '87 (embedded in the serial no)
& I think John made the Super Shrew from '95 (according to a post by Ron) .... for a couple of years?

I have a Griffin Special, 60", 54# (not sure how/why it ended up in Scotland)
made I believe in '98 .... wouldn't mind taking a few #s off it .... how much did you grind off yours to get that weight?

Here it is:
(https://scontent-lhr8-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/p720x720/10373116_1025241200896022_1543057468607772815_o.jpg?_nc_cat=107&_nc_ohc=8Sw8kx7wNvIAQlfshgA5NvKi1d_c60v6NXxKbE08akFE2rTrFA8_nJmyw&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr8-1.xx&oh=db4b179c26417e7eacd167be692426d9&oe=5EB2F7FA)
Title: Re: Early John McCullough Griffin
Post by: tippit on January 05, 2020, 08:33:45 AM
I have a bunch of John's Griffins. I ground 22 pounds off this one...59#@28 to 37#@28.
Title: Re: Early John McCullough Griffin
Post by: hardbern on January 05, 2020, 08:36:06 AM
that seems a lot to take off - how much did you grind off?
....as in thou/mm?

Title: Re: Early John McCullough Griffin
Post by: tippit on January 05, 2020, 08:47:28 AM
hardbern,
I have no idea as to how much glass I take off.  I am continually re-checking my tiller until I get to my desired weight.  Most people think it's crazy but I have so many nice old bows nobody wants that I don't mind if I destroy a bow.  So far I've only had one break and that is on my tillering board as I stress them to 34 inches draw to see if they will break before I try to shoot them (I draw 27 inches).  My knife grinder works real well in just skimming off a little glass on each pass.  I never sell any bow I've reduced weight and I do not reduce weight on other peoples bows.

Airdale,
This was way before he was making bows for Ron.  I go way back with John's bows.  I have several of his real early self bows that are spectacular.  No problem in leaving hogs as they are all over! tippit