HH bug got me ... Part One!

January 31, 2011, 01:55:00 PM

That is about what my yew/myrtle is. I shoot 27" 40-45 with 125s and 45-47 tapers with 160s. My yew is fairly fast and my sight window is 3/16". I would not be surprised if the same spines would apply at 28.5". I think it is always better with Hills to error on the light side.

Rob DiStefano · January 31, 2011, 03:13:00 PM

limbs are back set. the glass is not black, but an extremely dark chocolate. the bow is labeled 46#@28", but my easton digital scale reads 48#.4@28" and 52#.1@29" (typical overweight for hills). real nice shooter with 585gr woodies, will be better still with a new string. the handle was reshaped oval, but with a very rounded belly side. perfect in every way 'cept wish it was a t/d.

Wannabe1 · January 31, 2011, 03:18:00 PM

I really like that dark chocolate color for the glass. Wonder if that was a different brown than what he uses now?

Dick in Seattle · January 31, 2011, 04:19:00 PM

Don't know what Craig is using now, but I got some brown from Kenny last year when I made Sweet Georgia Brown. It's lighter than the brown on my older Big Five. I like it better. It was gorgeous and I ordered some more I have tucked away. Kenny posted a notice that's he's not shipping for a bit, has to recover from some surgery, but I'm sure he'll be back up and going in as soon as he can.

Sweet Georgia Brown: http://dickwightman.com/archeryactivity/bowbuilding/gallery/sweetgeorgiabrown/sweetgeorgiabrown.html

Wannabe1 · January 31, 2011, 04:27:00 PM

CPT, that brown looks similar to the brown that was on my Wesley. Pretty close in shade. Very nice looking bow you built.

GingivitisKahn · January 31, 2011, 05:34:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by Mudd:
I used a gadget attachment(3 Rivers) so I could use my longbow with a reel set up for bow fishing.

Nice fish Jim.

Thanks for sharing.

God bless,Mudd

Thanks sir - I'll look into it because as it turns out... bow fishing is kind of fun. :D

January 31, 2011, 06:05:00 PM

Dandy!

I like dark chocolate.

I will look for this girl in the classifieds! You gotta sell it Rob, you know you do!

Rob DiStefano · January 31, 2011, 06:32:00 PM

just a very classic craig hill longbow.

you can see the slight limb backset, and see how the handle's 'teardrop' nose was significantly ground off and rounded to make a wonderfully comfy, hand fitting grip. mike did a craftsman's job on the handle rework and the stitched elk hide grip and shelf plate.

the handle looks dished because mike rolled the top and bottom of the leather, which adds about a 1/32" bulge that's easy to see, but gives the straight handle that dished look. best hill grip i've had yet, and it's not a locator! wow!!

i had asked jason about the new hill riser cross sections, how i hated that damn tear drop and he assured me none are no longer 'pointy'. i asked him to round it off even more. we'll see by late next week.

Wannabe1 · January 31, 2011, 06:35:00 PM

There's a 66" Scirocco on the Classifieds right now.

Rob DiStefano · January 31, 2011, 06:51:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by Wannabe1:
There's a 66" Scirocco on the Classifieds right now.

need a 27" draw or less for that puppy.

leatherneck · January 31, 2011, 08:24:00 PM

Hey, I shoot 27". Hmmmmmm

Wannabe1 · January 31, 2011, 08:26:00 PM

Leatherneck, only 50 of them bad boys made. That would be one for the collection.

Rob DiStefano · January 31, 2011, 08:28:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by leatherneck:
Hey, I shoot 27". Hmmmmmm

dang, if i had a 27" draw i'd be on that like flies on u-know-what! :D

Cookus · January 31, 2011, 08:47:00 PM

I wish that Scirocco on the Classifieds was just a l..i..t..tle heavier draw! Somebodies going to get a classic and nice shootin' bow there!

Kapellmeister · February 01, 2011, 02:02:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by Rob DiStefano:
i had asked jason about the new hill riser cross sections, how i hated that damn tear drop and he assured me none are no longer 'pointy'. i asked him to round it off even more.

I just got my new Half Breed from Craig yesterday and was shooting it for the first time this morning! (I'll take some photos and post them soon.) At 55# it's the heaviest bow I have at this point and I seem to be able to shoot it well. But....

I think I'm understanding what you're talking about here... the only thing I'm not crazy about is that the grip really digs into my palm... is that the "point" you were referring to? I do wish it were rounded off more. (It was an "in stock" bow.) Before I call him, do you think he could modify it?

Mudd · February 01, 2011, 02:14:00 PM

Kapellmeister there is a quick fix that you can try before having to give up your bow while it's off getting the handle re-worked(which BTW can be done)

I had a similar problem with what I called a "tomahawk" grip, it was just too sharp to be comfortable.

I took a piece of leather, shrived the edge and put it under the handle wrap. Problem solved!

It may not work for you but it sure did for me.

Good luck!

God bless,Mudd

Kapellmeister · February 01, 2011, 02:17:00 PM

Thanks, Mudd! That's a good idea to start. (I was thinking maybe a padded glove... (?)

Mudd · February 01, 2011, 02:30:00 PM

It's too easy to lose or forget a glove....lol

If you shave the sides of the leather you put underneath the only way anyone will know its there is if you tell them..lol

But you can tell the difference immediately.

Now let me in on another little secret.

I traded the bow that I fixed the grip on and later on down the road I traded for another Big % that had that same identical style grip. That didn't bother me because I knew I had a fix for it that was easy to do.

Well before I got around to fixing it I started shooting the bow a little and for whatever reason the grip didn't bother me in the least. In fact, I love it!! Go figure!!...lol

God bless,Mudd

Rob DiStefano · February 01, 2011, 02:42:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by Kapellmeister:

QuoteOriginally posted by Rob DiStefano:
i had asked jason about the new hill riser cross sections, how i hated that damn tear drop and he assured me none are no longer 'pointy'. i asked him to round it off even more.
I just got my new Half Breed from Craig yesterday and was shooting it for the first time this morning! (I'll take some photos and post them soon.) At 55# it's the heaviest bow I have at this point and I seem to be able to shoot it well. But....

I think I'm understanding what you're talking about here... the only thing I'm not crazy about is that the grip really digs into my palm... is that the "point" you were referring to? I do wish it were rounded off more. (It was an "in stock" bow.) Before I call him, do you think he could modify it? [/b]

that's the teardrop cross section hill handle. yuk. craig should be able to round it off. i've done it to every keeper hill bow i have/had. if you go back to the page before this one, and look at the used big5 i just got, you can see that a good portion of the depth of the handle was removed by mike (the previous owner), and rounded off. this does a buncha wonderful things (for me) - makes the belly side of the grip nice 'n' rounded, decreases the handle depth for a narrower 'throat', thus greatly reduces torque during release.

i asked jason to round off the handle considerably on the forthcoming new big5 ... i don't have my hopes up, and one reason for having a lace-on grip instead of full glue-on.

David Mitchell · February 01, 2011, 04:57:00 PM

I love the tear drop grip. The key is to grip the bow like a suitcase--that is, rotate your hand around just a bit to the left (if you're a right handed shooter) and let the center of the grip be just off the knuckle at the base of your thumb and the back of the grip be right under your finger joints as if you were carrying a suitcase or bucket of water. Really helps prevent torque and gives a good repeatable grip. I always have Craig give me a rather pointy tear drop. Didn't like it when I first encountered it, but after learning the proper grip on a straight limbed longbow, I don't want them any other way. I know other guys on here feel the same way--obviously Rob will disagree. :D