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Educate the ignorant, please!

The 2 piece buffalo would be a good option to have the look and lines of a one piece but a little more weight in the riser. That said I have travelled out west multiple times with one piece and 3 piece bows. Even with a 3 piece, I dont break it down to travel. If your heart is set on the one piece, roll with it.
 
Just_Hangin_N_GA said:
I went to Big Jim's shop in Albany Georgia on Tuesday and spent 4 hours there. The staff and Big Jim were awesome. They stopped what they were doing to devote all their attention on this newbie to the Traditional world. Big Jim personally stayed with me as I shot different bows and then gave me a tour of the actual bow building shop and and explained the process. Wow, never had I had that much attention devoted to me at any place of business. Big Jim and the staff just got back from a big event in Pennsylvania and pretty much sold all his bows so there weren't my different weights to try. At the end of the day I was Overwhelmed and indecisive!!! However, I did choose a bow which was not what I had planned on getting.
I decided on the Buffalo 3 piece reflex/Deflex long bow at 62" 45lb@28", spalted maple limbs and black riser with ram horn on the tips and riser.
Drove 3 hours home so excited about what just happened... then couldn't sleep all night just because something wasn't right. The bow I just picked out was not the bow style that attracted me to traditional bows. A simple one piece long bow was what caught my eye months back, she was so beautiful and I can't get her out of my mind.
Anyway, I called Big Jim's as soon as they opened the next morning and told them my dilemma, she just laughed and said no problem we can change it to what ever you want. What a relief.... until she reminded me that their Buffalo long bow also comes in a 2 piece for traveling and with a grip on the bow you can't tell the difference in looks.
So now I am debating on one or two piece. My heart says one piece but the part that wants to travel out west one day says two piece.
Anyone have any experience with one verses 2 piece; shooting different, noise, accuracy or aesthetically?
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I say get the 2 piece bread down, but that is just what I would do. Haha told you that you might be thinking too logically! Didn't I tell you that your mind keep telling you 'what if, what if' and it will lead you away from your pure heart desire! You wanted a one piece, so maybe just follow your heart. You can always buy another bow remember!!

I do not own any 2 pieces but I have try many of them at the traditional festival in Baltimore. Bowyers do different style but I cannot tell the different between a break down and one piece except a minor weight difference if you hold a solid vs break down right next to each other. Big Jim use a beaver grip to hide the takedown ability so you will never even know it, similar to Shrew bow.
 
Disclaimer: no trad experience
I would get the one piece that drew you to trad archery, if you decide later you need a take down for western hunts you can drop the coin on a second Big Jim or go cheap and get yourself a samick sage and use it for your western hunts.
 
HuumanCreed said:
I say get the 2 piece bread down, but that is just what I would do. Haha told you that you might be thinking too logically! Didn't I tell you that your mind keep telling you 'what if, what if' and it will lead you away from your pure heart desire! You wanted a one piece, so maybe just follow your heart. You can always buy another bow remember!!

I do not own any 2 pieces but I have try many of them at the traditional festival in Baltimore. Bowyers do different style but I cannot tell the different between a break down and one piece except a minor weight difference if you hold a solid vs break down right next to each other. Big Jim use a beaver grip to hide the takedown ability so you will never even know it, similar to Shrew bow.
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You definitely didn't lead me wrong, so correct about the what if pulling me away.
Now about the part about, I can always just buy
another bow... that part is scary with the cost of bows. I just keep getting deeper and deeper in. So much for being able to retire one day because I will have to continue working to support my habit.
 
krub6b said:
Disclaimer: no trad experience
I would get the one piece that drew you to trad archery, if you decide later you need a take down for western hunts you can drop the coin on a second Big Jim or go cheap and get yourself a samick sage and use it for your western hunts.
Click to expand...
Thanks, I do believe at the end of the day I will go one piece and stay true to my first love.
Dropping those additional coins is what is scaring me.... I can see this being a bad habit.
Lucky I am surrounded by a bunch of other addicts that are very supportive and welcome me to their addiction. What a great group of enablers!!!!
 
BTaylor said:
The 2 piece buffalo would be a good option to have the look and lines of a one piece but a little more weight in the riser. That said I have travelled out west multiple times with one piece and 3 piece bows. Even with a 3 piece, I dont break it down to travel. If your heart is set on the one piece, roll with it.
Click to expand...
Good to know that you don't even break your 3 piece down. Yes, I think I am seeing things more clearly now and a one piece is definitely in my future.
May change from just a black riser to something pretty that will blend well with spalted maple limbs... but not to crazy just simple yet beautiful. Sounds easy enough.
 
Just_Hangin_N_GA said:
Good to know that you don't even break your 3 piece down. Yes, I think I am seeing things more clearly now and a one piece is definitely in my future.
May change from just a black riser to something pretty that will blend well with spalted maple limbs... but not to crazy just simple yet beautiful. Sounds easy enough.
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Wenge, Rosewood, Bacote, Shedua, or Claro Walnut would all look good with Spalted maple imo.
 
BTaylor said:
Wenge, Rosewood, Bacote, Shedua, or Claro Walnut would all look good with Spalted maple imo.
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Thanks, I will pull some images up and take a look at those woods.
I wish there was a place to see different options actually on a long bow... like a gallery with detailed descriptions of the woods used on the bow. I can't tell one wood from another by name.
 
Just_Hangin_N_GA said:
Thanks, I will pull some images up and take a look at those woods.
I wish there was a place to see different options actually on a long bow... like a gallery with detailed descriptions of the woods used on the bow. I can't tell one wood from another by name.
Click to expand...
A lot bow sites will have a gallery. If you go to Stalker's in stock bows section, when you click on the pics it will show what woods were used.
 
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Just_Hangin_N_GA said:
Thanks, I will pull some images up and take a look at those woods.
I wish there was a place to see different options actually on a long bow... like a gallery with detailed descriptions of the woods used on the bow. I can't tell one wood from another by name.
Click to expand...
Big Jim site does actually have a gallery of wood he uses.
 
I saw on the Big Jim Website where it said they had over 600 woods to choose from so it would be impossible to display all the options lol
 
Just_Hangin_N_GA said:
Yes, but not of the wood combinations actually on a bow to see, unless I missed it. I can't visualize the pairings of the different woods together on a bow, just lacking in that area.
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Had an internet interuption so you prolly didnt see my edit. If you go to the Stalker bows in stock section, when you click on a bow pic it will tell you the wood combo's.
 
HuumanCreed said:
Not exactly all the woods Big Jim has, but Dryad has a wood combo page.

dryadbows.com

Wood Combos

...
dryadbows.com dryadbows.com

you didnt see anything you like at Big Jim's online gallery?

This is dang sexy
View attachment 88255
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Is his gallery on the main page or is it a Facebook thing? I don't have Facebook, twitter, instagram or any of that cool kid stuff.
 
HuumanCreed said:
bigjimsbowcompany.com

Big Jim's Custom Bows - Big Jim's Bow Company

Big Jim's Custom Bow photo gallery of bows built for customers. The Buffalo, Thunderchild, Mountain Monarch, Desert Bighorn, and the Yukon.
bigjimsbowcompany.com
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I am just an idiot, I looked all over his home page even did a search within the home page but no results. Thanks, your link took me straight to it... going to have to pull this up on the computer monitor tonight so I can really see them.
Thanks again!!!
 
You’re coming from a compound history, go with the 3 piece. The extra heft will help you. I promise this is not your last bow. I have no idea how many bows I have tried and not sure how many I have. If you go with a longbow be sure its a 2 piece.
 
Mike Curtis said:
You’re coming from a compound history, go with the 3 piece. The extra heft will help you. I promise this is not your last bow. I have no idea how many bows I have tried and not sure how many I have. If you go with a longbow be sure its a 2 piece.
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My only concern is with time will the snug coupling begin to get loose and introduce play in a 2 piece. Not sure if that is a legitimate concern but I can't help considering it. Every one has said there will be more bows to come which is scary.... monetary wise but exciting from a shooting perspective. If more are to come I have been thinking my first bow should be that beautiful 1 piece long bow that got me interested... yeah fantasy stuff. I am curious what you mean about a 3 piece being easier transitioning too from a compound. Is that true for both the 3 piece long bow and 3 piece recurve.
Was this your personal experience going from compound to traditional? Sorry so many questions but I am knowledge deprived.
Disclaimer... the way I have been shooting my Samick Sage, I will be doing my deer hunting with a compound bow for at least this coming season if not two seasons to get proficient with a traditional bow.
Thanks.
 
I really have little compound but 50 years trad and have helped a good number come over. The 3 piece just has more mass and is easier to control your front hand. However you can learn anything. Big Jim will tell you develop good form in the beginning and it’s a lot easier from then on..
 
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