Steve Ralphs longbows

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Ffish

Well-known member
Thanks Bernice - is that the longbow you usually shoot with, at the club? The pale coloured one, without a grip?
 

bernice

New member
No, I just have it back from being repaired by him. It is the Yew one that now has a red leather grip. I was shotiing it Saturday (so was John Matosian). It is somewhat lighter draw than that one and much nicer to shoot.
I call it Bambi - the other one which is a laminate and a good half hundredweight draw was made by a chap from Rotherham whose name will come to me half hour after I type this cost a little bit more and I call Entente Cordiale :)
 

English Bowman

Well-known member
I have the long-term loan of one of his bows and it's awful.

It was 75lb, although it may have come down since new. It stacks like no other bow I've shot, and it has less cast than my Ron Palmer 50lb. (Both bows are Lemonwood & Hickory)

In some tests we did my Bickerstaffe (Osage) 70lb bow threw a (heavy) arrow (with big fletchings) 186 yds. A Bickerstaffe 50lb Lemonwood/Hickory bow put the same arrow 165 yds, and the Ralphs 75lb Lemonwood/Hickory did 149 yds.

So it stacks, is inefficiant, and horrible to shoot. (Maybe that's why Gwynn lent it to me!)

I wouldn't have another one of his.
 

TimS

New member
When my club (Clifton Hamden Longbow Society - www.cloutabout.com) was formed some 4 years ago they contacted Steve Ralphs (selected on a random basis from the internet I believe) and everyone involved says how much help and patience he showed in the process - and how faily he dealt with a bow apparently stolen from the shipment.

Everyone shot Ralphs' bows at the beginning (and several are still in use some 4 years later - including one of our members who ranked no 2 in the averages last year and no 1 the year before and has performed exceptionally well at the Fraternity of St George efficiency competition). I still have one of those bows, which I bought second-hand from one of the members when I first took up the sport, as a spare to lend to friends and visitors and despite a little 'string follow' I can't complain about it.

I, like many of our members, have migrated to more sophisticated (and expensive) bows - primarily from Pip Bickerstaffe, who we rate very highly and has also given us lots of help and advice.

However, we didn't buy expensive bows from Steve and no-one is complaining.

Also to be fair, Steve's main occupation is within the film industry (and therefore the re-enactment field). If buying a bow from him for competition use it is important to separate the two and advise him accordingly.

At the 'top of competition range' it is probably fair to say that you would be better using a bowyer who specialises in that area.
 

Greenman

New member
Fonz Awardee
I have 2 , one a hickory self bow ,looks and shoots nicely though not very fast as you would expect. The other is a lemonwood / hickory laminate, nice bow though has a bit of a kick. Both developed string follow, but they are about 16/17 years old. I would give them a go.
 

alanesq

New member
My first bow was one of his very cheap self sycamore bows
I am still using it now as my indoor bow and despite taking lots of abuse (including drawing it to 32" despite it being tillered for 28") its still going strong

for the price I can't complain at all

I think it was ?80
 

Jumile

New member
Ironman
My first bow was one of his very cheap self sycamore bows...
That's good news. I sent an email to Steve yesterday asking about these. Based on your post and whatever Steve replies with, I foresee a self sycamore bow on my horizon. :D
 

gwynn

New member
So it stacks, is inefficient, and horrible to shoot. (Maybe that's why Gwynn lent it to me!)
I wouldn't have another one of his.
so is that, you wouldn't have another from me? or another from Steve Ralphs?
But yes, I must agree, perhaps it was a one off but it was a nasty, dead bow to shoot, hard work.
I wanted to swop it with Dan's Fred Bear take down [brilliant bow!]
[but he wouldn't let me 'cos a limb was twisted - or some such excuse] so we did a swop with one of his 68lb take downs - not the Fred Bear, but I think I came out on top! Thanks Dan!!
But I would like to point out that I only use it when the weather is too cold for my real [ELB] bow. Just to make that clear. Wouldn't want anyone to think I was going bad. Or being a deviant.
 
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