Sweet looking bow

 

That looks amazing! Dang it, I don't need anymore bows, I don't need anymore bows, I don't need.........

 

I’ve been staring at those on the border owners group for a while. Can’t remember do they come in 68-70”? AMAZING work. Can’t wait to hear how it shoots.

 

That is pretty.I wouldn't cover that grip either,to nice to cover up !

 

Sid is making a batch of 5 - 2 slots still open.
From what I know he is doing the 68-70. I’ve first seen the 68” he made a couple of years ago.
Anton you know you want one!

 

With an ASL my DL is 27.75 and the bow is #51.4 on fingers - spot on in getting the weight I asked. The tiller is 1/16” positive and with side plate it looks cut right to centre - bare is past centre a tad.
Comparing it with my Dave Johnson #53

• Dave Johnson 472g
• MKII 613g

Weight for Bow with string

Talking with Sid, the MKII is designed with equal limbs. Dave Johnson has the lower limb shorter. In terms of riser length (fade to fade) is 14” - typical HH geometry.

 

What a looker. So classy. Do you know if it is WA and IFAA legal?

 

It checks all the points. The single thing that can be a problem is the carbon pattern on the limb that might be required to be covered with a tape on the first part on the window sight

 

Interesting thought, carbon weave acting as ladder of window notches

 

Draven, thanks for your ongoing excellence in bow photography. A super valuable contribution to the forum, even if it didn't come with great reviews, info and detailed impressions.

 

Sorry to disappoint but I really don’t care to give great and detailed reviews. You get all the needed info from the laconic presentation of the bow. Based on the parameters, it is the best American SemiLongbow I own and shot to date. It checks the “usual suspects” for design specifics and it’s using the most recent materials in its construction.

 

Draven, thanks for your ongoing excellence in bow photography. A super valuable contribution to the forum, even if it didn't come with great reviews, info and detailed impressions.

As if anyone cares about that stuff.

 

Wow , looks great . Border finishes are good as they come .

 

Beautiful looking bow Draven and thanks for your comments

 

WOW! WOW! WOW!

 

Can someone clear up my confusion. I thought sid had passed away and border was continuing with someone else?

SID BALL HAS PASSED AWAY

Very sad to post this a great man and an archery legend has passed on regards and love to his family

www.tradtalk.com

 

Sid Senior passed away. Sid Jr is continuing the work - they both were involved in the bow making from the beginning.

 

Clarification

 

I never knew you were a longbow guy also. That is the first ASL Border I have ever seen or heard of. It is beautiful and looks like it will spit an arrow out there.

Border bows are great performers. I would be interested to see how the performance is compared to your other ASL longbows.

How is the hand shock compared to your other ASLs?

 

I never knew you were a longbow guy also. That is the first ASL Border I have ever seen or heard of. It is beautiful and looks like it will spit an arrow out there.

Border bows are great performers. I would be interested to see how the performance is compared to your other ASL longbows.

How is the hand shock compared to your other ASLs?

Very interested in a reply

 

Gil, I shoot all types of bows - from Barebow to Scythian including ASL.
I will put the bow back to back against the one I have - close poundage. Shock wise, compared with the Dave Johnson is less but I will shoot it with 8-8.5gpp arrows too. I picked Dave Johnson as pair because the wood used in lams is very light and it is a performer.
I had a Northern Mist Baraga 64" #52 that I sold - it felt like a very expensive Bear Montana.

 

Wow 8-8.5 gpp on a ASL! They love heavy arrows and so do I on ASL. They absorb a lot of shock.

With the heavy weight ASL longbows I used to shoot, if I used 8-8.5 gpp I would have never had to have my wisdom teeth removed. I could have just ejected them by shooting my ASL.

 

Actually I've shot 7.2 gpp with ASL and I had no issues. I still think the shock is a timing issue - between the push into the target and release - but this is just me.

 

I had some ASL longbows (70#+) that Webster wanted pictures of to put them in their dictionary as an example of Hand Shock.

My first ASL was beautiful Tonkin Bamboo with Brazilian Rosewood riser. It was 70# @ 28". Back then we never heard anything about hand shock. Every time I shot it felt like someone whacked me in the back of my neck with a 2x4. It didn't bother me, since I was fat, dumb and happy thinking that this is what longbows feel like.

A friend of mine was about 5'10" and 150#. He had the same bow as I did and the same weight. He could shoot that bow all day long. Now he is 70 years old and his back is mis-shaped from shooting it.

Some bows just can't be helped.

 

Wow that is a masterpiece. I need to shoot one of these!

 

Really good looking bow, I was not aware that Border even made a longbow but that looks like a beauty. What is the riser made from ?

 

Border makes longbows - check their page. I didn’t know they make an American SemiLongbow and when Sid said he will make 5 bows - using old forms of Merlin MKII - if there are interested archers I jumped on the occasion. The riser is Phenolic.

PS On Border Archery FB it is a history of the ASL (Kestrel, Merlin and Black Merlin) - it was done and improved on since 1999.

 

Everything Border is clearly great, except their website. For those of us not on Facebook, where do you get/find info on their limited edition products like the Merlin MKII?

 

Facebook is anathema to me too. But every once in a while I'll devour a bowyer's Facebook page. After Draven posted about CV2, I cruised through Border's FB. Took an hour and was fun. I don't understand FB; in the past, as a non-FB member, I would only be able to see a couple posts and couple photos, then get locked out, to my relief. But this time I seemed to have access to the whole page. FB actually kind of shines for this type of thing - Sid posts stuff and then interacts with people interested in his bows. Kind of like a message board but focused solely on one hobby and brand of bows. I probably won't visit again for a long time, but I got the info I can't find on their website. I would prefer if Border had an updated website with a blog alongside it, alas...

 

Border did two versions.
If you want more info I would try to contact them by email.

 

If you bought a border bow you say the serial number date of purchase etc and they put you in the group if you ask. Somehow people still troll it and get randomly kicked out.
FYI Sid, Sid sr , a bunch of bowyers , a couple Olympian’s and tons of really knowledgeable folks use to post here but the idiots who know best would argue incessantly and vie to get them banned. I’ve watched it here for 20 years. All the pathetic instinctive shooting arguments and rants are good examples of the attitudes that keep people away.
Sis was banned by the way because people gripes that he posted too much.. ridiculous.
I’ve purchased tons of stuff from borders and had my fair share of disagreements with Sid both in private and online but we always appreciate each others candor and try to discuss to the best of our ability not just concerned with being right.
The pubic and forum moderator(s) here banned border. All the others mentioned just quit on their own for the same bs.