# Riddle me this - what model bow is this?



## oldfella1962 (Jul 28, 2015)

Wow - I bid on a vintage recurve (dirt cheap, why not?) that is I think late 1950's. It looks a lot like a Cravotta Brothers bow. I already have a Blackhawk Bee and love it. Anyway it says Sabre Archery Company from Bernardsville, New Jersey. This must have been a small company, any info about them is hard to find. I don't know the actual model, but it has old school "basket wave" green fiberglass backing, much like my Bee. One weird thing, the string length is written on the bow along with the usual bow length, poundage and serial number. The serial number is "64"-486-06. If anyone has any clue about the Sabre Archery Company (no doubt out of business) please let me know. This is one very rare bow I think, compared to Cravotta Bros. bows. Thanks


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## sawtooth (Jul 28, 2015)

If you don't get a bite here, post it over on the  leatherwall. There are some gentlemen over there that will be all over it.  Lots of knowledge about vintage bows.


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## SELFBOW (Jul 28, 2015)

I have some vintage Sabre heads.


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## oldfella1962 (Jul 28, 2015)

SELFBOW said:


> I have some vintage Sabre heads.



Now I'm getting somewhere! That could lead to bow info. Also, the Leatherwall idea was good, I will try that. Those old bows are great - light as a feather but very fast and quiet.


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## SELFBOW (Jul 28, 2015)

This is all the research I'm gonna do but you can probably follow this link to see what it says in this 1959 newspaper.


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## oldfella1962 (Jul 29, 2015)

Yes, I found that 1959 paper too, but I didn't want to pay for a membership so I couldn't read it. I never knew there was a site devoted to archived newspapers. That must be great for anyone doing research. So I know the company was in existance until 1959 anyway - they must have been local. Regardless I got outbid, but if I can find out more about the bow I might hop back into the bidding war. To be honest if I don't get the bid the next bow I get will be a a new bow straight out of the store, most likely a takedown. PSE has a pretty good line, and being able to shoot it in the store first (Cabelas, Gander Mountain, etc) would be a big help.


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## AllAmerican (Jul 29, 2015)

I have an old recurve and it is a Galaxie. Galaxie made bows named after planets in the solar syste It was made by Carvatto Bros out of McKeesport, PA.  Near Pittsburgh.  I will post some pics of it, it's a 52# 45lber.  Fun little bow, not heavy or fast enough for me but has value to me. My good friend gave it to me.


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## oldfella1962 (Jul 29, 2015)

AllAmerican said:


> I have an old recurve and it is a Galaxie. Galaxie made bows named after planets in the solar syste It was made by Carvatto Bros out of McKeesport, PA.  Near Pittsburgh.  I will post some pics of it, it's a 52# 45lber.  Fun little bow, not heavy or fast enough for me but has value to me. My good friend gave it to me.



Yes please post the pics. If you don't like lightweight bows (weighing around one pound) a Cravotta Bros. bow would not be a good fit. Take a Bear Grizzly and cut the weight in half. The risers are very short, so the bows are all limb. Basically a longbow with recurved tips! My 40# (from 1959) bow spits out some 470 grain arrows just great, with much more penetration than my Bear recurve of just slightly less draw weight. 

Here's a pic of the Bear Tigercat (almost identical to the Grizzly) on the left next to the Cravotta Blackhawk Bee. 
Both are great, but that Bee is so light it's like pointing your finger, but at 60" it's still stable. Yes the rubber bands are silencers - a trick I learned from my dad.  I use craft felt with adhesive on one side on the limbs for "string slap." Shelf and side plate are soft side of velcro. Nocking point is dental floss.


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## AllAmerican (Jul 30, 2015)

*Galaxie (Black Hawk) 52" 45lb*

I think it's mostly made of maple.  Really light in the hand.

Galaxie was part of the lineage of Blackhawks Bows and Carvatto Bros.  From what I understand it came from McKeesport PA.

My bow may be from 1968.


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## AllAmerican (Jul 30, 2015)

*More photos*

Galaxie bow


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## AllAmerican (Jul 30, 2015)

Galaxie bow


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## AllAmerican (Jul 30, 2015)

Galaxie


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## AllAmerican (Jul 30, 2015)

Front shot, I did kill a cottontail with it few years back.


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## AllAmerican (Jul 30, 2015)

Sorry if I mispelled Cravatto.


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## oldfella1962 (Jul 31, 2015)

AllAmerican said:


> Galaxie bow



That is sweet! So I can eliminate "the galaxie" off the list of what I bid on. Whatever it is I bid on it had an extremely short/small riser, similar to my Bee. That galaxie almost looks like it's strung when it isn't strung! That handle is set way forward. I like it! That galaxie is nice. If it's made by the Cravotta Bros. it no doubt shoots well. You rarely hear anything negative about their bows. BTW I might be misspelling their name on any given day. . Crovatta or Cravotta? It's easy to get it wrong


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## AllAmerican (Aug 1, 2015)

Yes, it shoots pretty good.  I used like a 50" or a 49"(I forget) string on it, using a 48" was too much on the limbs it was basically 50% drawn.  I have it braced at 71/2" to 8 1/2".  Fun little bow.  I let family and friends shoot it that aren't into trad ; just enough to get the itch going on them.  Glad you enjoyed the pics!  Take care.


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