I own a small bowmaking busines now that was started in 1950

[Cody Roiter]

G-Day Mates, I know it's been a very very long time since I have been on here.. Like most young people my age I have been busy looking for girls and hanging out at hunting camp.. Since hunting season is over for me here in MI, Other then small game.. It's time for me to get the ball rolling on the new bowmaking busines I own.. Here's the store about how I came across it.. A few years ago when I was still in high school ( 2008) A buddy of mine was telling me about an old bow he had laying around and asked me if I wanted it.. I said sure I'll clean it up and shoot it.. One day I went over to his house he brings me out this old bow that has maple and walnut riser with green glass I said wow nice bow.. I looked the bow over and there was a name on the bow and the city (in Which I live in) I said to myself holly rats I wonder of this guy is still alive ( If so maybe he has some bows laying around and some forms,glass, Ect... I didn't look into the bow after that day ( It was winter time and was to cold for me to think of anything else but rabbit hunting) Come the next summer I get my bows out and pick up the old Butler bows (Mr.Butler the man who made the bow) I said S#!t I forgot about looking this guy up... Since I didn't know his fist name I looked in the phone book under Butler but there was about 10 butlers living in my city and I just didn't want to start calling them if I didn't know it was him......

So I did the best next thing I drove down to my great grandma's and (As if anyone she would know who this guy was) I bring in the at her house, She asked me Cody is that one of your new bows you made, I said no but its a bow that was made here in Town.. She looks at me said there was a man name Butler who made bows who lived rigth down the road i was like what .. Then she goes to tell me that Mr.Butler and his wife and my Grandpa and her where great friends and spent many good hrs hunting back in the 1950's and 1960s.. I asked her if he was still alive shes like I know he his as I seen him just the other day.. I asked do you know where he lives now she like sure do here's the address... I gave her a kiss and out the door I went like the house was on fire.. hoped in my truck and was at Mr.Butlers place in under 5mins(since he lives 5mins away)

Anyways I show up at his place, tell him who I am, and 4hr's later I had to get going to get farm work done and told him I's stop over the next day... The next day I didn't have to work so I had all day to play grab a$$ and and do what ever I wanted to do.. About 1 I made my way to Mr.Butlers house and he looks at me and said I;m happy you have a pickup I said why.. He looks at me and said Well after you went home last nite I called my kids to see if they wanted any of my archery stuff they said they didn't ( Well I had no clue of what he had) Then we made the way to his wood shop... I open the door and about fell over this small shop was full of stuff, Bows,Arrows,bow forms ect ect... I was like wow no way.... He said its all yours if you want it.. I have no reason to keep it anymore... So I packed my truck up with the bowforms, what glass he did have, wood lams (this all was in 2008)

Let's fast forward today (2011) Since I has the bow forms I still haven't made any bows with them I need to get on the ball and get one or two made..... But also I was just givin the rights to use Mr.Butler's name as my name for the bows.. His name of the archery shop was Butler Archery( I have had a few people I need to throw that name away and come up with my own what you guys think ?? I want to keep everything the same as to the way Mr.Butler had them..

Thanks Guys,

Cody

P.S I'll start adding pics of the bows Mr.Butler made back in the 1950's and 60's Also form pics.. I'd love to here any in of what you guys think of the bows....

[Cody Roiter]

The first two forms..

[Cody Roiter]

[Cody Roiter]

[Cody Roiter]

[Cody Roiter]

[Cody Roiter]

Mr.Butler

[Cody Roiter]

the logo

[Bandsaw]

Those are some nice bows, and Mr Butler sounds like a top bloke. I reckon keeping the name is a great idea, although you could just tack your name on the end so it would be like a joint venture.

Good luck with everything mate.

Ben

[Bill]

Like Ben has said, keep the Butler name and included your name when ever you make a bow using Mister Butler's forms, such as "Butler Bow by Cody"

[Gringa Bows]

Good stuff Cody,when will we see you in proction.?

[longbow steve]

Wow Cody, I bet he was as happy giving the stuff to someone interested as you were in recieving it.
I think keep the name and jazz it up like "Butler Spirit" or somthing .
Steve

[Cody Roiter]

Good stuff Cody,when will we see you in proction.?

I hope soon when ever this darn snow and cold goes away... Just a few more weeks of this stuff

Come on summer..........

[Gringa Bows]

Good to hear,looking forward to seeing the bows,you can send a bit of that cold weather over here if you dont want it..

[Cody Roiter]

Im even thinking maybe I'll grab a cold case of beer and head over to a friends house ( his workshop) And maybe get a riser cutout and sanded.. Since I have the lams and glass ready to go.....

I'll see if I can get something done here in a week or so

Cody

[Stickbow Hunter]

Wow Cody that is very special indeed!!!I don't know how to explain it but that photo with Mr Butler and his bow makes we well up inside - a little of our hertitage right there. I hope you got to spend many hours with him learning about his bows and how he made them and also got to see and take lots of photos.

Im even thinking maybe I'll grab a cold case of beer and head over to a friends house ( his workshop) And maybe get a riser cutout and sanded..

Now that ain't a good mix!

Jeff

[AndyD]

Very cool Cody - what an awesome bloke Mr Butler is.

What about B&R Bows for a name?

[rmcpb]

Nice story, I think I would keep Butler in the name somewhere.

I would also culture the link with Mr Butler and learn from him, he must be a walking encyclopedia.

[Waltron]

Great story and pics, especially the one of Butler himself.
Keep the name Butler Archery and sign your name as the bowyer.
60 years is a long history and he's done you too big a favour to just discard the name, you've got to keep it going.

[Tonylange]

Wow Cody!, that's very very lucky for you mate... i to think you need to keep his legacy in there somewhere, I'd like to see you making bows n getting em out there. Get that ball rolling fast n hard , i've just started an Arrow making business sooo there's no way you wont be able to succeed at this. Maybe Try with these designs then custom make your own forms with his inspired shapes and revive/rev-up his legacy and start yours.
Well good luck with it Cody, Ranger #8 (I'm still thinking bout joining )

[Jeffro]

That is fantastic Cody totally fantastic I can imagine the joy you must have felt when you went over to his house and I think the old fella must feel he has made the right choice giving the stuff to you.
I echo Jeff's sentiments about the photo with him in it.I would use that photo in the advertisment for the bows.

Just one question though.Was it not snowing in Mr Butler's street?

All good mate enjoy that bow making, those forms look excellent