# Finally got a Kaya Korean Traditional Bow



## WillAdams (Jun 6, 2009)

(ordered from 3 Rivers Archery over the past week-end --- sometimes it's nice to live close to a shipping hub)

Not the ``new'' 2010 wrapped finish, (a newer one for 2011?) --- painted --- black on the belly, silver elsewhere. Tips are wrapped in brownish leather, string bridges are black and there're bronze cords wrapped under them. Decorative sticker on above the handle, specification below (in Korean w/ small black on white sticker specifying poundage --- would've been better to've written that in silver ink). Handle is artificial material wrapped in leather. Arrow pass is on crooked and there are glue stains on the handle wrap. Signature in Chinese characters reversed out of gold paint, and maker's seal in gold. Siyahs are natural (bamboo?) and the weight is written on the top one in blue ink under the finish (probably during manufacture). Very attractive though I'd like to see an au naturelle (w/ black fiberglass) as a finish option.

Decided on 45#, which feels about right. 20 strand string --- guess I'll be using the woods w/ the Bohning classic nocks w/ it (rather than the carbons pictured).

The bow sock / quiver is a nice touch, but I'm thinking my next project will be a leather bow case and matching quiver.

Rather challenging to string. Unbraced profile is much more like a horn bow than I was expecting. Unfortunately, w/ snow and work and the kids' schedules no chance to do more than that (and write this up and take a picture) yet.


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## WillAdams (Jun 6, 2009)

Turns out I missed an entry in their catalogue when I wrote:

>Very attractive though I'd like to see an au naturelle (w/ black fiberglass) as a finish option.

http://www.greatreearchery.com/view...ory_id=1&itemtype_id=3&item_id=254&pgsize=&t=

``The limb core is made from carbon and maple laminates while the limb face is finished with authentic buffalo horn and the back of the limb is finished with an attractive birch skin.''

They really do need to hire a better translator --- that last word should be bark.

William


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## BowmanJay (Jan 1, 2007)

Looks like a very niec bow, they tend to be very smooth shooting!


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## Night Wing (Feb 4, 2009)

What is it's length?


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## WillAdams (Jun 6, 2009)

3Rivers page says ``46" nock to nock when strung''.

William


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## WarBow-ATARN (Jun 28, 2011)

The KTB can be drawn to 35" but for practical and safety reasons 33" is the max. A 60# KTB will weigh in at 90# at 35" draw. A proper-fit thumb ring is a must to get the most out of this bow.


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## WarBow-ATARN (Jun 28, 2011)

Will, besides woodies have you tried bamboo shafts?


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## WillAdams (Jun 6, 2009)

I bought some Tonkin Cane tomato stakes from Home Depot and have managed get about a half-dozen good shafts out of them after culling and straightening. Now need to work out how to get from bacon-grease-impregnated bamboo to arrow shafts.


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## iswandy (Aug 18, 2007)

Just to refresh, to check if you still have this bow working like the first time you shoot it. reason I'm asking is to see how durable this bow in long term use


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## GeorgV (Sep 13, 2012)

Congrats! I use to shoot this bow (40#). As others said - you'll need a thumb ring to get all out of it.

Durability is somewhat you could be concerned about. A grip deteriorates over time, besides - its kinda small for larger hands. I replaced my with homemade one (to my size). Leather tips do get worn out, you'll have to replace it at some point. Glue job isn't all that great, but it s easy to fix.

The bow is plenty fast and surprisingly powerful. Folks at my club laughed at me when I brought it in. Well, after a few arrows downrange they stopped laughing - that thing does pack a punch. All in all- its a great entry to a small world of horsebows. But, I gotta admit - such short, light and powerful bow is NOT easy to shoot accurately. Esp., you have it in higher poundages. I hope you'll master it


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## WillAdams (Jun 6, 2009)

It's still holding up quite well, and I've gotten better:









(not good enough to shoot like that consistently, but it's gratifying when I manage it)

Did have to replace the leather wrap at the arrow pass --- not a big deal (and the original wasn't applied evenly anyway), also the white printed sticker w/ poundage written on it came off, so I wrote it down on the nice black sticker in silver ink.


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## iswandy (Aug 18, 2007)

nice. Thanks for update


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## GeorgV (Sep 13, 2012)

Nice group! How far from the target were you? Fingers or ring?


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## WillAdams (Jun 6, 2009)

Thanks1

It was ~12 yards (about all I can manage in my backyard), using a leather thumb ring which I made.


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## Stub (Aug 13, 2013)

These type of bows really fascinate me for some reason. Something about the way you shoot them. Being half Korean myself and still having family is South Korea, I really been thinking about perusing this traditional side of archery a little. Thanks for sharing the pictures. That's a beautiful bow.


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## GeorgV (Sep 13, 2012)

I'd say, you are quite ready for a deer season ) Such short bow should work great in the woods.


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## WillAdams (Jun 6, 2009)

Thanks!

It's a bit odd, Korean tradition and archery hunting --- they pretty much stopped a long while ago, too-busy defending themselves from various invasions in which archery played a significant role in defense, so usage of the bow (and training for it) was dedicated towards the military, and using it for hunting was seen as potentially disturbing the karmic / spiritual balance thereof and became pretty much taboo.

They do hunt w/ firearms though.

In light of that (and my inconsistency when shooting left-handed and inability to do so while wearing glasses), I'm practicing w/ my Bear Custom Kodiak T/D for next year's archery season. Hoping to get a turkey at least.


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