New poster, is my impulse purchase any good?

[horsetime]

Hello all, after being interested in traditional/primitive archery for years (especially with all the archery on TV shows) and doing lots of googling I made an impulse purchase at a renfaire yesterday. I purchased an off the knuckle selfbow(I think)  that is 58 inches from tip to tip across the straight side of the "D"  The part where your hand goes appears to be a different piece of wood.  for what I hope was a good price of $40. The person I bought it from said it had a 30lb draw weight, I'm a small female so the bow is almost as tall as I am and that sounded about right but I have no idea if it's correct. I know the draw weight on wood bows changes depending on how far back you pull.

I'm hoping to shoot with it, but if it turns out to not be a good bow I can just mock it up and use it as a costume piece since it looks "primitive"  I thought that the set curve reminded me of a recurve or horse type bow and since I'm also an equestrian I bought it.  I was told that the set curve is bad, it has either been overused or is not meant to be used at all.   Can someone help me with the quality? Can I actually shoot targets with it? What kind of wood is it? What is it actually worth (is it a steal or did I get taken)?
 
I posted it on another archery BB and they said that it isn't a real bow and suggested a couple inexpensive plastic bows I can shoot with but that I check here first. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/20892581@N04/sets/72157636284998524/

[TimPotter]

If the pics are of the bow you purchased then that is a real bow. And it looks like a really nice one especially for the price you paid. I myself get very irritated seeing fiberglass bows at ren-fairs. It's ridiculous how they will go al lout to dress the part and then carry around a modern factory manufactured bow.

[PEARL DRUMS]

That bow is in sad shape. It looks braced, and its not. I wouldn't draw it. Tim Im thinking you assumed it was braced in that pic? I cant see a string.

Yes, you got taken if that's possible on the internet. I have floated around the internet bow scene a few years now and once in a while I see bows posted from folks who claim to sell a bunch and I wonder who the hell pays for them? Im afraid you bought one of those bows. Absolutely no offense to you ma'am. If you really want a shootable bow, stick around here a month or so and you will clearly see who you can trust.

[Joec123able]

 Wow yes that thing has a ton of string follow Which does not mean it was overused but It was poorly made in the first place. Just by looking at the string follow it looks like there's a hinge in the limb on the right even tho it's cut off in the pic.

[Oglala Bowyer]

I wouldn't shoot that on a horse!  I'd hate for you to take spill if that thing flanks your horse.

[horsetime]

Well bummer. 

I guess I can just fake a string on it and use it as a costume piece.

[TimPotter]

Ok. I did miss that it was unstrung. Yikes!  :embarassed:

But at least it's wood.

Now I see why others may have told you to get a plastic bow. People who make wooden bows such as this do a lot of damage to the craft of all wood bow-makers. It gives ammunition for plastic-bow shooters to say "Ha! see wood bows are no good". I am very sorry this happened to you. Like others here have said you can find bow makers you can trust here.

[PEARL DRUMS]

That's a good use for that one.

[blackhawk]

For further reference if you do get another all wood bow don't leave it strung...other wise what will happen is what happened to that one....you can string it for your renfair day,but at the end of the day unstring it....when your not using it or shooting a wooden bow you must unstring it...even if its a good bow,and made and designed well it will still do exactly what that one did...

[horsetime]

What about these bows on Ebay, also cheap but good enough to shoot a few times?

[TimPotter]

Those both seem like fine bows. Hickory is great wood for bows and they appear to be made well enough by the pics shown.

[PEARL DRUMS]

72" is a lot of bow for a short gal. You will be lucky to get 20# at your draw length.
Where are you located?

[Weylin]

Honestly, you get what you pay for most of the time and $40-$50 should not normally get you a bow that is worth your spit. It all depends on what you want it for. If it looks pretty and you're just using it for a costume piece then it really doesn't matter but if you want to shoot it then you should buy/make a decent bow that wont give you a concussion and put out your eye went it breaks. If you're wanting a really cheap bow to shoot then I hate to say it, but you should consider buying a cheap fiberglass bow to start archery with. Then you can build some confidence shooting and when you feel more serious about it you can either pay the hundreds of dollars that it costs to buy a decent, well made wood bow or better yet, you can learn to make your own.

[horsetime]

Thanks for the help.  I'm located in Indiana.  I'm also lefthanded so that makes it a little more difficult.

I've also looked at the PVC bows for price and looks, they seem have good performance based on all my googling.

and this fiberglass recurve was suggested to me as well

[PEARL DRUMS]

That Ebay "bow" is a complete piece of junk. It angers me seeing so many making a joke out of bowery. Id love to meet these idiots in person. How tall are you lefty?