RE: Bowyer as an occupation ???
Lol Bill--I can guarantee you that nobody is going to get rich making strings--not if they do it right anyhow. That's one reason I have no reservations about showing anyone everything I know about making them--if you don't enjoy doing it, you won't--it's sure not for the money. There seems to always be more than enough business for one more stringmaker too.
Sag, O.L.'s bows are very popular right now, and I'm not trying to cut him short as a bowyer, but he's fairly new and always coming out with something "new and improved". He hasn't really been around long enough to see how his bow's popularity will hold out, and doesn't produce enough to saturate the market. I don't blame him either--he's retired from the Navy, and evidently isn't into it because he needs the money. Folks like Martin, Black Widow, and Chek-Mate have been around for the long haul, through good times and bad, recessions, the explosion of the compound market, etc.--these are the ones that have it figured out, IMO. These folks livelyhood depends on their business, so they have to stay on top of it. I don't know how long Jeff was at it, but I know it was several years, he made a quality product, and it got rave reviews, but........it's a dang tough business to make a living at.
Chad