Ya, I was just waiting for someone to point that out!! HEH HEH...

They are both copies of an old Ben Pearson design [:-][:-][:-]

Chad

LBR, Thanks for the clarification...

As an FYI --

You can by a Checkmate new from gmarchery.com or archerybymail.com and have it in a couple of days. Not "custom", but no waiting. I've purchased from both sources above and still own the CM II I bought.

Brian

I know the design goes back to at least 1967 for the Widow.

BW started in 1957 I believe. Not sure when BP was making bows?

I'll have to watch my video again (plan on doing that tonight) to find out for sure when Ben Pearson started making bows. According to ArcheryHistory.com, he had a catalog printed at least as early as 1959, and in the '69 catalog offered at least two one-piece bows with the limbs coming from the belly side of the riser (Pinto and Javalina).

What does this mean? Nothing really--neither of them invented the bow, and regardless if one tried to copy the other, each bowyer has his own particulars and the bows evolved differently. One thing that I hadn't thought of until just now, that to me is quite impressive, is (as far as I know) Black Widow has never dipped into the compound market--few that are still around today can say that. Chek-Mate did just the opposite--dropped the compounds in favor of traditional bows.

A few more thoughts on one bowyer "copying" another. I think it's best stated that "Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery"--if you have a bow that is good enough that someone else wants to make one like it, maybe you are on to something. Also, you can lay two bows with basically the exact same profile, but different bowyers, side by side they may shoot completely different--there's a lot more to it than just the outward appearance.


Just thought I would throw that in--my last post was (obviously) in jest. I remember seeing threads (not here) get completely out of hand arguing about who copied who's design (BW and Habu). Just trying to add a little humor (very little?).

Chad

According to a fellow I know that is a Ben Pearson collector (nut), Ben made his first bow with the rear mounted limbs in 1954--I don't think his ever really caught on.

I haven't been able to find my video yet--probably have it loaned out. I'll get is soon though, and see when BP first started making bows.

Chad

Thanks to Broker, I have been reading over a site that gives a lot of information on Ben Pearson Archery. The site is http://www.archeryarchives.com/Pearsonb.html , and according to it Pearson Archery's first catalog came out in 1938. A shame it didn't hang on with traditional bows--it's amazing what that factory produced at one time!

Chad

Thanks for posting the archives site, enjoyed it very much so!