Shakespeare Model X15 and TITAN X-15
by
Larry Vienneau
The Titan X15 is one of the few Shakespeare bows to look
very much like its predecessor, the X-15. From 1961-64 many of Shakespeare's bows
were designated with “X” with a number. The X15 1961-64 did evolve quickly. The 1961-63 X15 was a walnut and maple laminated bow and was available in 63", 66", and 69". It was an "all-round" bow. The 63" was designed for hunting while the 66" and 69" were field and tournament bows. The 1964 bow was a 66" bow with a solid Bubinga riser, the 69" was now a special order
1964
X15
·
66”
and 69' special order”
·
Weight
30-45Lbs
·
2-inch
limb
·
Bubinga
riser
·
7-inch
sight window
·
Nocks
Bubinga and maple
·
7-inch brace height
·
White
glass
·
LH
special order
1963
X15
·
66”
and 69”
·
Weight
30-45Lbs
·
2-inch limb
·
Maple
and Walnut riser
·
7-inch sight window
·
Nock's walnut and maple
·
7-inch brace height
·
White
glass
·
LH
special order
1962-63 X15
·
63”,
66”, and 69”
·
66”
and 69” Weight 35-50 Lbs. 63” 35- 55 lbs.
·
2-inch limb
·
Maple
and Walnut riser
·
7-inch sight window
·
Nock's walnut and maple
·
7-inch brace height
·
White
glass
·
LH
special order
 |
| 1968 Titan X15 |
Shakespeare bows were designed by Ernie Root, his love of
target archery and his talent as a competitive archer come through in this bow
design. Root archery had been producing bows in the fifties and in the
early 1960s; Ernie Root was hired as a consultant and designer by Shakespeare
Archery. If you look at the Shakespeare Kaibab and Ocala, beside the Root Brush
Master and Field Master, you will see bows of nearly identical design. By 1969
Ernie Root left Shakespeare and continued his Root Archery Company. He
continued to perfect his Golden Eagle Take-down which was a staple in the hands
of many professional archers of the 1960s, as well as his top-line target
bow...Pendulus Supreme.
 |
| 1970-71 TitanX15 |
Shakespeare's Archery and Ernie Root produced excellent competition and target bows.
The Titan X 15 introduced in 1965, it is very similar to the Professional X10 but
did not have a stabilizer or sights and is an outstanding mid-priced target bow.
The Shakespeare family of target bows (Titan, Supreme, and Professional) was
in response to the Bear Tamerlane, the 1967 riser is beautiful laminations of
light Bubinga, Maple, and dark Brazilian Rosewood with multi-layered wood tip
overlays. In 1967 The Supreme X16 was also introduced. It was the entry-level tournament bow and was 66-inch AMO but had many of the characters of the Titan
and Professional.
In
1965 the bows were redesigned and renamed and often looked nothing like their
predecessor. However, the X15 Titan is the exception. The beautifully sculpted lines of the x-15
were incorporated and perfected in the X15 Titan. Of the entire Shakespeare Archery Line, the
Titan also saw the most radical yearly design changes; the 1968 model is the
most striking example. At 66” & 68” AMO and 2-inch-wide limbs, it was
designed for the target range and was well balanced, very stable, accurate, and a
fast shooter.
Titan X15 1965
-1971
1965-67, 1970-71 66” AMO
1968-69 68” AMO
Weights:
1965-67 30-45 pounds,
1968-69 30-40 pounds,
1970-71
25-40 pounds
Riser:
1965-67 Bubinga and Imbuya,
1968- Rosewood and maple
1969- Bubinga, Seduha, Maple
1970-71 “Exotic” woods and “Space Age” Formica
Tip overlays
1965-67 Benge and maple wood
1968-71 Rosewood and maple
Limbs: 2 inch
Glass: White
Arrow rest:
1965-68 vertical feathers, Arrow plate calf hair,
1969 Flipper rest
1970-71 adjustable plate and flipper rest
Brace Height: 8 ½ inch
Sight window: 71/2 inch
1968 insert added for M16 Stabilizer
I got a lot of great suggestions but a few people suggested that he might be shooting a Shakespeare or Root bow. I went into my 1961 & 62 catalogs and it really looks like a 1961 Shakespeare X-15!!
UPDATE: 10/14/2024
In 2023 I bought a beautiful X15 66" left hand, #44 for a great price on eBay. I had been looking for a lefty for years and was excited. It needed refinishing but I took it out for testing. It shot well but I believe the depth of the arrow was too shallow, it forced my arrows to shoot to the right (I am lefty). I shot several sets of arrows to ensure the poor flight was not because of my arrows, and all shot to the right. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to tweak the bow because we were selling our FL home and moving to CO. This week I finally could rework the bow, adjust the shelf depth, and refinish the bow. IT IS INCREDIBLE. It may be my new target / 3D bow!!
 |
| my new 1964 X 15 66" #44, lefty. |
please add comments if you have additional information about this bow.
© Copyright, Larry Vienneau Jr.
All rights reserved.