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| Shakespeare Catalog May 1969 |
Shakespeare Cascade X29
by
Larry Vienneau
Like all Shakespeare
Hunting “X” bows, The Cascade was named after a National Forest area. The former
Cascade National Forest was established by the U.S. Forest Service in Oregon on
March 2, 1907, it is now part of the North Cascades National Park Complex in Washington State. Rich in bio-diversity,
it has been a favorite hunting region and has yielded a wealth of data about
human activity spanning the last 9,600 years.
Cascade X29 1969 – 1972
- 50” AMO
- 2 ½ wide limbs
- Pistol grip Riser, Resin/ wood composite
- Draw weights - 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65 lbs.
- Originally it had a 45" string.
- Chronograph Avg. 174.6 feet per second
- Brace height is rather high at 9 inches
- 4 1/2 inch shooting window
- Wood and white glass tip overlays
The Cascade was nicknamed BLACK BEAUTY and was marketed as
the "Broad Bow.” In the late 1960s, there
was a trend toward ever-shorter hunting bows. Shakespeare was pushing the
envelope of technology. It introduced the Cascade which was one of the shortest
bows of the era The Cascade was one the only two bows ever made with 2 1/2" limbs, the other 2 1/2 wide limbed bow was the 52" Root Hunt Master. The
theory was the wide limb requires a thinner limb and would allow for better
weight distribution and result in a smoother draw. A 1969 Shakespeare Ad
claimed it could “handle 25% more stress and deliver 33% more speed than other
short bows.” Its riser is a tournament pistol grip made with “Jet Age” Phenolic laminate Black
Formica impregnated with phenolic thermosetting resins. English translation: the riser material is
made by combining resins and wood particles which were compressed under high
pressure and temperature into dense, uniform material which resembles Ebony.
This was one of the first composite resin risers. I have read that there were
problems with the riser cracking in the first productions but they worked out
the technical issues.
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| a beautiful Cascade thanks to Jim Luby |
Some people are
reluctant to try a short bow because they worry about “stacking”. A limb should
increase tension at about 2-3 pounds per inch steadily to be considered smooth.
If a limb produces peak weight too fast it is referred to as stacking. A bow
that “stacks” may draw smoothly at 27- 28 inches, but the tension dramatically
increases over 28”. A short bow stacking results quickly because the limbs
reach their peak quicker at a short draw length.
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| My 45# Cascade Wonderbow |
I have a beautiful #47 Cascade which has no noticeable
stacking at all. My draw is 27 ½ inches. I attempted to extend my draw to 30+” by
pulling the string past my ear. I did feel some mild stacking at about 31
inches. I think the Cascade design has effectively diminished the stacking
problem. The bow also has very little hand shock. Some short bows also have
problems with string pinch. This has to do with the steep angle created by a
short bow. I did not experience excessive string pinch. This bow is very fast;
I shot it with my Bear 45# Kodiak Super Magnum and it seemed to deliver the arrows
quicker. I also shot the Cascade with my other Shakespeare bows and it was
sending arrows through the target while the other bows were not showing as much
penetration. I tested its speed and it shoots at nearly 175 FPS. I also tested all of my forty-five vintage bows by shooting three 300 rounds at 20 yards from each bow. The Cascade tied my Pecos X23 as the most accurate shooter. Pecos shot more "X bulls-eyes" so it finished first. Cascade has everything you need from a hunting bow to, a compact design with speed and accuracy!! I think the 1969 Shakespeare Ad wasn’t
advertising hype, the bow does handle the strain of short limbs very well
and it does push arrows at higher velocity. If your draw length is 29 inches I
think this bow will be very comfortable for you to shoot. Tuning the bow is
tricky. It has a high brace height of 8 1/2 - 9 inches and can be loud until you
find your sweet spot. Mine is set at 8 3/4 inches. I also suggest strung silencers to dampen the
sound. I think this will soon be my new
favorite tree stand or blind bow!
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| "NEWS / NEW PRODUCT" Archery World May 1969 pp. 79 & 80 |
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| a screenshot of a Cascade Ad |
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI just recently purchased a Shakespeare Wonderbow Model x15-66 on Ebay. The seller listed this bow at 66" with a 50# draw. This is my first bow and I am very excited. However, the bow I purchased does not come with a string. I have a few questions regarding this.
First, although the seller listed the length of the bow as 66", I am unsure if that will be the actual length. I've found other sources online which suggest the same model of bow was of a much shorter length (AMO). Does the model name 'x15-66' indicate that it is a 66" bow or does that number not correspond to AMO? I ask because I'm curious if, perhaps, the seller made the mistake of conflating the model number with the bow length. If so, it will turn out that I'm not getting the size of bow I had anticipated (it's still shipping).
That being said, I still need to purchase a bow string. I've read elsewhere online that older bows can be damaged when used with modern strings. Is this the case with my old Wonderbow? If so, what sort of string should I buy and at what length? I've searched online for bowstrings but I really have no idea what I am doing. Suggestions?
Lastly, I'm curious about the value of the bow. I won the bid at $92.00 dollars and it looks to be in excellent condition. How bad did I get ripped off?
If any of you Shakespeare fans could please push me out of the nest, it would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Lucas
ps - here's a link
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Shakespeare-Wonder-Bow-Recurve-50-66-/170967906993?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&nma=true&si=ab9VxT6D72jI81oiFMbS7oxclSA%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc
Hi Lucas
ReplyDeleteThe x15 is a beautiful bow from the early 1960's I have a 1962 catalog which lists is. It was offered in three length 63", 66, and 69". The 66" is designed as a tournament bpw as well as a hunting bow. The string should be dacron-50. when you order the string make sure you tell the vendor that it is for a vintage 1961-62 bow. The length of the string should be about 4 in. shorter than the 66" AMO so your string should be around 62". There are some very ggod string makers on eBay, just do a search for 66 AMO., contact them before you buy and let them know the bow AMO -and- that you are new to traditional archery, my experience is they are honest and helpful.
As far as the price, $92 is a great price. that bow looks beautiful!!!!! I tried to get a friend to bid on it. I am lefty but I was looking at that bow, great deal!!!!!!!!
Hello, I won myself an x-29 as well as 2 other bows on ebay recently as a single sale for $102, It has some damage, mostly nicks and dings but the veneer is coming off in a few spots (like where the seller wrapped packing tape on it) and the small arrow rest piece is popped off (it was why the packing tape was wrapped on the bow. I was just wondering if you could tell me what length bowstring I would need and if I got a good deal on it. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteMichael~
Hi Michael
ReplyDeleteI do remember the auction. The AMO is 50" so you will need a 46" dacron string. the arrow rest isn't a problem to replace. I am concerned about " the veneer is coming off in a few spots" because I don't know what you mean by veneer, the bow does not have veneer. do you mean the finish or do you have a separation between the fiberglass ans wood? this could be a problem. I don't remember seeing that in the item description so you look at that again. the seller didn't disclose this flaw so you should be covered under eBay buyer protection even though he says no returns. You should have an expert look at it though.
Hi again Michael. I had posted "how to buy vintage bows" in November. somehow it went from being published to being a draft unpublished. I republished it and it has some link for bow repair as well as advice on restoring bows. let me know if you need any more help
ReplyDeletehttp://shakespearearchery.blogspot.com/2013/01/how-to-buy-vintage-bows_12.html
I wasn't sure how exactly to describe it, it is an enamel like transparent finish that covers the whole bow, its not major just an annoying cosmetic issue. Thankfully the bow appears to be fully usable with no major damage, and other than that minor stuff is a beautiful bow.
ReplyDeleteThe old hickory bow that came with the set unfortunately is a different story, there is a section on the handle where it was 2 parts bonded together and they are separated and wiggle, the only thing holding it together is the wrapping. So unfortunately that one is unusable unless I can get it fixed. I am waiting to hear back from the seller about it to see if he is willing to do anything since that much damage basically makes his item description of "some cosmetic wear but fully usable" somewhat false.
Michael~
Hi Michael
ReplyDeleteSounds like it is just the finish. If you are good with tools and woodwork it shouldn't be to hard to refinish. the other bow sound like a goner though. If you get something back then you are still ahead because the Cascade is a nice bow. Good luck, let us know how the repair went
Hello..I just bought a Shakespeare Wonderbow model x-29 the Cascade it hasn't arrived yet and will have no string, I saw were you posted original string length was 45' is this what you still use? my draw length is 28"
ReplyDeleteThanks Thomas
Hi Thomas
ReplyDeleteI think when the bow was new it was safe to use a 45" string but a 46" sting will stress the limbs less and if you need a higher brace you can twist the string. Congratulations on the bow, the Cascade is a really pretty bow and a fine shooter!!!
Thank you..I'm a little new to fine tuning ..I saw 12,14, 16 strands ..I know the more strands the stronger the string..is there a preference..
DeleteThomas
those strand are for the strength of the bow, light weight - 12 strands (20-35), medium weight - 14 strands (40-55), heavy wight- 16 strands (over 55 pounds). Let the person you are buying your string know it is a vintage bow, and make sure it isn't made of fast flight string. Better safe than sorry!!
ReplyDeleteforgot to mention... if you are new to recurve or traditional archery...YouTube is a great resource. Just do a search for "tuning a recurve", there will be some good videos as well as bad but most will be helpful
ReplyDeleteA word of advice from someone who knows firsthand...
ReplyDeleteBe aware that any Cascade may suffer catastrophic limb failure In the riser fade out area where the phenolic riser is bonded to the core of the limb.
I have two Cascade's; one 50+ lb, and another 65 lb. The 50 is a little bit rough. It has quite a few stress cracks along the belly and back but it still shoots well. It occasionally makes a pop or two when shooting. The 65 is a really nice bow. A few slight stress lines in the back but no gouges or anything that would be indicative of potential problems. It never pops or clicks when shooting.
However, a few days ago, while at full draw, the 65 lb bow suffered a catastrophic limb failure. I was shooting the bow and without warning the lower limb fade out de-laminated and snapped the lower limb in two. Luckily the fiberglass backing kept the limb from coming completely off the bow but the wood of the limb is split completely.
I really loved this bow but I will no longer shoot a Cascade. My 50 lb bow will be relegated to the wall and the 65 lb bow will serve as a reminder to not trust phenolic riser joint fade outs.
So be care when using the Cascade.
Thanks for the word of caution. I knew that the Cascade had some problems with the riser cracking at the half way point, by had reworked the design. Are you shooting in excessive cold or heat? What is your draw length? Thanks again for the warning.
ReplyDeleteI live in the DFW area of Texas. The weather has been very nice over the past few weeks with most days in the mid to upper 60's. I do not consider that to be excessive by any stretch.
ReplyDeleteMy draw length is a true 28 inches. At times when I get a bit tired I let it creep down to 27 3/4 inches.
To be fair, I guess I should say that the 65 pound Cascade was a new bow to me. I bought the bow via auction off of eBay. I received the bow on Feb. 21, 2013. So, I had not been shooting the bow for long and I have now way of know how well, or poorly, the bow had been treated in the past. The man I bought the bow from is a "picker" of sorts who buys and sells items that he finds at estate sales and such.
I own eight recurves and have been shooting traditional for two years now. Personally I find that Shakespeare bows are a better shooting bow than Bear. They have no handshock that I have observed. I can not say the same for the three Bears that I own or the one Indian Archery Seneca I own. The four Shakespeare's I own are a cut above. However, I can no longer shoot the 65 pound Cascade and I believe that my 50 pounder may suffer the same fate. Therefore, I am down to shooting my 60 pound Super Necedah.
Bummer about the bow!!! I have read old accounts of the first Cascades failing, all I can say is I know how bad it feels. I had a nice bamboo longbow explode after I stupidly left it in my car at -40. The weird thing is I had never had that happen again since. I think would feel as reluctant as you about shooting your other Cascade. I agree about the Bears, I have three and the are great bows but I tested their speed against the Shakespeares and the Bears lost
ReplyDeleteIt is a bummer indeed!!!
ReplyDeleteThat 65 pounder really zipped those arrows fast and my 50 pounder out performs my 50 lb Bear Grizzly hands down. But I am a bit gun-shy about using it now.
I am pretty certain that my 65 lb Cascade was one of the redesigned bows because below the serial number and AMO length of 50" there is a Roman Numeral II. Is that II indicative of the redesigned series Cascade which were supposed to alleviate the failures that occurred with the first production runs???
I guess. It could has been a design failure or age or even a problem created by the previous owner.
ReplyDeleteThere isn't mush information out there which is why I started this blog. Thanks for sharing your experience, as sad as it was. Nothing worse than seeing a vintage bow bit the dust.
Thanks for the replies. I really appreciate all the information that is contained herein. It is interesting and informative. Thank you for your efforts.
ReplyDeleteI have an Cascade X29 "50" 50 lb "that I purchased in 1971-it was in storage- I started to shoot it again about 6 months ago. I have to replace the bowstring- it still has the original.
ReplyDeletethe bow is actually 47" long and the bowstring that is on the bow is 16 strand but 0nly 42" long
Where can I get a new string? Or do I have to make it?
I have never heard of a Cascade that was 47". I would have a string made for it. I find that the folks that sella strings on eBay are very good. Contact one of them and ask for a Custom made string.
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
I know I'm a johnny-come-lately, but I'd like to comment on the Cascade X29. I have had 4 of these "Wonderbows", and find them to be fine performers. A 50+, 2-55#, and a 65#. The 50+ is 54# and stays strung in the trunk of my car 24/7, 365 days, since 1999. After reading about limb failures, you've got me scared. To me, these bows have been bullet-proof, no nonsense, a workingman's bow. Now I look at these black beauties with a more critical eye. I am in the process of completely customizing the 65#. However, "long live the Shakespeare Cascade X29!
ReplyDeleteHi Mike, When I got my Cascade I didn't have high expectations. It was to short and I expected it to kick like a mule. Now it is one of my favorite and most accurate shooters. I have only had one bow break on me and it was a bow I built myself. Old bows have been known to de-laminate but I have never had the problem. I take the warning with a grain of salt. I always use a stringer and I flex the limbs a few times before I start shooting. My cascade is one sweet bow! I bought a Root Hunt Master, it is very similar, it is 52" and 2 1/2 wide limbs and 65#. excellent blind bow!!
Deletethanks for the comment. send us some photos- shakespeare.archer@aol.com
Anonymous: The Roman numeral II on a bow generally indicates it was a "second" with some type of cosmetic flaw...it doesn't mean the bow is not safe or structurally unsound.
ReplyDeleteVery true, they are perfectly fine bows, they have slight cosmetic imperfections
DeleteI just picked up a Cascade, again, and they are just plain fascinating. Thanks for sharing all the info.
ReplyDeleteThey are a joy to shoot!
DeleteA useful piece of information about BLACK BEAUTY.I am I found your blog. Interesting photos,too.
ReplyDeleteI picked up a great little Shakespeare brand The Cascade; however, I've never seen markings like the one I have does. The draw weight is 70#, under this is the serial number, and under that is 50". I was under the impression The Cascade only went as high as 65#. Does anybody know any information about this?
ReplyDeleteI just purchased what appears to be a cascade made in 1973 according to the serial number method on your website which indicates they were made up to 1972...
ReplyDeleteIt isn't in the 1973 catalog, but it may have been one of the last ones made. The production may have ended in 1973
DeleteInteresting fact about the catalog. The serial# is original, clear and conforms to the rest of the alpha numeric format. Part of why I like collecting these bows is the info you find out about your particular bow. This website is awesome and I read it a lot before buying a particular model bow. THANKS!
ReplyDeleteAfter reading all these comments about the Cascade, when I saw one come up on Ebay with a buy it now I jumped on it. I'll comment more on it when I get it. It still has the original arrow rest and looks to be intact. It's a 40Lb. pull which is a nice comfortable weight for me.
ReplyDeleteAs in my last post just above this one, I said I would comment on the Cascade X-29 when I got it. So it came yesterday and considering it's age was in pretty decent shape. The original White arrow for the side plate was pretty dirty so I replaced it with white calf hair cut to match the old arrow design. I bought a new Dacron 50, 50 inch string for it and it strung up nice and straight. I was surprised at how noisy it was shooting it. I had bought a mink fur hat at an antique show to use for string silencers and so I cut some longer than usual, about 8 inches. It took at least 80 percent of the twang out of the bow. After getting dialed in shooting it for awhile, I was able to shoot some pretty decent groups. I have a 48 inch Pearson Equalizer and a 52 inch Colt Firearms Hunt Master and I have to say the Cascade is the easiest to shoot accurately. No stacking and now acceptably quiet. A great bow to have in my collection.
ReplyDeleteAnybody that posts comments knows that Larry Vienneau not only has researched and written all the entries, he answers all of comments too.
ReplyDeleteCould a person with a Root or Root Shakespeare bow be more blessed than to have this Blog as the Ultimate reference for the Root Nation? I am just amazed each time I research a Root Bow on how much I can learn and if I have that Root-Shakespere bow, how proud I am that I landed a Root treasure and everything about that bow is at my finger tips. Larry Vienneau you are a Saint, a true gift to the Golden Age of Archery followers
Thank you Larry and others should thank this man for the years of effort and research it took to but together the World Famous Root - Shakespeare "Blog" Remember because of Larry Vienneau, "It is Always in the Blog!"
Bless you Larry
🙏 🏹 🙏
Rick Mansberger
Redmond Sports Group