The Centaur Story-Heirloom Handmade Bows

Hello, my name is Jim Neaves, owner of Centaur Archery. My beginning days as a bowyer started in 1995 when I became intrigued with self bows. I had many attempts and to my surprise not too many failures. But there were certain days that the earth shattering crack of a self bow in the works would have me hanging my head low. Never the less, I kept building and hunting with them quite successfully. My love for archery continued to grow and I decided to start building bows for extra income. At this point I decided to venture into laminated bows for warranty purposes. With the help of a friend of mine, Daryl Forslund, of Wildwood Archery, I was able to build my first laminated longbow. I had now found my new passion. It seemed I couldn't get enough of it. Steadily I would build bows, one after another. Constantly trying new woods and seeking a better design. Years of testing and building brought into my life another good friend well known to the traditional community, Gordon Mickens of Selway Archery.

After working with Gordy building quivers for a couple of years he asked me if I would like to start building the Selway bows. You could not imagine my excitement when he asked me to build longbows for such a reputable company.

I began using a form that I had in my shop that was similar to the previous Selway form, but had a tad more reflex. This became the new "Lil' Shooter". Not long after, Gordy and I decided to build a new form. The idea was to get a shorter bow that would draw as smooth as the previous bow. This was the birth of the "Lil' Magnum". Smoothness of draw was accomplished and we picked up 7 feet per second shooting the same weight as the previous form. In 2005, Gordy decided to get out of the longbows and sell that portion of the business to me.

From raw hand milled stock, to a highly refined artistic tool, Centaur Custom Longbows are built specifically for the individual one at a time. Using the most technologically advanced materials from engineered laminations and epoxies to a rugged finish that's totally weather proof, these bows deliver big time and still retain the essence of what tradition is all about.

Centaur Archery is a small self owned company built upon my love for archery and my desire to build the best longbow for the price through one on one consultation with each and every customer. When you call, you talk to me (Jim Neaves) owner and bowyer of Centaur Archery. I believe that keeping my business small and building every bow personally adds a dynamic of quality and customer satisfaction that is quickly becoming more challenging to find in today’s society. The customization process is more than just a certain length bow at a particular poundage at a given draw length. I want to know how you are going to use the bow. For example are you a target and 3d shooter? Are you a hunter that is looking for something that is shorter for use in ground blinds or tree stands but are not sure about what length of bow you can comfortably shoot? What kind of grip do you like on your bow? The grip is very important and is the only place that you actually touch the bow. It is an extension of the hand, arm and body and should fit you so naturally that you do not even think about it when you are shooting. We will talk about different exotic and indigenous wood selections for the bows and the option of fiber glass, carbon or both for your bow. As you may see, I want you to be involved as much or as little as you want with the ultimate goal of you having a longbow that meets or exceeds everything you are looking for. So kick back and take a look around my site and do not hesitate to give me a call with any questions you may have.

I would like to give a special thanks to Gordy for all of the help, support, and knowledge he has given me to start my dream and career. I would not be where I am today without him. I would also like to give thanks to my friends and family for all of their support as well. None of this would have been possible without you.

To Your Best,

Jim Neaves