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Post by chrisperoni on Apr 24, 2012 0:04:00 GMT
Hey buddies,
So here's the deal- with my new recurve (which is sah-weet!) I am trying a couple of things differently. As I've been reading up on recurve shooting and related trad/stickbow, etc. etc. I've come to think maybe it couldn't hurt to test some changes. Mind you I don't plan to make a ton of changes to my style but there are two things I want to try.
1. three under - I find with this bow I am getting a much better draw. Thoughts? my regular style of split finger is causing me to roll the string and therefore arrow, right off the shelf. I have studied how to correct this and I can, but as an alternate I also tested 3 under and actually I'm liking it a lot. It allows me to get the string closer to my face and gives me better viewing options for my aim
2. finger tab - yes, even after all my talk of loving the tactile feel of fingers right on the string... I'm tempted to try one. I can easily make a couple using different leather types I have scraps of. Thoughts?
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LeMal
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Post by LeMal on Apr 24, 2012 0:14:20 GMT
I've come to love using a tab. If you make one I recommend going hair-on though, you'll appreciate the smoothness.
Three under is a wonderful draw and many people prefer it. My own preference is two under but not split--going without any finger pressure on top. But same principle: avoiding pinching the arrow inadvertently drastically improves my shot.
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Sam H
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Post by Sam H on Apr 24, 2012 0:17:13 GMT
I shoot two ways - two fingers under and one above the arrow with a soft leather glove and I also shoot asian style which is to use a thumb ring and pinch the string just under the nock. I don't use a glove for that but a thumb ring is necessary unless you have the thumb strength of superman (or at least a kyudo master...)
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Post by chrisperoni on Apr 24, 2012 0:50:45 GMT
LeMal- I don't have any hair on pelt- but I will make a few types, some with chrome tanned, some with undyed veg, some with the suede/nubuck out, some finished side out- I'll see what I like best. thanks forthe ideas! I think 3 under also helps my groupings for same reason you mentioned.
Sam H- what is your thumb ring made of?
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Post by Rifleman Lizard on Apr 24, 2012 0:59:31 GMT
I use a finger tab when shooting with a bow sight and because modern recurve finger tabs are designed for the two under one above draw; that's just what I use. I think it's the most versatile technique with few disadvantages. The up side of using these tabs is that you'll always draw back to the same anchor point because of the metal/plastic block you slip under your chin or in the corner of your mouth. By this logic using a tab not only helps you in competitions by preserving your fingers, it also increases grouping accuracy. After all, more sets in the gold mean more free beers later! When shooting bare bow I always use the gap and three under draw, without a finger tab and drawing to the corner of my mouth. Like you said, this helps increase accuracy because you're able to look down the shaft of a much straighter arrow, where a chin draw means you've massively altered this angle. As mentioned above the lack of finger contact around the nock also prevents over-grip and wobble caused by tired fingers. Bare fingers also help you to feel around the string a little better. Using a tab and the 3 under draw will work fine, so long as you remember to use the same anchor point and apply all of the usual principles. Every archer shoots differently. Also, making your own tabs is a great idea. You could punch a metal loop or a stud through the anchor point, to make it easier to figure out the exact same position at each draw. Even a cm makes a difference at range. One archer in our club has a facial piercing he uses as a marker, after he kept changing his draw and losing us the round. My guess is that he lost a bet. :twisted: Glad your bow is as slick as you hoped, man.
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Post by chrisperoni on Apr 24, 2012 1:48:50 GMT
Chris- excellent info, cheers. Right now I'm trying three under bare fingers bare bow. I find myself drawing with my middle finger to the corner of my mouth and my thumb under my jawjoint. When I try a tab I'll have to see where my mind sets an anchor for me- maybe the tab will find a place on my face...
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Post by 14thforsaken on Apr 24, 2012 2:38:30 GMT
I also use a thumb ring. Mine is brass and has a leather lining on the inside. I just need to deepen and widen the grove for the string a bit. I've found it feels a little strange at first, but its actually easier for me to draw the bow that way. Its also a little different as when I use my horsebow, I'm drawing to my ear as opposed to lower down as I would with other bows. You can get authentic horn ones from Mongolia if you don't mind paying $40 for the shipping alone. I got mine from these guys: www.horsebows.com/accessories.htm
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2012 3:01:27 GMT
I use one over, two under with a finger tab, no string rolling with a finger tab, they work very well. I shoot both compound bow and barebow recurve this way, anchoring to corner of the mouth.
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Post by chrisperoni on Apr 24, 2012 3:10:09 GMT
14th- I don't think I'm ready to switch to a thumb ring but if I do I'd probably make one out of fimo and another out of bone.
Blackthorn- I think I'll make some tabs that are dedicated 3 under and some that are for split finger
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Aaron
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Post by Aaron on Apr 24, 2012 3:42:05 GMT
I shoot one over two under, made the switch to a finger glove last week...much easier on the fingertips now.
I tried shooting three under but I couldn't get my arrow to stay in place. :?
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Post by ineffableone on Apr 24, 2012 3:51:27 GMT
Well my suggestion is use what feels most comfortable, you said you tried the 3 under and liked the feel. I would suggest you try that for awhile and see how it goes. I tend to shoot instinctive so don't worry about aiming down the shaft, for me getting the arrow closer to my eye might actually interrupt my instinctive shooting and make me try and aim. But if shooting 3 under helps your aim then that sounds like a good thing for you. As I mention do what feels right and works for you, that is the best. There is no one right way, except the way that shoots best for you. Me personally I like the split finger, but am always aware of the other methods. From my basic understanding finger tabs seem to be preferred by standard target shooters, and gloves by hunters and 3d target shooters. This is not a hard and fast rule, but seems a fairly standard general preference. I have known bow hunters who preferred tabs and target shooters who preferred gloves.
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Post by Tendrax on Apr 24, 2012 3:58:33 GMT
Stay in place where, on the string or the shelf?
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Aaron
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Post by Aaron on Apr 24, 2012 4:09:00 GMT
I shoot off the knuckle with my English longbow, I meant the string. Of course, I don't have a nocking bead, so that could be the issue. Not in a hurry to add one, either, but I'm not against the idea. I'd just like to keep the bow as simple/traditional as possible. I have one on my fiberglass flatbow, maybe I'll try three under with that.
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Post by Tendrax on Apr 24, 2012 4:20:21 GMT
Yeah that's all I was gonna suggest anyway. It works well with that cause you push up against it slightly. I can imagine it'd be very awkward without a nock point.
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Post by 14thforsaken on Apr 24, 2012 6:23:48 GMT
I shoot off of the knuckle with the horse bow as well, but then I don't have a choice as there is no rest. What helps is I use a bracer that has a padded area along the thumb and rist finger to rest the arrow on.
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Post by Tendrax on Apr 24, 2012 8:13:26 GMT
Actually, if you want to keep it simple, you could simply wrap some more serving around the string where you would put a knock point. Not super obvious, but serves the same purpose. Only issue would be if you needed to move it.
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Hairu
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Post by Hairu on Apr 25, 2012 15:02:11 GMT
I shoot 2 under and 1 over and use the glove, I havent tried a tab it might be interesting I'm most interested in trying a thumb ring though that seems like it would be a very smooth system while still being traditional
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Sam H
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Post by Sam H on Apr 25, 2012 20:08:14 GMT
In my experience pinching the string vs. 3 fingers is no smoother or better. It all just depends on the style of archery one chooses to go with.
In Europe 2 under and 1 over is a VERY traditional method of shooting. In Asia its typically the pinch. Either style of shooting can produce some very good archers and honestly I don't believe its the style of string draw and release that makes an archer but rather the archer him/herself.
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Post by chrisperoni on Apr 25, 2012 20:55:36 GMT
I agree with the comments that it's ultimately a matter ofr personal preference and it boils down to whatever works for the individual. Still, I like the discussion of what works for each of us and why- gets me thinking about the merrit of trying something new.
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Post by ineffableone on Apr 25, 2012 21:06:28 GMT
Supposably thumb rings help the Mongolian shooting style achieve much faster shooting of multi arrows. Though I have also heard that the thumb ring style shooting can cause more roll in the string upon release, effecting your aim.
For awhile I was quite interested in trying the thumb ring style but after making a simple leather thumb ring and trying it out I was surprised at how much effort it took and how much pressure was on my thumb. It was not an easy style to use, though it might have been better with a solid thumb ring I found it was not comfortable. It might have also been the draw weight of my bow 50# was not typical of Mongolian bows? Though I have seen Mongol bows range from 35# to 70# so I am not guessing that was the issue. Probably just my not having good thumb ring form, and not having exercised the muscles that are used for it.
Thumb rings are a cool concept and seem to have worked well for many cultures, just not what I felt comfortable with.
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