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Brace Height Of Primitive Bows?
tradrick:
Hey folks,I'm new to the forum and to primitive equipment.I've shot recurves and longbows for about 5 years now and thought I'd play around with some real old school tackle.I attended Pappy's shoot at Twin Oaks,met some great folks and tillered my first bow.I got my osage stave from Gary Davis who had done most of the work and just gave me a crash cource in tillering.Anyhow,I just got done putting about 3 coats of truoil on it,a piece of cermic rounded off for a shelf(fake bear claw)and a piece of leather stitched on for a grip.Oh and a piece of leather glued on for a strike plate.Here's the stats:53#@28'',661/2''strung,673/4''unstrung.And here's my problem.Brace height from back belly of grip is 31/2'',from back of the bow its 51/8''.I came here for advice because I'm not sure if these lower brace heights are the norm for primitive gear or not.I guess I'm used to laminated bows were the BH is 71/2 to 81/2''.Of cource I know I can twist the string up and get it a little better but I thought I would ask what the norm is.The string is wearing my wrist out and I figured it is BH related.I tried other hand placement with no change.Also what arrow recommendations.Would 50/55 POC's with 125 gr tip be a good start or will I need a weaker spine do to the low BH were it will recover from archers paradox quicker.Sorry so long.Any help would be appreciated.tradrick
Justin Snyder:
Rick, I'm glad you found us. Pretty darn addicting isn't it. I will address your questions, but first let me say we like pictures. Lets see some pictures of the bow.
I like a brace height at around 6 1/2"- 7 1/4" from the handle to the string. I don't really care were it is in reference to the back of the bow. Ill bet it slaps your wrist. It would rest on my wrist at that low of a brace. What I usually do is place the bottom of my fist on the bow with my thumb sticking up toward the string. The string at brace should be about the top of your thumb nail. I would probably start around 40-45# of spine. If you tell us what length the finished arrow is we can give you a better idea. Justin
Pat B:
What Justin Said! ;) My fistmele(fist on handle with thumb up) is about 5 1/2". That's where I usually brace my bows. Any lower the string slaps my wrist. Also my feathers clear the bow at my fistmele. Pat
ps We want pics! ;)
a finnish native:
I use a braceheight that feels right. It depends on the bow. the fistmale I rarely use (in one bow only) all others have a smaller braceheight. I use shortbows between 44" and 52" and my braceheight is a little over my fist (so that my fist fits in between the bow and the string.) and no the string does not slap my wrist.
A good tip also to save the fletching is that one SHOULD use a braceheight as high that the feathers don't touch the bow when not drawn. I for one do not use such braceheights. :D
so my tip would be, that use a braceheight that feels good.
Hillbilly:
I'm like Pat, usually brace at a fist with thumb stuck out from the belly, about 5 1/2-6". I would do like Justin said and start with arrows spined 5-10 lbs. below your draw weight.
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