Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: WhistlingBadger on October 08, 2021, 11:00:01 am
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When I made my new bow last summer (http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,70364.msg988237.html#msg988237), I laced the leather handle in place but didn't glue it on. The laces were centered on the back. Over time and several hundred shots, the laces have migrated off to the left about half an inch. (I shoot left handed) Does that mean something is wrong?
My guess is that I'm gripping too tightly and causing torque, but that's just a guess. Another possible clue: I slap my arm like crazy, and have to use a heavy-duty arm guard. I've recently been concentrating on a looser bow grip, and it's helping with that. Any ideas?
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Contact cement on the leather or hide glue if your a purest. Bend your arm or build you a bow with offset in the handle . Meaning build your handle so it kicks the bottom of the Handle to the right for a left handed archer .
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A pic of you holding a strung bow would help.
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Try making the brace height deeper
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When you grip the handle your fingers put pressure towards the way your fingers point. When I do a cordage wrapped handle I have to pay attention to the direction I wrap or the wrap will loosen.
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When you grip the handle your fingers put pressure towards the way your fingers point. When I do a cordage wrapped handle I have to pay attention to the direction I wrap or the wrap will loosen.
So maybe it's nothing wrong, I just need to glue my handle wrap?
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Here’s the stuff I use on my handles for leather or other wraps on my bows. I also use this on my leather knife sheaths and it works great. It’s little pricy but I’ve had good luck with it. It’s called klebfest. It’s a contact cement type glue for shoes.
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Dave,
Where do you get the stuff?
Hawkdancer
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You could be torquing it a bit. I second the idea of raising the brace height a bit - just give your string a few twists (make sure it is tightening, not loosening!) and see if that helps the arm slap.
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Dave,
Where do you get the stuff?
Hawkdancer
I know Amazon sells it but I got mine at a local leather shoe repair shop.
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You can get Barge cement at the local Hobby Lobby, it is made for leather.
I glue my leather handles on and don't stitch them. I have a tutorial on this site somewhere about how to get a perfect fit. It would be easy to glue on the leather and stich it on after the fact.
I checked and my tutorial on leather handles was on the Trad Gang, they tossed me off the site for telling them the truth about a member who they thought was advertising his archery tournament for free on the Trad Gang and charging many of the Trad Gang sponsors to set up at his tournaments. I knew Terry never charged the companies a dime to set up at his tournaments. The tossed me, deleted at least a have a dozen of my very involved tutorials, found out I was right and let me back in but my tutorials were apparently in outer space never to return.
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Yeah, I've used barge before and it works great. This handle fit so well I decided not to glue it. Duh. ;D
I do brace my bows fairly low, but I think the arm slap is some bad form. I did a few shots in the garage this morning, strictly working on form and loose bow grip. No arm slap. So that's nice. :)
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Eric, That's about as good as an example of a glue on, no stitch leather grip that I have seen. Do you skive the overlapping edges?
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No, I just cut and glue the ends together. When I glue the leather on I leave the ends long, overlap them at the seam, put a popsicle stick right where I want the seam to be and use the edge of it as a guide to cut through both pieces of leather.
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Simple just loosen your grip. In fact you shouldn't be 'gripping' at all :)
Some pva works great for leather handles. It gives you a few minutes wiggle room to adjust the posistion as you go. Completely waterproof too. Also if using veg tan leather soak it first and stretch around your grip. This stops the soaky wet grip issue in the rain. Keep it waxed.
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I sew on my leather grips wet. When the leather dries, it shrinks tight and no glue is necessary, and I have never had them slip if I made them the right size.
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Well, I cut the grip loose and re-stitched it with a light bead of barge down the inside. Should do the trick. Also working on loosening the death grip and improving my form (turn that bow arm elbow outward, boys and girls), and what d'ya know, my accuracy improved and I suddenly don't need an armguard anymore! Ain't life strange.
Thanks for the input, everybody.
T