Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: snag on May 12, 2011, 04:36:06 pm
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So I took the osage bow out to shoot it for awhile. It shoots dead on and is a pleasure to shoot...except the string hits about 1" from the base of my thumb on the wrist. I am just not holding it right? I have a leather armguard, but the string hits at the very end of it
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try raising your brace height up a few twists of the string. Mine do that if the brace height is too low.
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Josh is right. Or you coucd be torquing the bow just smidge. But more likely what Josh said ;D
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I'll try that. Why didn't I think of that? haha
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When I went from recurve to selfbow I was getting wrist slap even with proper brace hieght. It had to be the way i was gripping the bow. I used a armguard for awhile then one day I tried it without and the problem corrected itself. Don't know how or why??? I guess my mind and insticts made the changes for me. Hope things work out for you
Jon
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Could also be where the string lays on the handle as well. If the bow and string isnt dead centered the string could be closer to your arm than the center of the grip? Mine whack me all the time no matter where or how I grip the bow. I just use thick arm gaurds! :)
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Pearl, that's what I thought. But I checked and the string lines right up dead center to the middle of the handle.
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try cocking you're wrist a bit, that will move the string away from you're arm, Bub
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What is your brace height from string to back of handle? Most likely it is too low. Info on my site for tuning. Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/selfbowcare.html
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If you are using a dacron string try changing to FF - worked for me.
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You gotta remember not to shoot like one of those sissy target archers.
You gotta hold that bow like you're a gorilla huggin' a tree ;D.
Del
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Question...
Did your recurve have an Asbell grip? they tend to come in at an angle, don't they?
Del's "gorrilla..." comment is a good'n ;D
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FF string solved the problem for me, but tight arrow nocks/too fat serving can cause the same trouble. Although usually it creates tuning problems as well.
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Here is what I did:
(http://i995.photobucket.com/albums/af73/Holten101/P1000221.jpg)
(http://i995.photobucket.com/albums/af73/Holten101/P1000220.jpg)
(http://i995.photobucket.com/albums/af73/Holten101/P1000219.jpg)
String tension and nock tightness matters alot...but I needed more;-)
Cheers
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The brace height is 5" right now. Should I get it up to 6", 7"? It is a B50 string. Thought I was suppose to use FF with a selfbow because of possible damage to tips...?
This morning I shot it some more and noticed if I did slightly cup the wrist outward and positioned the bow handle more in toward the thumb it wasn't a problem. Guess I might just be used to holding a recurve. Not holding it like a target archer, olympic style, I hold it canted. Just not a gorilla hold! haha
Nice armguard Holten!
George I'll check out your site also.
Thanks, David
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Tape a ruler on the back of your forearm so that it extends out over the back of your hand. When you grip your bow and hold it up to shoot, you'll likely find that your hand is trying to turn the wrist out, but it hits the ruler. Turn your wrist back in and adjust your grip to compensate. That's how I was shown to get that wrist slap issue resolved. A little bend in the elbow instead of trying to lock it out helps too.
All else fails, buy a compound crossbow with lazer sights, nitescope, and heat seeking crossbow bolts.
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My first real shooting lesson came from a fella who's folks were Iroquois, one Oneida, one Seneca. I'd started shooting my own wood bows and was getting some serious bruising from slap. He told me that he learned to shoot as a boy with his wrist cocked and his bicept muscle straight up - perpendicular to the ground. It sorta hyperextends the forearm out of the way. Not sure if this is any sort of a traditional approach but this was what he learned from his grandfather. At first it felt very uncomfortable. But no more slap even with bows strung lower than my fist height. Now I can't shoot any other way and never wear an arm gaurd. At this point if I put one on it's very uncomfortable. Glad I got this style of shooting early on.
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Parnell, can you post a picture of your shooting technique?
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I've never lost a self bow to a FF string and it's all I use now-a-days. That will likely fix your problem.
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I'll give it a try Gordon. Thanks, David
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Your brace height is too low, snag. I start at fletch clearing distance and increase 3-5 twists until the problem goes away. My bows are braced at least 7 in from string to back of handle. I had to go higher with my last 2. IMHO, no need to change strings. Jawge
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For some reason I was thinking a selfbow had a lower brace height than a glass longbow. Wrong again! I'll increase it to 7". Thanks, David
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Have you tried slapping it back David, maybe it will stop slapping you then ????? Some bows just need a little tough love....
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...as measured from back to string ...not belly to string...as I said above...and do it slowly 3-5 twists at a time until the problem is solved. You may not have to go the full 7 inches. Jawge
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That is still much lower than a glass bow. :) Jawge
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I agree with George take it slowly and keep checking. It should straighten out for you
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George, my glass bows are from 7 1/4" to 7 1/2". I got the osage bow up to 6 1/2" because I don't have a short enough string yet. It shot good and no bruising! Even broke a nock...haha
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So that is good, Snag. Selfbows should be shot at the lowest brace height at which good arrow flight is achieved. Again I measure from string to BACK of handle. I'm not sure we are in sync on that. I don't own a glass longbow but my glass recurves are braced a good bit more than my selfies. Jawge
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..."string to BACK of handle"...yes sir, that's what I do also. I know some of the older glass recurves, like the Red Wing Hunter, liked bracing at around 8". But I'll continue to shoot this osage bow at 6" for awhile and see how it does. Thanks, David