Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Primitive Skills => Topic started by: riverrat on January 26, 2016, 10:20:01 am
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when i first started shooting i liked shooting off my hand. back in them days my arrows werent the best at the wraps. sometimes the wraps cut my webbing between my thumb and first finger. after a few shots that would be the end of that days shooting till it healed up. as years went by my wraps got smooth, not to much getting cut. however once in awhile id get a wrap or a fletch cut me and well, wait till it quits hurting again. not much fun shooting if its painful. once in awhile my string would smack my wrist as well. i use a low brace. great thing about that is it puts less strain on the bow as strung. bad thing is it smacks your wrist at times.soooo, had some extra buffalo hide from a recent project and thought hmmmm, i might make me a arm and webbing guard. i wanted something that went on simple like a glove.
keep in mind i like things to be kept simple. dont want anything too complicated. soooo, i made a paper cut out, taped it, cut it, adjusted it, finally after a while i found something that would work. traced that pattern onto the hide, a little cutting, sewing, and thinking later wala. hey this will work! i had to stitch in a couple strategic locations, and put some lace through a couple holes for fit. but in the end it just slips on. looks decent enough and most importantly itll work!
i went outside, grabbed up my bow, and a three feather fletch arrow i made. the wraps are of hemp twine. at the time i made this arrow i had no nettles, no sinew, so hemp was all i had. now that wrap right in front of the fletch cuts me. it may take 3 or 4 shots but eventually it cuts me. ive sanded it, rubbed glue over it, but it still gets me. so i tried my new guard. hey, dont even have to think of it happening any more. works like a charm.pictures coming but my phones dead right now. i like it, it fits not too tight, not too loose, feels good. gives me piece of mind. no more surprises lol
Tony
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Such a well-fitting "glove" as this has gotta be improvement over the work glove I use.
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Tony, how about a floppy rest? It is just like shooting off your hand but with a little protection. That's why I started using it, to protect my hand.
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if i used a floppy rest id have to put one on every bow.lol i kind of like this guard. it keeps string from smacking my wrist and i am protected off the hand from bad wraps or stiff vanes.pics are posted. yep you were right it charged enough.lolTony
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that arrow in that first pic is the only one that cuts me out of a couple doz. ive made for this bow.after the first two arrows i made i started soaking that hemp in a watery glue matrix and all the rest laid much flatter/smoother. so if i use hemp for now on thats how ill do it,however since them arrows ive got my hands on nettles and sinew. so i dont think ill be using hemp for a while.Tony
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i like the freedom of my fingers not being confined, like in a glove.i like to feel my bow as i hold it. with that said id imagine a normal leather glove could be modified to work just like this.i did try a glove. a work glove i had. i just dint care for not really feeling the bow.Tony
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Good deal riverrat.Years ago I had the same experience shooting off my knuckle and made one too.I'll show a pic of it on my beef hide and quivers thread.