Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Around the Campfire => Topic started by: Mesophilic on March 04, 2020, 11:32:25 am

Title: Thumb ring horn thickness...how thin can I go?
Post by: Mesophilic on March 04, 2020, 11:32:25 am
I'm trying to lean some thumb draw but can't find a thumb ring that suits me.  So in good primative fashion I'll just make one to custom fit.

I'm liking the one I'm working on but it's a bit on the clunky side.  I'd rather err on the side of caution though, as I have had a homemade release aid slip off and hit my bow had from full draw...hurts like, well, getting shot in the hand!!!

Anyone made a thumb ring?  How thick would you keep the walls if it were made from water buffalo horn?  Generally shooting in the 50# draw weight range.
Title: Re: Thumb ring horn thickness...how thin can I go?
Post by: dylanholderman on March 05, 2020, 09:32:42 am
I’ve been experimenting with thumb rings too  :D I can’t speak to horn as I’ve been using steel and brass but looking at some of the ones out there you could probably go as thin as 1/8”
Title: Re: Thumb ring horn thickness...how thin can I go?
Post by: Mesophilic on March 06, 2020, 12:06:41 am
Ok.  I thinned them down a little more, but left the part that will contact the string a bit thicker, maybe 5/32 to 3/16 thick.  Will tey them out tomorrow and see how it goes.
Title: Re: Thumb ring horn thickness...how thin can I go?
Post by: bjrogg on March 06, 2020, 05:09:40 am
I made one from pvc years ago. It worked great but I couldn’t get the hang of shooting from other side of bow. I just watched a YouTube video of the guy that makes the pvc bows. He had one on thumb rings.
Bjrogg
Title: Re: Thumb ring horn thickness...how thin can I go?
Post by: dylanholderman on March 06, 2020, 06:53:18 am
I made one from pvc years ago. It worked great but I couldn’t get the hang of shooting from other side of bow. I just watched a YouTube video of the guy that makes the pvc bows. He had one on thumb rings.
Bjrogg

I struggle shooting off the thumb side too, I won’t claim to be a ace archer by any means but I can at least get most of my arrows in a target at 20 yards. Can’t hit the broadside of a barn shooting off my thumb  (lol)
I have found though with the right technique/ring design I can still shoot off of my knuckles and therefore shoot the same.
Title: Re: Thumb ring horn thickness...how thin can I go?
Post by: bjrogg on March 06, 2020, 07:01:49 am
I made one from pvc years ago. It worked great but I couldn’t get the hang of shooting from other side of bow. I just watched a YouTube video of the guy that makes the pvc bows. He had one on thumb rings.
Bjrogg

I struggle shooting off the thumb side too, I won’t claim to be a ace archer by any means but I can at least get most of my arrows in a target at 20 yards. Can’t hit the broadside of a barn shooting off my thumb  (lol)



I had know problem hitting the broad side of the barn. As long as it as to the right of the target I was shooting at.lol

Bjrogg
I have found though with the right technique/ring design I can still shoot off of my knuckles and therefore shoot the same.
Title: Re: Thumb ring horn thickness...how thin can I go?
Post by: Mesophilic on March 06, 2020, 08:24:24 am
I'm at the point where if I can get the katra correctly timed with the release, about 2 in 10 arrows are near the bullseye at 20 yards.  (But still about 4 to 6 inches to the right)

It's like being a kid and learning to shoot all over again.   Things feel awkward and the muscle memory isn't there yet.  But I figure if I put in 10 or 15 mins every time I go to the range, then eventually I'll get it.

I'm still not getting a good release and the string hits the unprotected part of my thumb pad and scrapes along my pointer finger,  kind of hurts after a few shots.
Title: Re: Thumb ring horn thickness...how thin can I go?
Post by: dylanholderman on March 06, 2020, 08:31:11 am
What style of ring are you using? I’ve found that I like styles that keep my thumb mostly straight( Manchu, and steeply angled Turkish styles)
Title: Re: Thumb ring horn thickness...how thin can I go?
Post by: Mesophilic on March 06, 2020, 08:39:22 am
What style of ring are you using? I’ve found that I like styles that keep my thumb mostly straight( Manchu, and steeply angled Turkish styles)

Using a Turkish style.  I'm still new to this and didn't even know about the Manchu style so might have to give that a try. 

Do Manchu rings have the oval hole like a Turkish, to help it lock at the thumb joint?  Or is it a round hole like what you would expect in a ring for jewelry?  I might still have a thicker piece of water buffalo horn or some phenolic I could use to make one.
Title: Re: Thumb ring horn thickness...how thin can I go?
Post by: bjrogg on March 06, 2020, 08:43:16 am
The one I made from pvc was very comfortable and a nice clean release. If you learned that way from the beginning it would probably just normal as far as aiming and muscle memory.
Bjrogg
Title: Re: Thumb ring horn thickness...how thin can I go?
Post by: dylanholderman on March 06, 2020, 09:29:14 am
You can make one out of hard wood, might wear quicker but you also aren’t out very much either.
The wooden ones I made for myself I think I did a oval hole but it’s not needed, the bevels are more important 
Title: Re: Thumb ring horn thickness...how thin can I go?
Post by: Pat B on March 06, 2020, 10:04:51 am
I've even seen simple ones made from leather.