Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Woody roberts on January 08, 2021, 06:38:00 pm
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Is there a standard rule of thumb on correct brace height? I always start at about 7” and work my way out till I find what I like.
Today I built my 8 yr old nephew a new bow. Some of the adults have overdrew his other and it’s developed a hinge. Rawhide backed or it would have broke.
His new one is hickory, 54” ttt. He wants it 20 lb @ 24” I’ll play with brace height but was wondering if their was a standard on short bows.
Thanks
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Probably the standard "fistmele" - or enough for the fletching to clear the arrow rest. I don't know that any more than 5" makes a difference. IMO.
HAWKDANCER
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Yes . Teach the child to grip the bow properly in the left hand ,and brace the bow so that he, or she doe not slap the bow arm with the string.That hurts, and can turn a child off of bow shooting. 6 inches to start with. Go more if you have to with a 20 lb bow. Doesn't hurt a thing, and the child will be better off for it.
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In my classes, I taught to shoot with the dominant eye, if possible. They will tend to be more accurate if they are strong enough to draw the bow. I had some kids, male and female, who needed a 15# bow, and some adults who were comfortable with the 20#. Form is very important, As is an armguard, because as Bassman said, a string slap can easily turn a kid off!
Hawkdancer
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In 1970 a friend ,and I bought the Bear K mag ,and a Bear Grizz. We strung the bows ,and he took one shot. No arm guard. He slapped his arm with the string, and a giant black ,and blue knot showed it's ugly face. He never shot a bow again. I bought that from him in 2015. It hung in his basement all those years, so yes it is important that that does not happen to a youngster.
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I agree! Ive had some string slaps that nearly turned me off. The last bow I made him was 15 lb. he has shot the tar out of it. He sent me a couple videos of him sticking an arrow in a 3D deer target.
He has a raw spot on his knuckle where the fletching crosses it. Hence he told me on his next bow he wanted 20 lb and an arrow rest. That’s what I made him. Made 4 arrows so far to go with it. 25” long, 5/16 poplar Dow rod. 2 fletch with 4” feathers. 125 gr field tip. 75 or 100 gr would be better but I don’t have any. Hopefully this will prevent someone from overdrawing it.
Out to 20 yds I can group quite well with this setup.
Just for grins I tried one of my 700 gr hunting arrows at 20 yds. There is a limit to what a 20 lb bow will do.
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If the fletching is grazing the knuckle the nocking point is a fraction too low. raise it by a 1/16th and mark the spot properly so it doesn't happen again. A bit of string slap might hurt but a fletching stuck in your knuckle will really do it :)
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A leather glove on the bow hand will also help, but correcting the nock point is better, I.e. An oz. of prevention is with a lb. of cure!
Hawkdancer
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A ggod shelf for a kid is helpful. More time to teach form than teaching them how to keep an arrow from falling off during draw cycle!
HH~
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Shelf always for a kids bow with double string nocks.