Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Shooting and Hunting => Topic started by: DC on February 17, 2018, 10:16:11 am
-
I was wondering if anyone uses a release? I've only ever heard mention of thumb rings but I discovered there are lots of other primitive types that would probably fit in.
-
I've never used one, I like the feel of the string on my fingers. I do know folks that use a release though.
-
DC I just use a finger tab. I have tried a thumb ring and if it weren't for the shooting off opposite side of bow I liked the feel of the release. I actually think it helped me with my release when using my tab. Someone once said relax your index finger and the rest will follow. That's how I shoot. I use a deep grip holding string all the way to stop on my tab. When I release I relax my index finger and the arrow is gone.
Bjrogg
-
ht tp://www.archeryhistory.com/releases/releasesmain.htm
-
I've seen most of them. I was reading a British Flight website and he said something along the lines of,"All flight archers use a release of some sort, ranging from a strap of leather to modern releases." I've been wondering about the one that is apparently just a strap of leather. I don't know any more than that.
-
DC there was a article in PA magazine about a year ago I think. It was a thumb release but it used a strap to hold the string and you released leather strap with thumb to make it work. I never tried making it but it was used with arrow on normal side of bow.
Bjrogg
-
one end loop around your wrist, then around the string, then pinched together with your thumb.
its the friction between the pinched pieces that you have to experiment with.
1 cm wide leather with blue cc ski wax?
-
I made one of those type releases once for a fella that shoots a long bow that had overly sore knuckles.He was a carpet layer by trade.The knuckles of the index and middle fingers are relieved of tension on them then from the string.It did the trick for him but there still is a learning curve getting used to shooting with it like willie said.
Think it was build-a-long displayed in the PA magazine once.It's just a chunk of wood or antler with a leather strap attached to it.I actually think it is a quicker type release with less friction than with a finger release.I don't think as quick as a thumb ring though.
-
I had a real short bowfishing bow ( not primitive) that pinched the tar out of my fingers. I made a release patterned after a release called gold 6 or gold 9 I think. Took a little fiddling with and tuning but made a good clean release.
-
one end loop around your wrist, then around the string, then pinched together with your thumb.
its the friction between the pinched pieces that you have to experiment with.
1 cm wide leather with blue cc ski wax?
So it's a pinch grip(thumb and forefinger) but you pinch the strap instead of the arrow?
-
Yea DC that's the one I'm talking about to. There was a build along in one of the PA magazines awhile back.
Bjrogg
-
So like shooting 3 under, your nocks have to clip on to the string well. That just leads me to another problem. Oh well, I was just curious anyway. I does look primitive and effective though.
-
As far as releases for me the tried and true method KISS is the best......... even when I was shooting a compound I was shooting fingers. My buddy was shooting a release a you cannt imagine how many times he came in to camp with release issue that made him miss a shot.
That made me give up on any kind of release. I think it has helped me over the years to tag out
JMHO
DBar
-
The leather strap sounds pretty fool proof but fools can defeat just about anything. I cobbled one up and with my arthritic old thumbs I can't pinch hard enough to hold it reliably at full draw.
-
DC if I get a chance I'll try looking back through my old magazines. I think it had some kind of notch or something you pressed leather strap against to help hold it.
Bjrogg
-
I can't pinch hard enough to hold it reliably at full draw.
just curious, how wide was the leather strap,
what did you dress the leather with? there needs to be some king of friction helper
-
About 3/4" and I didn't dress it. A little bow wax may help. Thinking about what BJ said. If a guy used 1/8" leather you could file a groove where you bend it around the string. That may help.
-
DC I haven't had a chance to look yet but it seems more like it was a block of wood shaped right to fit in your hand. About maybe half inch wide leather strap went around front of string to thumb side of block. I don't remember exactly but I want to say there was a slight step making a 90 degree edge on thumb side of block to squeeze strap against with thumb. I really can't remember but I'm pretty sure there was something to help your thumb hold but strap was still smooth for clean release.
Bjrogg
-
Thanks BJ, no rush.
-
like this?
-
I guess, I wonder what the knob is for? It doesn't look like they make them any more. Not a big seller?
-
like this?
That's the gadget I made.Looked around here which PA mg it was in but can't find it.
So like shooting 3 under, your nocks have to clip on to the string well. That just leads me to another problem. Oh well, I was just curious anyway. I does look primitive and effective though.
DC....A person can make self nock arrows that snap onto the string too.In fact tighter than plastic nocks if you want but that's not necessary.I have my arrows or try to anyway to hang onto the string and with just a slight tap of my finger they release.I don't like them too tight or too loose.Although a person can shoot the loose ones too if your careful.A dry fire can be the result though.Too tight and it can affect the flight of the arrow.Most times the wrap below the nock helps with your fingers to hold that on the lose fitting ones.I have a hobby file that is the exact same circumference as the bottom part of the throat of the arrow nock as my serving it goes onto.With the rest of the nock on the shaft is a slight bit tighter to get that snap onto the string feel or sound.
-
Yup that's it. I think it was about a year ago Ed maybe slightly more but no more than two I'd say. It wasn't quite that refined and didn't have a knob. It was hand made with plans to build I believe. It looked like it probably would work but seemed like something else for me to lose. It would probably help for arthritis in your fingers though and string pinch. Yes arrow would probably have to snap on string.
Bjrogg
-
I can make arrows that snap on nicely but it never seems to last. Either the nock or the serving wears a bit and then they are too loose. I make all my strings the same, 8 strands of FF and use the same serving. I guess I'll have to do some before and after measuring to see which is wearing. I normally shoot Med style so the nock doesn't have to click on(I know it's safer if it does) but using this release they have to click on or they fall on the ground. Here's some pictures of what I came up with. I have to shoot with it more to see if it works. It probably still needs a little fiddling.
-
Let me know how that type of release works for you.Your thumb will be the most used digit I suppose then.Squeezing aginst the index finger?
One can put a sliver of a horn insert into the nock area to reduce wear.Like so...
(https://i.imgur.com/Hlv8reL.jpg)
I would suggest wrapping the nock yet though too.Still that nock area should'nt wear out so soon even with wood alone.
-
I use Braided Spectra fishing line for serving. I just measured it and it doesn't show any wear. Maybe that's my job for the rest of today. see if i can figure out what's happening. The arrows are bamboo, i would think it would wear well. We'll see.
-
I tried a dozen or so shots and it releases great but I was having trouble holding it. Can't pinch hard enough. So I folded the end over and stitched it to make a little knob. Now I can hold it reasonably well but when I release it the little knob I made flips around and smacks my index finger knuckle. It really hurts ;D. I don't think I could put up with that for long. A little more thought maybe.
-
Changed a couple of things. I stiffened the section the arrow is pointing at. This made it effortless to hold at full draw so I cut off the knob that was smacking my finger. Now that I wasn't concentrating on holding it I noticed that it was biting into my middle finger where the loop is so I widened that a bit. It really seems to release nicely. It still smacks my knuckle a bit but I could live with that. It's not as comfortable as my normal tab so I don't know if I'll use it. More practice I think. Somehow it seems like cheating though. ;D ;D
-
might work bettter if you were holding the draw weight with your wrist or elbow even.
freeing your hand up for just releasing the arrow could let you release a number of different ways.
-
That's a thought. I was going for the tab replacement look. What I don't want is a "Take it off and put in a little bag between shots thing".
-
I made some serrated lines on the surface of the leather on both faces so that they inter locked so it did'nt take much pinch to hold the bow at full draw.It's that way on the previous pic of the gadget too only it's velcro.Then just released when I was ready on target.
-
Thom holt featured a release a while back in PA mag I think?