Bow-Making course!!

[Jon]

OK actually managed to shoot it properly now, a good fifty times (I can draw it fully now), and it is REALLY FAST!! I'm so exicted having trouble working out the right brace height though. Anyone got some sort of idea for finding the correct brace height for a certian bow?

[Manveruon]

I've always been told the "rule of thumb" is in fact to put your fist with raised thumb between the string and the handle, and that the string should be at least that far away from the bow itself. But that really comes down to personal preference. Higher brace height will prevent against string-slap, but from what I understand it can slightly lessen the power of the bow. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Eledhwen]

Fistmele, which is what you are talking about, is the traditional brace height on longbows. Note that it will vary according to the size of the person since the fists and fingers will vary. You can brace less than this, and it will not affect the draw weight, but it can and often does affect range and accuracy.

Eledhwen

[Jon]

Right, well I have always shot my longbow with a brace height of just my fist an a 1/2 inch more, and I'm used to that. I tried the flatbow with a fist and thumb, as is traditional, but it just felt like way too much., nor do I get string slap with the flatbow.
On my longbow I do, but not on my arm .(the bracer is traditionally not to protect against string slap, because it didn't occur if you were shooting properly, but it was in fact to -brace- the archer's wrist, because of the sheer draw weight.)

[Manveruon]

I actually take a bit of exception to the idea that "if you're doing it right, you won't have string slap." I've heard it from many, but I'm not sure I entirely buy it. I would say that string slap can be minimized with good form, but I rather doubt it can be completely eliminated for all shooters.
Also, the extant period examples of archery arm guards from the Middle Ages and Renaissance are far too insubstantial to actually help brace the arm against the draw weight of a very heavy bow.

[Jon]

ok sorry.. my bad :/

[Manveruon]

Hey, no worries. I fear that post came off a bit abrupt, and maybe a little harsh, which is totally not how I meant it. Sorry if I offended! That's just my understanding of it, but I know there has been some debate on that subject, and I'm sure there are many people with a lot more experience than myself who disagree.

[Ringulf]

I actually take a bit of exception to the idea that "if you're doing it right, you won't have string slap." I've heard it from many, but I'm not sure I entirely buy it. I would say that string slap can be minimized with good form, but I rather doubt it can be completely eliminated for all shooters.
Also, the extant period examples of archery arm guards from the Middle Ages and Renaissance are far too insubstantial to actually help brace the arm against the draw weight of a very heavy bow.

I would agree with you up to a point. I would say that the vast majority of string slap can be corrected by form or adjustment of the bow. For those very far outside the norm anatomical problems, ok I can see where it might be uncorectable without additional equipment, but truly what do you think the percentages there would be?

I believe it is better not to give a reason for anyone not to look deeply into the form problem. If you have mastered the form issue and still are getting slapped, then go ahead and put on the training wheels!.

But I think you may be misreading the intended use of the forearm guard.
Aside from the fact that it looks really cool in your outfit, and makes it easier for a young or begining archer to avoid some pinked forearm flesh, it was intended as a measure of compensation when you were shooting quickly and at odd agles in war and hunting.

Not particularly as you stool on a practice line making sure everything was "just right".

[kaelln]

OTOH, if you've experienced string slap even once, I frankly wouldn't shoot the thing *without* a bracer. Ding dang durnit, this here old southern boy ain't takin' no chances! Form is a beautiful thing, but so are undamaged arms!

[Nemo of Calh]

I've always used string slap to teach myself proper form. When I first taught myself to shoot, maybe 10 years ago, I didn't use a bracer or anything, knowing that, if everything was lined up, I shouldn't be hurting myself. If I was careless and I did, I paid for it. So, I was forced to correct my form until I never had any more string slap. I didn't shoot for four years in college, and I just picked up my bow again this year. Despite such a long gap of not shooting, I didn't have any string slap shooting right handed. Forcing proper form through my head worked. What it didn't help with was my draw fingers getting soft over the years, so they started bleeding after a while. So I taught myself to shoot left handed. I got a lot of string slap. I mean, a lot. My arm was black for three days. But, after a day and a half, I was using proper form with both hands and now I'm equally (in?)accurate with both hands.

[Manveruon]

I actually take a bit of exception to the idea that "if you're doing it right, you won't have string slap." I've heard it from many, but I'm not sure I entirely buy it. I would say that string slap can be minimized with good form, but I rather doubt it can be completely eliminated for all shooters.
Also, the extant period examples of archery arm guards from the Middle Ages and Renaissance are far too insubstantial to actually help brace the arm against the draw weight of a very heavy bow.

I would agree with you up to a point. I would say that the vast majority of string slap can be corrected by form or adjustment of the bow. For those very far outside the norm anatomical problems, ok I can see where it might be uncorectable without additional equipment, but truly what do you think the percentages there would be?

I believe it is better not to give a reason for anyone not to look deeply into the form problem. If you have mastered the form issue and still are getting slapped, then go ahead and put on the training wheels!.

But I think you may be misreading the intended use of the forearm guard.
Aside from the fact that it looks really cool in your outfit, and makes it easier for a young or begining archer to avoid some pinked forearm flesh, it was intended as a measure of compensation when you were shooting quickly and at odd agles in war and hunting.

Not particularly as you stool on a practice line making sure everything was "just right".

I actually think you put this just about perfectly!

[Jon]

@Nemo of Calh

That's pretty impressive being able to do that! I've tried a few times but with no success- me left arm just isn't strong enough. Although my left eye is my dominanat one, so if I did learn, i would *supposedly be more accurate that way.

@Manveruon

No problem mate! its good to hear what other people have to say about it!

[Nemo of Calh]

It helps that I don't have a dominant eye. In every single shooting course for bow, shotgun and rifle I took in the Scouts for eight years I tried every test to determine my dominant eye, but I never could. So, I say both of my eyes are dominant. It also helps that I'm just using a 30# youth bow for my LARP, so even though my left arm is weaker, I can still pull the bow easily, just less times (I want to get a heavier bow for target shooting, but I don't want to get used to multiple draw weights between practice and LARPing). I'll tell you what, though. Besides just being able to give each arm a break when I get tired, being able to switch hands is really useful in a fight. It came in real handy twice in my LARP. The first time, I was shooting from cover on either side of a gateway. Holding the bow in my left hand, I could stick to the cover of the left side of the gateway, and with the bow in my right hand I could stay in cover on the right side. That way, I never had to fully expose myself to enemy fire. The second time, there were three separate pathways divided by out-of-bounds areas. I was on the far left, and the line of shieldmen in front of me often pushed past the line in the center path. If I was shooting at the people my shieldmen were fighting, I shot with the bow in my left hand. If I was shooting across the gap to the center path, I had the bow in my right hand, so I never had my back to the enemy archers on my path. I think I only got shot once, and just in my left arm. Which made it fun when I still managed to hold the bow with my foot and shoot a guy who broke through our line and charged me.

[Greg]

What it didn't help with was my draw fingers getting soft over the years, so they started bleeding after a while. So I taught myself to shoot left handed. I got a lot of string slap. I mean, a lot. My arm was black for three days. But, after a day and a half, I was using proper form with both hands and now I'm equally (in?)accurate with both hands.

Not sure I follow why it was necessary to learn to shoot with your off-hand...you say your fingers went soft over the years from drawing the bow repeatedly? Or did they go soft from a period of non-use? I've had fingers bleed from callouses cracking in dry weather, but I've never had my fingers get soft from shooting. Rather, as mentioned above, they callous and get tougher. Last summer, if I tapped my fingers on the table, it sounded like I was using a plastic fork. Anyway, curious as to what exactly you meant here...a little clarification would be appreciated. No harm/insult meant, if it sounds like it. Just curious.

[Nemo of Calh]

What it didn't help with was my draw fingers getting soft over the years, so they started bleeding after a while. So I taught myself to shoot left handed. I got a lot of string slap. I mean, a lot. My arm was black for three days. But, after a day and a half, I was using proper form with both hands and now I'm equally (in?)accurate with both hands.

Not sure I follow why it was necessary to learn to shoot with your off-hand...you say your fingers went soft over the years from drawing the bow repeatedly? Or did they go soft from a period of non-use? I've had fingers bleed from callouses cracking in dry weather, but I've never had my fingers get soft from shooting. Rather, as mentioned above, they callous and get tougher. Last summer, if I tapped my fingers on the table, it sounded like I was using a plastic fork. Anyway, curious as to what exactly you meant here...a little clarification would be appreciated. No harm/insult meant, if it sounds like it. Just curious.

Yeah, that was what I meant. When I used to shoot regularly, my fingers on my right hand became calloused, but since I didn't shoot for four years, the callouses wore away, I guess, so it was like I was shooting for the first time.