I am working to fine tune my setup a little this winter, and one of the things I haven't fiddled with yet is the fit of my nocks to the string. My question is this; does anyone have a good guideline for an optimum "fit" of the nock to the string?
For example, using a spring scale it looks like it takes roughly 7 or 8 pounds of pressure to pull an arrow off my sting once it is nocked. Does that sound like a lot? Is it a good assumption that "zero" would be optimal in terms of bow performance?
46r
Nock an arrow on your string point it to the ground, and tap the string, and the arrow should fall off. Your's are WAY too tight.
Stringdancer,
That was my assumption too. I thought my scale must be off, but that's what it is. Do you have a favorite nock type that allows a nice loose fit with a minimum of filing? My string is a 12 strand D97. I don't know exactly what it is served with.
Thanks,
46r
The classic nocks work well, but you will need to play with different serving size to get the correct fit. I like #62 by BCY in .018 .021 .025 diameter I've had very good luck with this. I would try the .018 to start, and go from there. The Mercury Speed nocks are good too if you can find them.
Mike
Mike,
Those are glue-on nocks, right? What about nocks that can be inserted into a CX heritage?
46r
46r.........Try the Easton 3D Supernocks. They have a much softer snap than the regular Supernocks, more of a finger shooter's nock. I use them in my Heritages and they fit perfectly on my factory BW string, which is a 12 strand D97. I think you will like them....
Thanks, Kyle. I'll take a look at those.
I just made an order for a bunch of Heritage 150's myself. Good to know I have options for nocks.
I was about to ask a similar question. I shoot wood arrows with Nirk nocks off a 14 or 16 strand flemish twist string.
I could feel the nock snap onto the string and it just seemed too tight to me. You couldn't knock them off without a good hard tap.
I bought a small file and used that to enlarge the slots on the nocks, but I am interested in how everyone/anyone else does it?
Should you be worried about taking more off one side than the other?
Thanks!
Dan
Dan.........Personally, I don't like filing or heating nocks to open them up. If my chosen nock doesn't fit well, I usually just re-serve the string for a better fit. Alot depends on choosing the right nock as well. Many of the tunable nocks are designed with a tight(even double)snap to accomodate compounders with releases. Even re-serving doesn't help with some of these. Still, a good server is the ticket for getting the optimal fit IMO.
Just to follow up on this one, I picked up a couple dozen Easton 3D Supernocks. They definitely have a much softer snap onto the string. The nocks I had acted more like "jaws" on the string whereas the supernocks have a profile that just seems to "wedge" the string snugly between the two flared ends.
They still take a bit of pressure to pull from the string, but not quite as much as the old ones. They certainly don't fall from the string with a light bump.
The last thing I may try is to find a piece of metal rod or similar approximately the size of the served string or slightly bigger. Then place the nocks on it, steam or heat them, and leave them for a few days to see if the shape changes to a slightly more open profile.
Thanks for the suggestions.
One last follow up. Here is the final result.
My string is actually 14 strand D97. When I first inserted the supernocks into my heritage shafts I found them a little tight on the string and so as I mentioned above I planned to try to steam/boil and adjust them. HOWEVER, I decided to shoot a couple of rounds with them before I did that and apparently shooting those rounds had the effect of spreading the nocks ever so slightly. Now, the nocks fit perfectly and fall off with a gentle bump when suspended from the string. I even detected a little more consistency in my shooting.
Thanks for the info on those nocks CJ5.
I use a small file as Dano140 suggested and count stokes. Then test and fine tune the knocks as needed to get them all as close as I can to being the same. I beleive this is how target shooters use to do it also. I shoot different bows with different string diameters. If it isnt quite perfect, I dont mind. I just love to shoot.
Stringdancer & CJS got it right, IMO.
Pick the nocks you want and re-serve, if necessary, 'til you get a fit that's sung enough to hold your arrow but loose enough so that it falls off if you tap the string.
My favorite nock for the standard carbon size is Easton 3D Super nocks,they are different from Easton Super nocks.If you are using 14 strand of D97 try a .018 no. 62 or Halo .019 serving will give you a better fit with 3D Super nocks.
I serve to fit Bohning classics and Mercury Speed nocks.If I am adapting some other nock to my strings I find that folding wet or dry sandpaper/emory paper and sliding it up and down in the nock works well to open them evenly.