I never had any checkered grip till now on any of my bows,but my most used recurves are becoming too slippery and i need to fix this issue.What do you think and how much you like your checkering?
Just thought it was a fancy "extra" untill I bought a used Silvertip with a checkered grip. I was blown away by how much better it feels in my hand. I'm planning on having a couple of other risers chechered now.
I had always thought anything done to add traction to a grip was a bad thing in terms of facilitating torque during the shot. However, when I received my 1-piece Blacktail Elite VL last spring it came with a free "fish scale" checker job. It was a fantastic feeling grip and I felt it helped me position and keep my hand positioned throughout the shot.
Then I received a loaner Silvertip from Billy Shipp which had the Schafer checker job on the grip. Wow, it was even better with a very fine texture and subdued design. This grip feels terrific. When a checkered grip is available I will always go for it. In fact, I've thought about having a couple of bows checkered by Schafer.
Oh,it doesn't appear torque has become a greater part of my shot with a checkered grip. I would think if a person didn't properly set the center of their palm's life line over the center of the grip, torque could be a greater problem because there would be side pressure on the grip. I like my wrist to be "L-shaped" so the bones in the wrist sit against the grip rather than a high wrist which requires muscles to keep the grip positioned.
I highly recommend the Schafer checkering. I can't speak for any of the others. I am wondering about the "dimpled" checkering done by Norm at Blacktail but it would be hard to beat the very fine rifle-like checkering by Schafer.
I have also been wondering about that but on a smaller longbow riser...has to been quite popular on the 'curves for years but have not seen it on the Hill style - only leather wrap.
I will throw this out as a temporary feel like checkering effect that I feel looks ok even on a silvertip. I glue on with barge cement a small saddle of tanned beavertail where your palm sits on the grip. It is very thin, has a scaled effect and for me works just fine on my hunting bow. The best part is it probably cost me about $3.00. Mine is black on a cocobollo riser.
I will state the same as above. It wasn't until after I recieved my Silver Tip that I realized how sweet they are.
I even sent my RER riser to Dave to have him checker it.
And my ThunderHorn 3pc longbow has Duanes Stipple grip and that is very sweet too.
Lastly, I had Bob Morrison add half pine cones on my Cheyenne riser. I think for my liking I should have gone with the full pine cones.
tukudu,this is an option i can cosider on some of old bows of mine where to have a checkering job,plus shipping back and forth doesn't worth.
I like Norm's checkering--great feel. The checkering that is too "busy" seems too slippery for me. Each his own. Peace!
Felix,
The first bow I had with a checkered grip was a Blacktail, then I bought a Dale Arner 1pc recurve with a checkered grip, like Schafer offers. After shooting these 2 bows, nothing else just felt right. I had a few older bows lying around that I didn't want to invest the money to have them checkered, so I Stippled the grips, which feels good, and it looks good too, in my opinion.
My Stippling isn't professional, but it suits me, and it did the job.
My last custom didn't come checkered, so I sent it to Dave at Schafer to have checkered. I prefer Dave's checkering over anything I've tried.
It's a personal choice, but after shooting a few bows with checkered grips, I definitely prefer them.
QuoteOriginally posted by tukudu:
I will throw this out as a temporary feel like checkering effect that I feel looks ok even on a silvertip. I glue on with barge cement a small saddle of tanned beavertail where your palm sits on the grip. It is very thin, has a scaled effect and for me works just fine on my hunting bow. The best part is it probably cost me about $3.00. Mine is black on a cocobollo riser.
I really like beavertail too. I tried one of Big Jim's beavertail grips and thought it felt outstanding.
I'm getting ready this morning to pack up my Tall Tines riser for a trip out to Dave Windauer for the treatment.
Im getting my new Centaur with a checkered/stippled grip, they look great and are very functional.
Cacciatore, I have always had Norm checker the grips on the bows I buy from him. It is a low profile checkering that helps hold my hand in place through the shot. I built a recurve that I stippled the grip on. I like that as well. The bow Norm will be building for me next is one that I will be considering having stippled instead of checkered.
I had a bow once that had a design carved on it's grip as a way of checkering it. Didn't care for the deep carving. A low profile checkering is perfect!
Jim Neaves does an excellent job stippling. I had him do my carbon elite and liked it so much I sent him my widow riser to do, as well. Very functional and economical.
i was thinking about doing that to my Bow. gives a nice grip on the Bow i did it to my freinds Bow and now hes getting me to do it to all his Bows. and whats more it is easy to do and as Fritz said very functional and Economical,
Checkering can be beautiful, this one is done by Dave Windauer and is a joy to shoot
(http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q291/bjornweb/Schafers/IMG_1997_4.jpg)
One of my Silvertips is checkered and it's a great grip. Love it when wearing rag wool gloves.
I also sent my RER to Dave for checkering. I had him checker the grip, but not the flare. He did a great job, and I like the way it feels.
A great addition to any bow in my opinion and the Windauers checkering is beautiful. I have a medium sized hand and adding leather, or rubber grip wraps for traction usually make grips to large for my liking.
Has anyone had the grip on and ACS checkered and does it add or take away from the resale, altho I cant see me ever selling mine
Ordering a pair of Tips was natural to ask for a checkering to Dave;but to make it on some other bowyers' bows where to go?
Felix.....you have a pm
When I finally get a Silvertip it will have the checkering.
I've made a few bows and taught myself to hand checker the grips.
Personaly i think that checkering does a wonderfull job of accenting the grip area and making it stand out as a feature on a bow.
That being said, I don't like a rough surface where the web of my bow hand contacts the bow.
I have compromised by checkering around that area. It works very well to allow the web of the hand to rest on smooth wood, yet have the inside of the thumb and my first finger contacting checkering.
I use a little scotch brite to take some of the bite out of checkering prior to finnishing.
To much grip is in my opinion not good for a recurve bow.
Someone else may just love a grip that takes hold of em....
By the way... I had a Silvertip from Paul back in the late 80's. It had a checkered grip but it was not too harsh.
It looked cool too.
how much doe it usually cost to get a riser 'checkered"?