I have been shooting a Chimera for the last week or so and because the arrow sits so close to the top of my hand, I am getting cut by the feathers as the arrow is released. Is this normal? A tuning problem? I could use a band aid on the top of my hand but I shoot almost every day so that becomes a pain. Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.
Are the arrows spined right for the bow.Try cock feather in.
I would mover your nock point up about a 1/8" or so until arrow is flying perfect.
Same thing for me recently when I got my ACS. Nock point is probably too low. Also, may be underspined. I moved my nock point up and no more bleeding from the top of my hand. Also changed my 60 - 65 spined arrows to give em a 125grn point instead of a 145 to stiffen the spine. Awesome flight, no rest wear, no cuts on my hands!
Suggest you smooth the transition between the arrow and feather by sort of blending it in with a dab of fletching glue. This will smooth out the rough lead edges on your feather and at least reduce the cuts. Also, be sure to serve in a knocking point below (and above) your arrow. The lower point will reduce the downward pressure on the arrow as it passes your hand.
That happens to me now and then and is usually caused by my form issues falling apart - hand position creeping up. Another cause and one that got me good on Saturday were newly fletched arrows that I hadn't worked over to get that transition smooth. So Sat. night while watching TV I got out a sharp knife and an emery board and smoothed them all out. After they were all done I put another drop of glue on the end to seal everything up again.
I had the same problem with my new acs also.Raised nock point and added a thicker shelf.Problem gone!
Try a golf glove on the hand that holds the bow. Works for me!
If you try all the other things and still have the problem find a friend who uses the opposite fletching than you and try. In other words if you use lw try rw and see if that does the trick. I had a longbow that I fletch lw wing for just because of this problem, I use Rw for the other bow.
All good ideas. Thanks guys.
I would do some bare shaft tuning ,once that is done if the fletching is still hitting my hand then I would use a glove, I shoot with a Under Armor glove it fits like skin and is tough as iron.
I have had same problem,found that the right wing feathers cut me ,switched to left wing and no problem.