I noticed the past couple of weeks that my Black Widow tab is squeeking when I draw. It's the cordovan face and I draw split. Do any of you treat your tab (or glove for that matter) to prevent this. Certainly bugs me but I imagine it's going to concern any critters I'm drawing on.
Rub a little corn starch on it.
Sometimes my glove 'squeaks'.....but it really the leather rubbing against the nock....any kind of leather conditioner fixes that...if in the field hunting, I just lick it often....
Thanks Lefty, never thought of corn starch - I always have it around.
Terry, I'm sure that is what it is - leather on nocks. Thought for a minute it might be new nocks but it's doing it on all of them now - high humidity may be part of the problem. Not sure you will find me licking it often :rolleyes:
I use baking soda, never thought of corn starch either..good one. My Schnee boots squeak after a weeks hunting and I rub them down good with pitch blend. But if in the field I sprinkle baking soda and it usually fixes it till I get back to civilization.
Had a glove that was doing that in the late summer and Montana Pitch Blend saved the day. Never thought of corn starch.... ?
Just for fun, try drawing your bow without an arrow nocked just to see if the nock is where the squeek is.
Leather conditioner sounds like a good fix to me either way.
Wilson baseball glove oil will take the noise out of any leather. I use it on everything from quivers to grips to tabs. It will make the leather darker, however.
FWIW, Genuine Shell Cordovan is best left alone. No oil, conditioner or powder. It is extremely durable just as it is. The "oils" will soften it and reduce its longevity. Just keep it clean and dry AND use it. I too suspect it is the nock and maybe a little needs to be trimmed from the "notch" in the tab that is between the index finger and the middle finger.
Moebow, What surprises me is that this tab has been top notch for over a year with thousands of shots through it. Still looks and feels great. I modified the original design by cutting out much of the material between the 1st and 2nd finger as well as trimming the length to suit me. I'm shooting better than I ever have before but maybe there are things I am doing while drawing that are pinching the nock more than in the past. I think more sluething is in order - stay tuned.
Thanks everyone for all the suggestions.
Humidity is WAAY up over here in MI.
Maybe that is going on across the lake too and making the difference..?
I noticed that on my heavy bow (85 lbs) that my glove seems to squeak more than on my lighter set ups. I'm going on a Cape Buffalo hunt in September and I sure don't want that addtional noise helping to give away my position. I have heard putting string wax, now corn starch. Any other ideas to quiet things down?
Montana Pitch Blend solved that problem for me.
On Cordovan I'd use paraffin. Won't hurt a thing and might even improve your release.
I use bowstring wax on my tabs or gloves when they start to squeak.
StringWax here too!