Gang
I have a NEW Centaur heading my way later this year and want to ask those Centaur, Dark Matter owners if I should go with or without a thumb rest? Also, have any of you had Jim add stippling to the finger grooves and if so, all of them? I was thinking of doing just the index and middle finger on my bow hand.
Btw, had a cow elk yesterday watching me shoot my local range:)
Andrew
Dark Matter Centaurs to me are the ultimate modern longbow. I just sold my 56" to fund a 62". I love the thumbrest option personally..it's not a radical big rest if you don't want it to be, Jim usually makes it just big enough to act as an indexer to keep the thumb in the right place. And guess what! He can make the thumb rest out of the DM..OR he can make it out of a piece of sheep horn or exotic wood or antler! Lots of possibilities. As for stippling, he can also do pretty much anything you want--he will make your dream bow. So far I have owned a 58" dymondwood double, a 62" bocote triple, and the 56" glass Dark Matter. My new dream bow will be a 62" Dark Matter either glass with XTL or Chimera XTL.
I have two centaurs one has a thumb rest and I really like it. I have one with finger grooves but I don't use them and on my second I ordered it without the finger grooves. I don't really grip my bows.
I agree with chuck that Jim can do whatever you want. He even copied a recurve grip I sent him pictures of. Good luck you're going to love the bow.
I personally don't like a thumb rest, it feels awkward and bulky while carrying. As far as shooting I can't tell a difference between the two. I bought the Centaur I have 2nd hand and it had a thumb rest...I took a file and removed it then refinished the area and like it much better. But thats just my preference. I've got another Centaur coming Monday that has a thumb rest and I plan on removing it as well.