Hi everyone,
I've always had slightly sweaty hands (sorry for admitting to it lol) and it has never really bothered me but I was just wondering if gripping the bow with a sweaty hand would affect the finish on the Riser grip on a tall tines recurve after time? And if there is a way of avoiding the "sweat"?
thanks!
Patrick
It shouldn't affect the finish at all. If you are worried about it give the grip a good coat of paste wax... that will give you a nonslip handle as well.
I guess you could use some anti perspirant on your bow hand. Might help.
Mr. Lamb has a good idea. I know when some buddies were getting ready for Special Forces school they began a regimen of rubbing aluminum powder (I think it was a cream but not sure), on their feet; the idea being the aluminum powder (same ingredient as in anti-perperants) would reduce the sweat glands from making sweat, which would help them with blisters. Now, that's not really what you were asking of course, but if it is bad its an idea. I know the deep grip on my grizzly is a pain to me when my hand sweats. It seems like I can't get a decent grip. I considered having a good leather craftsman or bowyer put a good leather grip on it but I never shoot it so I probably won't, but thats an idea as well if the situation arises.
Go to Walmart and buy an inner tube in the bike section, $5.99. Cut off the valve, then cut the tube lengthwise with a width 1/2- 3/4". You will get a few strips. Wrap your bow grip w one of the strips, powder side in and tuck the end under one of the layers. Should help w your sweat issue.
I used to shoot a longbow that did not have any type of cover on the grip. My hands are not unduly sweaty, but here in the South, perspiration is always an issue in warm weather. I simply carried a hand towel and wiped my bow hand just before gripping the bow on those days that sweat was a problem. Hunting was never a problem, because I wear camo gloves at all times. Perspiration never affected the finish on my bow.
I have not tried the inner tube thing but have tried the "roll on" type available from 3Rivers. I was trying to protect the leather grip on my Wes Wallace LB. worked great except in the hot weather like now they tend to turn your hand black.
if you can find one of those hardcore bicyclists that have all the gear on and usually go 10-30 miles a day, they might have a supply of flattened inner tubes with natural colored rubber like a rubber band. I don't know too much about it but a friend had a tube he tried on some selfbows a while ago under the leather for a kind of cushioning he said they cost like 60.00 for one tire tube. but once they get a flat they get thrown away.
they are from 10 speed tires but will fit over a baseball bat,, so ask a bike store or ask one of those guys when you see them these tubes are a light tan color.
I have a roll on rubber grip on every one of my bows.
It's a piece of cake putting them on a longbow, somewhat of a bear rolling it onto a recurve. Tugging the roll with pliers helped get it into place on the Brackenbury.
They work great with sweaty hands in the summer and slick wool gloves in the winter.
Use a thin leather glove, like a golf glove.
Any bow I hunt with has a leather handle grip. Like Sam said above, with the humidity here, hunting and sweating go together. Our deer season starts in sept. when it may still be 90. And pig hunting in the summertime, wow it can be bad.
Try tennis "tournagrip" from Walmart. It's about $6 and has Enough to do 4-5 bows. It's light blue, but if the color doesn't bother you it works great.
I don't think the sweating will hurt the finish on your bow. But I guess that would depend on what kind of finish is on your bow.
With the high humidity we have here, I would have ruined the finish on my bow here a long time ago.
There is a lot of sports/medical self adhesive tape (non sticky) in many colors and works very well. Not necessary to cover the whole grip area....
check this stuff out....
http://www.quill.com/shoe-accessory/cbs/51258531.html?cm_mmc=SEM_PLA_X_51258531&srccode=cii_17588969&cpncode=45-47980186-2
I use fudeko, Japanese ash powder (I just sift my fireplace ashes very fine instead of buying the expensive real stuff.) Keeps my hand dry enough for the bow to rotate some in my hand, which is required by the archery techniques I use. But it's awesome for absorbing sweat and keeping a dry hand.
BTW, it's alum powder if you want to try it yourself, not aluminum. Use it myself sometimes here in the South.