Anyone try this?
A guy on masters of the barebow does it and l love the idea.
Pros cons?
Adds a lot of weight to the bowstring and slows performance. I'd probably do it for a fishing bow, but not one I hunt with. A tab or glove aren't that difficult to use, and give a cleaner release than bare fingers. Also provide more finger protection.
I would imagine that for anything other than a very low poundage bow a triple served string would be uncomfortable to shoot without a glove or tab. Also, you would have to leave a gap where you want to nock the arrow, or you probably wouldn't be able to find any nocks wide enough to fit. Also, what about all the poor families of glove and tab makers who would have to go on welfare if nobody buys gloves or tabs anymore? ;-)
I say go with your normal string and start shooting a handful of arrows each time out without a glove or tab. Over time, you'll get used to it and don't need to make any other adjustments. I haven't used a glove or tab in years. It's one less thing to lose in the woods, too.
After watching Roger R's section of MBB, I went to the basement and gave this a try.
It works well from a shootability standpoint. With a little getting used to, I could shoot arrows just fine with no glove or tab. However, just like stated above, the extra weight did slow my bow down, no a lot, but it did. Also, when I had to re-serve the single served section where the arrow engaged the string, I had to cut off all 3 layers of serving and go through that mess again.
More trouble than its worth. And I like my tabs too. Not to mention I stringwalk now, so the stitches on my tabs are useful ;)
Just curious wouldn't the weight be tiny like 5-10 grains? Couldnt you easily make that up in your arrow?
I could see a tab being a better release, but are glove shooters losing anything?
I'm sure this varies greatly by individual, but I get a much cleaner release with my glove than with my fingers. The glove has cordovan tips the string doesn't dig into much. My fingers it digs into A LOT!
You can get nerve damage in your fingers. Adds a good bit of weight to the most crucial point on the string. Release won't be as clean. Easier to put a "no glove" on the string.
I don't believe it will add alot of weight to add extra serving to the part where the fingers rest. Maybe 5-6 fps max. Most will agree that arrow speed didn't matter and arrow weight is the determining factor in penetration anyway. Just shoot a heavier arrow to minimize the efficiency lost. I still believe it's best to wear a glove for protection but even with a glove a thicker serving will provide smoother release.
Thicker serving doesn't give a better release. More comfortable maybe, but not cleaner. Never saw a professional with a fat serving. Attended/participated in some World Championship tournaments, was at Vegas and the World Youth Archery championships in Yankton SD this year (WAY too old to participate). Being a string maker, I pay attention to the strings.
I could really care less about a few fps that the fat serving might cost, but some folks do care. That's why I mentioned it.
QuoteOriginally posted by LBR:
You can get nerve damage in your fingers. Adds a good bit of weight to the most crucial point on the string. Release won't be as clean. Easier to put a "no glove" on the string.
I'd be mostly concerned with the nerve damage as its irreversible. The problem is, you wont get nerve damage..... Until you do! It can happen quick, or you may not get it but you don't know until you have it!
I would only shoot bare fingers if I were hunting and found that I had lost my tab after already in the tree stand. Not something I would do otherwise.
Snow' try a Bearpaw Black Glove and "call me in the morning", that's my Rx, LOL
Why mess with stuff that isn't broken. :archer:
That guy would be my father. He's 77 yrs old this last February, and has shot bare finger for over 50 years. Until the last few years he shot bows in the 60-65 lb range, and a lot of arrows. I grew up shooting bare finger triple served, been shooting a bow since I was probably 5 so that makes better than 35 years. I get a blister if I let the fingers get soft, but it toughens up shortly. No nerve damage. Good clean release and one less thing to forget in the woods (glove or tab). I don't know about target archery, but for hunting I think it is a great way to shoot. I'm not a light bow guy myself, I shoot in the low to mid 60's.
The Old Man had his left shoulder roto-rooted 6 weeks ago or so (had the right one done several years ago) and is starting to shoot a lite bow again. Figures he'll be up to 55lbs by October. Not bad for an old guy :)
He's been out of the spotlight lately, and liking it, he still kills a couple of pig whitetails every year.
R
Oh, by the way, my chrony said going from a single brass nocking pt, single served, to two brass nk pts, triple served, lost 3fps. That was consistent with 3 different recurves, and a HH style longbow.
R
JD. That happened to me twice in the past several years. Glove fell out of my pack when I was making a stand change, and shot a nice buck the next morning bare fingered. Last fall, after 12 days of hunting, a nice buck came by immediately after I got in my stand in the morning. Had myself tied in and my pack stowed, but my tab (I switched from a glove) was still in my pocket. No time to fish it out so I shot that buck bare fingered as well.
I don't feel I get as clean a release bare fingered, and with only a single serving, I can definitely feel the bite of the string. Doesn't really hurt, but not comfortable.
I usually don't shoot many practice arrows while actually hunting deer, so I'm considering doing away with the finger protection while hunting. At the least, I don't panic if I lose or can't find my tab.
Hadn't thought about double or triple serving. Given the small loss in performance Ryan reports, about 1# of bow weight, I just might give it a try.
I like feeling the tips of my fingers so I'm sticking with my tab.
This is my first post on tradgang so hello everyone. I have been shooting bare finger with triple serve for a few years off and on and now have all my bows set up this way. My dad got me started on it. It's so simple and the release feels very clean. It doesn't take long at all to get used to it. I can't notice any difference in speed but I'm not a speed junkie I just like a good clean release. Right now I'm shooting a 62lb ma2 and I'm loving the whole just pick the bow up and shoot idea.
What sized serving do you use? I would be interested I. Trying this technique!
I haven't tried it on my hunting bow but I use a piece of rubber tubing that is used for the peep sight on a wheeley bow on my fishing bow and it works great with bare fingers. I can shoot a lot and my fingers don't get sore.
Denny
This is one of the things that has helped my had allow me to shoot again! I still shoot a glove with the extra serving.
Been shooting bare fingers for years...59 pound Firefly...
dont remember last time I bought a glove.