Should my cordovan tab have a groove????

Tall Paul · September 28, 2011, 11:52:00 AM

Hello All,

I started shooting a Cordovan tab on June 1st, and it immediately became grooved where the strings sits.

Now, I understand that tabs and gloves will normaly groove. I switched to traditional only in 1993, so I've been around.

But I was told by the manufacturer that it absolutely would not groove, at all. I found that hard to believe, but I went ahead based on all the good things I heard here on Tradgang.

I have Not called the manufacturer yet; I wanted to get a little imput first.

Here's my question: Should a Cordovan tab have a groove at all?

September 28, 2011, 12:05:00 PM

Min get softer, but not grooved, after a lot of use.

Bill Carlsen · September 28, 2011, 12:27:00 PM

Try treating it with some sort of wax like Montana Pitch Blend. You can even rub parafin on it and hold it over heat and let it melt into the leather. My codovan tabs are very supple and " soft" after I "treat" them. There is a definite "line" in the tab where the string contacts it and it folds there naturally in time....but it is far from being a groove. The thinner your tab is the less of a "groove" there will be. The more you shoot it the better it becomes.

ron w · September 28, 2011, 12:27:00 PM

I use a Black Widow 3 under that's at least 5 years old and I have no groove!

Night Wing · September 28, 2011, 12:30:00 PM

I use a Bateman split finger cordovan tab with a space and it has no groove. It's been shot at least a thousand times.

Tall Paul · September 28, 2011, 12:37:00 PM

Thank you all for your responses!

I treated the BACK side of the tab with Montana Pitch Blend when I first got it. Paul Brunner recommended doing this per research here.

I'm calling the manufacturer now.

Tall Paul · September 28, 2011, 01:05:00 PM

I called the manufacturer, and he wants me to mail it to him, so he can look it over.

He agreed; it should not have a groove at all.

ron w · September 28, 2011, 01:08:00 PM

Sno-Seal with some heat from a hair drier will work also....good luck!

Tall Paul · September 28, 2011, 01:18:00 PM

The manufacturer just told me that Mr. Horween (owns tanning facility in Chicago) said to Not put anything on the tab.

But, who knows?

ron w · September 28, 2011, 04:48:00 PM

But what did they say about the groove? Just curious!!

Tall Paul · September 29, 2011, 07:03:00 PM

He said that it should not groove at all. That they would replace it or refund my money.

He felt that it must be from a bad batch of leather. Apparently there are different grades of cordovan.

Friend · September 29, 2011, 08:11:00 PM

You may wish to consider taking him up on the offer.

mrjsl · September 29, 2011, 08:28:00 PM

QuoteOriginally posted by Tall Paul:
The manufacturer just told me that Mr. Horween (owns tanning facility in Chicago) said to Not put anything on the tab.

But, who knows?

Cordovan doesn't need any kind of treatment. It is very tough and dense leather. Montana Pitch Blend is mink oil, and mink oil makes leather softer. You don't need a tab to be softer. Mink oil will not harm cordovan too much unless you are constantly putting it on there, because cordovan won't soak it up that fast.

Mink oil will cause leather to wear out quicker if the leather will absorb it, and you use a lot. That is why thy it's typically not recommended for baseball gloves. I use Lexol for just about everything leather, and mink oil type products only for the toughest stiffest leathers, and for cordovan I don't use anything - just clean with Lexol leather cleaner if dirty.

QuoteOriginally posted by Tall Paul:

He felt that it must be from a bad batch of leather. Apparently there are different grades of cordovan.

NONE of the cordovan used for archery tabs is the highest grade. They make shoes out of the high grade stuff.

Tall Paul · September 29, 2011, 10:20:00 PM

Some good info there, mrjsl. Thanks.

Tall Paul · October 03, 2011, 06:56:00 PM

Well, manufacturer received my tab in the mail today and called me.

He has been selling that same tab for 18 years, and mine is the first he has EVER seen that was grooved. Severely grooved at that.

He thought perhaps I was shooting 75 lbs. My recurve is 53 lbs.

Other than that, he has no idea why it would groove.

He kindly refunded my money.

wtpops · October 03, 2011, 07:01:00 PM

May have been a bad batch of leather but at least you got some good service.

Tall Paul · October 03, 2011, 07:18:00 PM

Yes sir, it was good customer service. He offered to replace it or refund my money.

Ragnarok Forge · October 03, 2011, 07:22:00 PM

That is all you can ask of the retailer. Sounds like a good person to do business with.

Tall Paul · October 05, 2011, 07:48:00 PM

I've decided to try a Bateman cordovan tab. Ordered two on Monday.

Spoke with Earl Bateman. Talk about someone who knows tabs!

He thought I needed to shoot a thicker tab. He said even a cordovan tab would groove if it was too thin.

Tall Paul · October 18, 2011, 03:32:00 PM

Just wanted to update the thread.

I'm much more pleased with the Bateman tab.

The previous tab I had, the smooth, shiny surface of the tab was removed in the first few shots.

Also, the Bateman has not grooved yet. The previous one started grooving quickly.