Brace your-self bow

Inspector12 · January 11, 2012, 12:44:00 PM

Finally completed my red oak pryamid bow. So I build a jig and make my second B50 flemish string to what I thought was the correct length. I string the bow up, say a prayer and take a shot. Much to my surprise it shot great. Very quiet little to no handshock. Second shot is in the bull, too good to be true. So I take a step back to examine the bow then realize the brace is around 9 1/2 or so inches. Yikes, I must have miss calculated the length. So I go back make a new string. Brace it up and give it go. Hummmm, not it is percievably louder and I am slapping my wrist. Ok, easy enough start twisting.... shoot, now more twisting.... So I end up with about 20+ twists in the new string and still slapping my wrist. So my question is what should I brace this thing at?? The bow is 68" nock to nock and still experiencing slap at 8 1/4. Any suggestions??

snakebit40 · January 11, 2012, 12:47:00 PM

Bjorn · January 11, 2012, 12:48:00 PM

Bring your back foot forward a half step and make sure your elbow is not rotated into the string.

arrowslinger22 · January 11, 2012, 12:57:00 PM

I never brace a self bow at more than 6 inches and you need a bracer, even with proper form, you will get string slap once and a while.

Pat B · January 11, 2012, 01:27:00 PM

I use my fistmele(about 5 1/2" to 6")on all myh selfbows. You might be gripping it wrong or you ave your elbow locked. A slightly bent elbow should prevent the string hitting your arm.

Inspector12 · January 11, 2012, 01:28:00 PM

I wont say my form is perfect by any stretch but I do not have a problem with wrist or arm slap with my recurve or training wheel bow. My real question is how do estimate proper brace height or do differnt longbows brace higher than others? Thanks for your feedback

Pat B · January 11, 2012, 02:26:00 PM

I've been building selfbows for over 30 years. I set the brace height on all my selfbows at my fistmele, 5 1/2" to 6". I believe that is the norm with selfbows. Some slight adjustment might be needed from there but not much.
Modern recurves, longbows and wheel bows are totally different animals from selfbow. They are gripped differently than selfbows.

Inspector12 · January 11, 2012, 05:56:00 PM

Pat, how do you grip/position your wrist??

mike hall · January 11, 2012, 06:10:00 PM

Is the string tracking ok? Assuming a right hand bow is the string tracking left of center. May be your problem.

30coupe · January 11, 2012, 06:19:00 PM

You will probably get some wrist slap if you have the bow braced correctly. Recurves and wheel bows brace MUCH higher than longbows/self bows. Wear a leather bracer (arm guard) and enjoy your bow. If it's not hitting your wrist, it's braced too high.

Inspector12 · January 11, 2012, 07:30:00 PM

String appears to be tracking just fine. The bow actually shot quieter and grouped well when the brace height was 9" or so. No wrist slap.. it just seems wierd to me.

Pat B · January 11, 2012, 07:40:00 PM

I use a bulbous handle on my bows and grip it with the heel of my hand down.

Inspector12 · January 11, 2012, 07:44:00 PM

So less of a pistol grip is what I am imagining. I wonder if I could use a wrap or something to help with this??

January 11, 2012, 11:06:00 PM

I NEVER wear an armguard when shooting my recurves or longbows.

I ALWAYS wear an armguard when shooting my selfbow. There is something about selfbows and their lower brace heights that make the string slap my arm. BTW, my Arvin Weaver selfbow is braced about 6 1/2".

Bisch

Pat B · January 12, 2012, 12:54:00 AM

Selfbows are not center shot. Arrows have to be spined properly so they can get around the bow(archers paradox). As the arrow bends around the bow the string, pushing it forward, is pulled by the arrow to the left(in a right handed bow)before they(the arrow and string) seperate.
When I shoot I'm hunched forward, my head is down right over the arrow, my bow arm elbow is bent and the bow is canted(I draw 26"). I only use an arm guard to keep my shirt sleeve out of the way of the string, not my arm or wrist.
Keep experimenting with grips and styles and you will find something that works for you. It's not the bow in most cases but the nut behind it! d;^)