Looking for a pattern, help, advise, all the above. Bouncing back and forth regarding finger protection. I like something thin. Like to feel the string. I even shoot bare finger occasionally but fingers get sore pretty fast. I getting a great loose from bare finger. I'm currently using a Damascus shooting glove also. Nice and thin, pretty good loose, but i'm pretty hard on it. Thinking about switching back to a tab. I took apart one of those 3 piece calves hair tabs and started using I single layer. Very similar loose to bare finger and gives me a pretty good amount of protection. Only thing it has all kinds of snaps and holes in it. So I was thinking I could make a few tabs from a thin leather. The type that has the hole in the leather that goes over the middle finger. So that brings me back to my question, what weight / type of leather. Where can I get a pattern?  I guess i could use one if the layers of the tab I took apart. I'm a size medium. All advise welcome.

You need to find a source for small pieces of cordovan leather. That makes the best tabs. I've heard of guys buying cordovan shoes at Goodwill just to get the leather for tabs.

Pete,
This is a thread that I am going to watch like a hawk cause Im in the same boat as you...I recently have noticed my Damascas,Bear paw Black and Bearpaw leather are showing heavy grooves and hanging up on my release but not sure it's all the gloves fault but mine due to my shooting hand was severed and reattached from a Logsplitter accident and this could be why I'm getting a grove in them..I have made my own tabs but not 100% happy with the results..A very close friend of mine has one with an "O" ring attached so he could flip the tab back when hanging stands,pulling arrows and such... I may try and duplicate his and try it out...I hope someone shows some more tab styles that they made with a pattern as well...Now Pete just a few days ago there was a post about one with the hole cut in the tab for your finger but I like the "O" RING design better and it is stitched right onto the tab with faux sinew ...Maybe someone can step in and post one if they made one this way...Keefers<><

 
You are looking for my tab, from your description.
I use Cordovan leather, but other leather will do. It just won't be as slick or last as long. Use your existing tab as a pattern. Cut the new tab a little large, and the hole a little small, and between breaking it in and tweaking the trim to suit you, you will have the perfect tab.

You might want to try the Cordovan tab that Don Ward (2Fletch) makes.

Killdeer  

Cordovan can be hard to find. I've made lots of tabs from whatever leather I have on hand.... soft tanned leathers aren't stiff enough.

Work some paraffin into the leather to improve "slickness".
 

I made one for the boy. Took a piece of leather traced a smaller tab patter on it and then cut it out bigger than the tracing. Had him try it on and trimmed it accordingly. Fairly simple.

If you have a shoe repair shop around sometimes they have cordovan leather you could buy from them.

I know you want to make your own, but Don Ward from EFA has some outstanding tabs that will last forever and reasonably priced.

I use two layers as the string seems to slip off without a crease in the tab.  Now shooting 3 fingers under so no separation cut.  Cordovan is best but other leather waxed works just as well for me...tippit

 

Pete,

I'll send you a tab. Do you want split finger or 3 under?

I was going to post up the C&H had a make-your-own thread running, and here he goes and offers to send you one.  Too cool.

A GREAT leather that is very inexpensive is the "oil tanned" utility hides from Tandy. I have cut tons for people and still have my original going on ten years. Just a single layer, nothing fancy. Best tab I've ever had.
I oil it up every year with pitch blend and it hasnt failed me yet!

Been using my self made Cordovan for 7 - 8 years now. I got lucky found a man with a bunch of leather and he helped me out.

You might also check into Scott Teaschner's (sponsor) single layer Cordovan tab...very simple, but with a snap so you can change out the O ring to suit barefinger or shooting with a glove on.

I just got the traditional bug a few months ago. I decided to drag out my old Black Bear bowfishing bow to play with while I wait on my longbow to be made. I didn't have a tab, so I dug into my leather supply (I'm a falconer so I keep some handy). I cut out a thin tab from kangaroo leather. I just wanted something to use until I could decide on what tab I wanted to buy. After a couple of months of shooting it, I don't see any reason to "upgrade". It's simple, works great, and is easily replaced if I ever wear it out. Kangaroo leather is very tough and stretch resistant though, which is why we use it for jesses and anklets in falconry.

I made my tab similar to the Teaschner tabs mentioned above, except I didn't have any snaps at the time, so I put a rivet where his snap is, and just used a loop of paracord where his rubber o-ring is. I can adjust the size of the loop by the knot.

I went to a leather supply shop and they had scraps of hair-on cow hide.  Hair makes them pretty slick.  I cut a number of tabs out of the piece.  I keep a couple in my day pack as spares. My buds tell me tha they wear out to quickly-I have not worn one out yet, and they are cheap to make.  As for pattern-I used another tab for a start, but ended up making a pattern on a grocery sack by sketching, trimming, etc.

If you buy cordovan leather, make sure you are buying cordovan shell leather and not cordovan colored leather!  I made that mistake early on...

Those of you who make your tabs, how do you stitch them? or do you have a heavy duty sewing machine? thnks

I dont stitch anything myself for a tab. I prefer the feel of a one layer tab under my fingers, it gives me the best release.
To each their own, I know most will disagree.
You can buy leather stitching punches pretty cheap and sew yourself by hand very easily. Tandy is a common source. Free how-to's online.

I use a single layer leather tab.  I got a piece of fairly heavy (maybe as thick as a thin leather belt, stiff back quiver or possibles bag) but still flexible scrap leather from a leather-worker.  I used an old Ben Pearson finger tab as a pattern. They used to call it a "Western tab."  It's the kind with two finger holes--one for the index finger and the other, bigger hole for the second and third fingers
(similar to the one in this link:  http://shop.idmsports.com.au/popup_image.php?pID=36&osCsid=e3krghc9qscgs3p8gerb4f3u10)

I treat it periodically with Montana Pitch Blend to keep it supple and water-resistant.

I also started using tie-on nocking points rather than the brass ones that scraped groves into the tab.