So this afternoon while my son was practicing in the backyard with his bow I settled down on the back porch with some cowhorn and a dremel.

I didn't take any step-by-step pictures because I wans't sure it would be worth showing off.

The horn was an atrociously made powder horn I had stashed in a box in the garage for years, and I finally found a use for it. (the hole in the ring is from where an eyelet screw was attached)

I still need to do some final sanding if i decide it meets my exacting standards, if not it goes in a box of lessons learned.

This is my first attempt at a thumb ring made out of anything other than leather, I will most likely attempt to make one out of coin silver in the near future.

I used it a few times and so far I think it's a little too long, but maybe I'm too used to the feel of my leather one. I definitely need more range time with it.

I like it!

Guy

What is a Thumb ring?

I made a couple, could not get them comfortable. That and needed a left hand bow because how the thumb ring works. Roy

I have never heard of a thumb ring.  Obviously it is for shooting (I think) how is it used?

I would likt to see the leather one and how you use it please.

I would love to learn how to shoot with a thumb ring, very cool. I'd like to see what the leather one looks like too.

The Mongols and others used thumb rings.
If right handed you shoot off the right side of the bow, the ring makes the string pull towards the bow....

Here is my leather ring, it was my second attempt, I ended up trimming the first one too short, and it didn't fully protect the pad of my thumb, so it has been modified for use by my wife and son.

The pen marks are from ideas about angle and pad width and length. I have about 700 arrows downrange with it now and may narrow the pad a little.

The leather ring took be about 20 minutes to make, and once the pattern is correct they will take about 5 minutes to churn out more.

The leather ring.
 

 

Hook the thumb below the nock of the arrow.
 

Use the index and middle finger to reinforce the thumb
 

The index finger will keep the arrow tight against the right side of the bow.
 

Once full draw is reached the thumb is relaxed or flicked and the string glides off the pad of the thumb ring.

Same sequence with the horn ring.

From the picture, it doesn't LOOK too big. What weight bow do you shoot with it? The workmanship looks good too, BTW.  

The leather ring is for sure the easiest to get right, the horn ring just feels too long, but I'll keep shooting with it before I trim it.

I'm shooting my son's lefty bow it's #28 @ 28" and I'm drawing to 33"  

My #60 @ 33" bow is shipping on Monday!


I'm hoping the leather ring works well at #60, it is my understanding that the horn and metal rings work best at the higher draw weights.

The traditional way to shoot with a thumb ring is for the arrow to be on the other side of the bow. But that is not always the practice.
On ATARN.org there is a series of photos titled, "Mongolian Archery Graphic Archive" that show a Mongolian archer shooting off the same side of the bow as we do. The archer's sister is Munkhtsetseg, the National Women's Archery Champion of Mongolia, so I have to think he has at least some idea of what he is doing.

Guy

Dont know about the rest of y'all, they sure LOOK like More Trouble   :rolleyes:  than they are Worth!  BUT  I know they have been used by the Best Archers there were in Antiquity, so there  IS  something to them! Gotta do some experimenting myself to really Appreciate them I reckon!  

Think both the horn and the leather thumb look very  nice!

Seems you already know it - it is a little long    However, the workmanship is very nice.

Thanks all.

yeah I can always remove more material, it's a little harder to add it!

QuoteOriginally posted by AngelDeVille:

yeah I can always remove more material, it's a little harder to add it!

Angel, those are wise words that many never fully understand.

Guy

I even made ya'll a video....

http://youtu.be/U9ziYJ5vV6M

Cool vid, I was trying to explain how you shoot with a thumb ring to my girlfriend but this video will make explaining it a lot simpler!