Yew longbow coming...have ?'s

[blind one]

I traded for a Yew longbow and am in need of some info. Can I use the same stringer as my recurve? I have one that goes on both tips and one that slides down on the top limb. What will I have to do different for shooting with no shelf?...Roy

[Pluck Yew]

Roy, I used my recurve stringer at first.. the kind that; one end slide's down on the top limb.. limbs on my longhorn longbow are pretty narrow.. be careful if you must use stringer.. should learn "push/pull" method... your shooting off your hand.. so make sure your grip is about where it should be as if your hand is the shelf.. easy/peasy.. I was worried at first but you pick it up easy and learn you really don't need a shelf!

Shawn...

[blind one]

Thank you Shawn. Its has the snakeskin on it but doesnt have anything for a grip. Should I get some sort of leather wrap? If so what would be the best, adhesive or the one that has to be stiched?...Thanks Roy

[Paul WA]

when you put your feathers on put a small glob of glue on the front of the feather, when it dries use another arrow with a field tip and roll it over the glue and up the feather about 1/2". Its an old trick John Strunk taught me...PR

[Pat B]

If your new yew bow has horn nocks instead of tip overlays DO NOT use a cup type stringer to string the bow. It will break off the horn nocks. If it does have horn nocks you can add another string groove just above the string grooves on each tip and use another string to string the bow. I believe that was the traditional way to string the heavy warbows.
  By canting the bow you should be able to shoot off your hand without too much trouble. Be sure the arrows you use with this bow are about 10# lighter spine weight so they can clear the bow during the archers paradox. I wrap the forward end of the fletching on all my arrows just for this purpose. It allows you to shoot without worry of the quill cutting you or penetrating your hand.  Pat

[portugeejn]

I haven't had a problem with a feather cutting my hand since using the trick Paul describes.  I can't remember if John Strunk showed it to me (I live in Oregon so I've met him a few times), or Nick Nott showed it to me (like a whole lot of stuff I've learned about archery-he got me started).  Either way, it works.

RonP

[blind one]

Paul,
I put a drop of glue on the front of the feather but have never rolled one before. I will now.
Pat,
It does have horn nocks I will have to look when I get it here to see how to do it. What do you mean by wrapping the forward end? Applying glue where the feather meets the shaft?
Thanks again...Roy

[Pat B]

I put a 1/4" wrap of thread or sinew, set in glue, around the forward end of the fletching so it will slide across the hand without any injuries. I can e-mail you pics to show you.
  I sent an osage longbow to Huntsman Lance that has horn nocks with the double grooves in each nock for stringing purposes. I believe he will be posting pics in a few days so you will be able to see them then or I can e-mail pics to you.  Pat

[blind one]

If you could, I would like to see the pictures..bones61427@yahoo.com...Thanks

[sha howk dug]

hello blind one, I also will soon face this same issue, I have not shot a shelfless bow and await the arrival of my new yew english longbow made by Gerald Welsh of welshman longbow, I too would like to see these photo's of the fletching's if you wouldn't mind. thank you

[Jason Jelinek]

I use the push-pull method of stringing the bow.  I've used it on my fiberglass/wood laminates as well as my selfbows (including yew ones).  Just don't look at what you're doing (safer for your eyes if the limb slips out of your grip).

I also wrap the end of the fletching on my arrows with silk to prevent them from digging into my hands.  I soak the wrappings with superglue.

Jason

[Shaun]

I like to wear a thin leather glove on my bow hand so that I can shoot "off the hand". Thread wraps on the front edge of the fletching works well too. The glue on the feather tip method can come loose when you shoot into grass or through the target and a damaged feather will eventually stab you in the top of your bow hand. Push pull or even step through stringing is safe with thick limb longbows, not with thin flat limbs or recurves which can twist.

[No-sage]

I use a cup stringer on my horn tipped longbow all the time and never broke off a horn.