Hey all,
I was reading a thread the other day somewhere and someone mentioned a shooter using a THUMB TAB. He described it as a flat piece of leather that has a hole in one end that you slip your thumb into and then the other end of the piece goes over the string and folds back so it can be pinched between the thumb and forefinger to hold the string. It sounded like something I would like to look into. I then looked at all my catalogs and several web retailers but was unable to find any such product. Maybe it's a custom made thing that each shooter who wants one has to either make himself or have someone make for him.
So I thought I would ask the braintrust here about it. Has anyone heard or used such a release? Do you know who makes them or where they can be bought?
Thanks for the time.
Nala
The fellow you speak of makes his own now I believe.
That's how mongolian archers shoot. I guess its easier to hold a 150lb. string in your thumb than fingers. But they use stone peices instead of leather. I believe they also hold the arrow on the other side of the bow than western archers. I tried it one day, it works fine, just a little weird to get used to.
Not the same thing, I'm afraid.
The Mongols used a thumb release, where the string was held in the crease of the last joint of the thumb and the index finger was folded over the end of the thumb for security. What the topic poster is talking about is more of a release. You put your thumb throught he hole, loop the leather over the string, then catch the end of the leather between the tip of the thumb and forefinger.
You may want to try a search on Google for an Archer's Thumbring.
A lot of Eastern cultures drew & draw the bow using the pad of the thumb, under the arrow & clamped in place with the index finger. The arrow is usually placed on the opposite side of the bow & the paradox starts off in the opposite direction. It takes a lot of practice to get used to & without a correctly fitted thumbring it's excruciatingly painful after a few shots! Been there, tried that!
Quite a few archery stores list thumbrings, but it's really simple to make your own out of a piece of copper pipe. Have a look at a few pics & you'll soon get the idea!
Have a look HERE (http://www.atarn.org/korean/IA_kr_2.htm) for a tutorial.
Jeff's got it right. It's a version of a strap releasse.
I have seen them where there are actually two straps, or maybe one long one wrapped around the wrist, but so two ends come forward. One, from the thumb side, is wrapped over the string,just below the arrow, the second wrapped the same way, but over the first, and from the finger side of the string. This makes it way easier to hold the wraps with just finger and thumb pressure. The first tab is shorter than the second, which must be long enough to fold over and be grasped between finger and thumb. What I saw worked pretty sweet.
ChuckC
Nala- what has been described is a "strap release", and is only legal if the archer is handicapped. They are not allowed at most tournaments. Don't know of any laws against them for hunting. I shot with a fellow about 40 yrs ago that used one, he was very accurate with it, very smooth release.
My SO shoots with a strap release. Her's slips on your first finger and the thumb pinches the tag end. Hers was made by a gal from down south we met at ATAR but a dealer had some at Denton that she made.