Where/How Do You Shoot Your Arrow?

[UnderControl16]

So I was wondering where people place their arrow rests in relation to the center of the bow (or where you nock it on the string) because I have heard of people that put it right on center and others who have it .5" to an 1" below (or above) "zero". Also what type of rest do people find tends to work best for their rest? Just their hand, built up leather, bone? Right now i just use my hand and where i rest the arrow is about .5" below the center line.

[Pat B]

My handles are centered on the bow so the arrow pass would be about 1" or a little above that. I usually set the string nock 3/8" above horizontal and I nock the arrow above the nock point.
  I shoot off my hand, use a small leather wedge arrow rest or my favorite is a floppy rest. It is like shooting off the hand but with protection.

[George Tsoukalas]

Usually around 1.25 in above center for a stiff handled bow and around an inch for a bend in the handle bow. I use built up leather. More on my site. Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/

[Jack Skinner]

1 to 1.5 above center depending on bow length. Use floppy rest some thicker than others. Lay out about half my bows so they are almost center shot, others run the string down center. My nocking point is the same as Pat B above.

[Roy Steele]

I cut shelves into all my bows as close to center shot as I can.Stiff handled shelf cut as close to the hand as I can.With the limbs tiller as close to the stiff handle as I can.Both limbs the same leanth.5 Inchs is a long way from center.Your tiller can't be right.Seams to me the father from center the more hand shock you would get.Am I wrong can anyone explain this to me.Mine come out any where from 1/2 of an inch to 1 inch of center.Should'nt they come out the same each time.I use to messure each bow at first but gave up on this along time ago after about dozzen bows.
 I just build my bows and what they come out they come out.I figured with lam bows they should be the same each time.But with selfbows WOOD is WOOD.

 Maybe some one can explain this to me.

[ChristopherO]

Roy,
He didn't say 5" from center but .5" (1/2") from center, just like you are using.

Here's my question:  we are working on symetrical limb length, the handle is centered on the bow, the handle is 4" - 4 1/2" total length, half of the handle is 2" - 2 1/2" above center line and the other half is the same below center line.  If that is the case then how can you have the arrow rest only 1/2", 1" or 1 1/2" above dead center?  The math doesn't compute.  
Does that mean, gentlemen, that you are really working on an asymetrical bow?

[Jack Skinner]

I am sure there are techo wenies on this site that will be able to explain this for you. I build self bows so how they feel in the hand (ballance) and how they shoot ( where I am looking) is important to me. Hand shock not so important.

In my above post where I shoot. The 1 to 1.5 is that my upper limb is 1 to 1.5 inches longer than my lower limb. This moves the handle down if you will and actually the arrow then passes closer to center than a bow with the limbs of equal length. So my bows are not symetrical. This is the way in Bowyers Bible 1 that a yew longbow was laid out. I have always liked this style of bow and have used this method for years.

Not arguing which is better limbs same length or upper limb longer. I have built bows of both types and just like the way the longer upper limbed bows feel in my hand (ballance).

So if I am envisioning this correctly with the handle laided out with the upper limb 1 inch longer than the lower. Your hand covering the 4 inch handle. And if you are shooting a rest or shelf as close to your hand as possible your arrow passes approx 1.5 inches above center. So then if using limbs the same length it would pass approx 2.5 inches above center.

Could be wrong I try not to think this hard and just build and shoot bows much more fun than thinking.

[Roy Steele]

CRISTOPDERO sorry about that.

 JACKSKINNER sorry also, I ment I've made bows with the handle centered.But like you I like the upper ;imb an inch longer.And have built my bow this way for years.

[Jack Skinner]

No need to apologize Roy. If I sounded callous in my reply I owe you an apology.

[UnderControl16]

Thanks everybody!

[Bob Sarrels]

1 and 1/4 inches above center.

[aklongbow]

Question, what if you are 1.5 above center and the upper limb is now 1.5 " shorter, what will this do to your arrow flight, speed etc