Traditional Bow Tuning Tips

Some archers don’t realize that you can tune a traditional bow. The simplicity of the stick and string is more than it appears to be.They put the string on their bow and start shooting. When their arrows fly in several directions for no apparent reason, they don’t understand why.An un-tuned bow and/or arrow can have a variety of effects on your shot.Some get lucky and their un-tuned equipment will simply shoot high, low, to the left, or to the right.Other, or I should say most, archers with an un-tuned bow and/or arrow will get totally erratic arrow flight every time they shoot.Shooting with un-tuned archery equipment can be dangerous and cause serious injury to you and those around you.

The truth is that you CAN tune your traditional bow and it’s very easy. To simplify it even more we will separate the bow tuning process into easy-to-follow instructions.The following instructions are a collection of methods for tuning your traditional bow and equipment.These methods were acquired by means of research and personal experience.It is important to remember that tuning your equipment is not a fast process.To tune your equipment properly takes time and patients.This process may take days and at times even weeks, but the rewards will show in the bulls-eyes.

BREAKING IN A NEW STRING

If your bow-string is new, you will need to break it in before you begin a tuning process.A new bow-string will stretch, giving you various results as you go through the tuning process.This makes it impossible to properly tune your bow.To break in your new bow-string, you will need to shoot at least 100 arrows from your new string.(Never dry fire your bow)This will stretch your bow-string and prepare it for the tuning process.

TUNING YOUR BRACE HEIGHT

Brace height is the measured distance between the center of your arrow rest to your string.You should tune your brace height when you get a new bow and/or when you get a new string.By tightening or loosening your string you are adding or reducing the amount of stress applied to the upper and lower limbs of your bow.As you tighten your string (adding twists) your brace height increases.As you loosen your string (take more twists out) your brace height decreases.

Your string is what causes vibration and therefore it is what causes noise. Too much noise could be the difference between a successful hunt and going home empty handed. By adjusting your brace height you can control the amount of noise your string may cause.

Start by taking all but a couple twists out of the string. Shoot an arrow from your bow and feel for the vibration and listen for the noise. Now put a couple more twists in your string and try it again.The noise and vibration should be reduced.Repeat this process until the noise and vibration start to increase. Once the noise and vibration start to increase; take a couple twists out of your string so that you have minimal vibration and noise.That is your optimal brace height.

Now that you have found your optimal brace height, you will need to be able to find it again without going through the entire process each and every time you string your bow. To do this you should measure your brace height by measuring the distance from the center of your arrow rest to your string.Keep a record of your brace height so that you can refer back to it later or as needed.

Jason Albert - Rasher Quivers