The Grip!!

[Hank]

As mentioned on the Hill Birthday thread, I rotated my hand slightly on my homemade longbow and the difference is night and day. This grip has a flat spot that runs the entire vertical length of the grip, apprx 1/2" and a slight hump.

Before, arrow spine seem super critical and tab thickness and material seemed critical, as well. Now many different spines fly great, and tab material and thickness doesn't make as big as a difference.

The deeper you get into this, the more you realize Hill was right when he said the secret lies in the hands.

[Feral Donkey]

Take some pictures so we know what you're talking about. How are you rotating? You rotating out like a compunder would grip the bow or are you rotating it in, straight up and down with the grip?

[PAarcher]

Yeah, I need a visual.

[Hank]

Looking down, you would rotate the hand clockwise around the bow... not out like a compound shooter.

[longbow billy]

Hanks got it on the grip. Find the right one and tourqe & tension is gone. Hand is totaly relaxed and it takes almost nothing to steady the bow before, during, and after the shot.

[Feral Donkey]

Looking down, you would rotate the hand clockwise around the bow... not out like a compound shooter.

You mean looking from top tip to bottom tip you rotate your wrist and hand forward towards the back of the bow in a clockwise direction?

[rwsbow]

Hank, if I'm wrong correct me but maybe this will explain it to those who have trouble visualizing it...

Walk up to a chain link fence post ..with your fingers loose and open,put your hand against it as if it were a bow...now,pick up your foot nearest the post and transfer your weight onto the web of your hand and the meaty part of your thumb pad..fiddle with your grip position until your weight seems stable and solid..then, just loosely wrap your fingers around the pole (bow)..try to replicate this with your bow. There will be a spot where your hand does not move left or right (clockwise or counterclockwise) or up or down (web only or heeling the bow)That is your neutral spot..specific to you..

Doing this will find "YOUR" neutral spot in the grip...the place where YOU will torque the bow the least (hopefully not at all)..
everyone's may be a little different because of hand/wrist/shoulder skeletal and muscular configuration..but it should find the spot for YOU!

No doubt Hank has got it right,and it takes playing with, but it works if you take the time to find it and ensure you try to repeat it until it becomes natural...

[PAarcher]

Roger, I think that's one of the best "how to" descriptions for getting a proper grip that I have ever heard. I knew we kept you around here for something!

[rwsbow]

Hank and I were talking on the phone the other day and how he described his grip was how I envisioned what I just typed. You know, sometimes you have to interpret people who lean towards the "savant" side of life.

[PAarcher]

You know, sometimes you have to interpret people who lean towards the "savant" side of life.

Boy do you have me pegged! You forgot the idiot part though.