Ask The Experts
Send in your questions. YOUR questions. Not his. Or hers. Or theirs.
Q
For cutting arrows, can you use one of those small cutters that are only about £7 from Amazon. They are about five inches high, they cut from 3mm to 22mm? I had an old one and tried it with an old arrow, even though the blade was a bit blunt it cut straight but at the end of the cut it would have needed a little rub with sand paper but with a new one it should be OK? Thanks for some advice please!
A
I am not familiar with the tool as described, although searching for it, it looks like a small pipe cutter. It does sound like an interesting and very cheap option, which we are all for here at Bow.
But there are a few important questions. Firstly: can the tool cut a set of arrows to identical lengths – that is, to within fractions of a millimetre? This is a vital consideration, as archery is all about consistently good quality, not just in the shot execution, but in your equipment too. The second consideration is this: if the shaft does require sanding afterwards, does that imply there could be sharp bits left behind, which may cause injury when removing arrows form the target? (It almost certainly rules out using it on carbon or composite arrows.) Lastly, the cutting in these devices is as achieved as a result of applying pressure to the shaft. In an ordinary, expensive arrow cutter, it’s achieved by spinning the blade at very high speed, so very little pressure is needed. So the question is this: could the amount of pressure required to cut the shaft actually deform it, either during the cutting resulting in an uneven cut, or permanently? If I was, say, a barebow field archer who expects to lose or destroy an aluminium arrow or two each time I shoot (coughs, looks around) and I’m sure that my arrows won’t hurt anyone handling them, then I might be tempted to give it a punt, applying common sense where necessary. But for target archery at the top end, I’d probably want to stick with the right tool for the job: an arrow cutter designed for the purpose. I have never seen a tool like this for sale in a UK archery shop, and there might be a good reason for this: precision archery requires precision tools.
MARK BROWN
Thanks to Graeme Storey for the question.
"PRO TIP: ALWAYS ERR ON THE SHORTER SIDE WHEN SELECTING A STABILISER LENGTH"
Q
I know choosing stabilisers is down to personal preference but I don't have the money to try out ten or eleven different lengths or types. I get the basic principles but it's really hard to know what works and what doesn't because sometimes I second guess myself. How can I make this process simpler and/or cheaper?
A
This is a great question! I’m going to assume you aren’t able to shoot with people in person (whether practice or a tournament) or have a pro shop that will let you test stabilisers nearby (because if you did, that’s where I’d start to get a quick first impression of what you like or don’t like). Eliminating that as an option, let us start with the basics. Remember the purpose of a stabiliser is to steady the bow during the shot and reduce vibration of the shot upon release. When selecting a rod, these two goals can be a bit at odds with one another, so I would suggest deciding which is more important to you.
Some archers prefer a setup that provides the greatest dampening effect. You may have heard someone going with this approach say the shot felt “dead” or “very quiet.” Typically, stabilisers that provide the greatest vibration reduction are on the weaker end of the spectrum. In general terms, this usually means you can put less weight on the rods, which can mean the bow does not hold quite as well when aiming.
The other side of the coin is a very stiff rod. These stabilisers are designed so you can load up a lot of weight on the ends without a problem. However, as you may have guessed, the downside is you will likely have less dampening, feeling more vibration each shot. There are top archers in both camps, so you can’t really choose wrong, its what works best for you.
Now let’s consider length of the stabiliser. I always recommend starting with a “typical” setup to save time and money. On the compound side, I’d recommend a 12” side rod (15” if your drawlength is over 30”, 10” if under 25”) and something in the 28-32” length for a front rod. If you are a recurve archer, I’d recommend starting with something in the 26-28” length for a front rod, and 10-12” vbars. It’s important to note, every company is different in how they measure the length of their rods, so a 14” from one manufacturer might actually be equivalent to a 15.5” from another.
The final consideration, especially for recurve archers in my experience, is the physical weight of the rod. Stiffer and longer rods tend to be heavier, while weaker and shorter rods tend to be lighter (there are always exceptions to the rules). For some, the weight of the rod means little, especially if they are putting a large amount of weight on the rods. However, if you are someone putting just a few ounces on each rod, the physical weight of the rod can have a huge impact, with a lighter rod giving you more configuration combinations of weights you are able to try.
In summary, start by trying to borrow a set of rods you can try on your bow for a few arrows. If that is not possible, ask yourself if you want a weaker or stiffer rod (some manufacturers make both), then pick a length, and finally check the physical weight of the rods. In the end, there will be trial and error, so don’t be afraid to buy used rods or sell those you might have tried and didn’t like.
My pro tip: a shorter rod with more weight can provide the same balance as a longer rod with less weight. Also, a shorter rod is easier to handle in windy conditions. So my advice is always err on the side of shorter when selecting a stabiliser length.
CRYSTAL GAUVIN
Thanks to Dom Manley for the question.
Q
I'm still struggling to understand recurve tiller. I get that the limbs need to work together and be balanced. How do I know where the right spot is though?
A
There are two particular facets of recurve preparation which are often neglected by the newcomer to the sport who has possible competitive ambitions: the importance of tiller set(t)ing, and secondly the front of centre point weight situation, as regards their choice of arrows.
The tiller is the measurement from where the limb is locked into the handle, out horizontally to the string, and logically there are two tiller measurements for the top and bottom limb.
On a compound bow these tillers are set equally, what is termed zero tiller, because the arrow is despatched from a string loop and a one point release directly behind the nock. This means that the limbs are drawn back in unison to anchor, and function or release in harmony. However this is not the case with a recurve bow, because the archer shoots with a three finger hold, with one above the nock and two below. The index finger above the nock generally has some percentage of the draw poundage, but the second finger is the primary agency while the ring finger has a much lesser role. Overall then, clearly the bottom limb is receiving the bulk of the draw, and consequently if a recurve bow is set at zero tiller, then the bottom limb will reach anchor out of sync with the top limb. Obviously the bow is then not functioning in perfect harmony, either during the draw or upon release.
As a result a tiller adjustment much be made to recreate that balance, by decreasing the tiller measurement on the bottom limb marginally, in effect increasing the poundage on the bottom limb fractionally, so that the limbs draw back in unison.
How much of course is relative to the length of limbs being utilised: whether 66, 68 or 70 inches, and the bow’s poundage.
Elite Olympic level shooters will make minute adjustments to this tiller situation and have the experience and feel to find a sweet spot where the bow draws and shoots best.
For the less experienced recurver, being aware that an adjustment is necessary is the primary concern. I shot a 66 inch bow and my tiller measurement on the lower limb was a quarter of an inch. So allowing for a touch more for a 68 or 70 inch bow a ballpark assessment will give the newcomer a positive shooting bow, which can be finely more tuned, as their experience level advances.
The second contingency is equally critical, and having appropriate point weight on a correctly spine shaft can make a huge difference to your scoring potential. This is determined by what us termed “front of centre”. The arrow needs to be balanced not at its mid point but at a spot close to 15 per cent towards the point end of the arrow. An arrow with a deficit of point weight will fly with the pile end elevated above the fletched end, and as a result, is prone to perform erratically, especially in the wind.
In the other extreme, with an excessive point weight the arrow is attempting to fly while it is in a virtual downhill position, once again leading to a poor flight pattern and a decrease in cast. Having the arrow perfectly balanced via a harmony between point weight and front of centre, very clearly yields consistent flight and an optimum chance of maximum scoring.
The world’s best recurvers spend considerable time and attention of these specific details. They will make tiny adjustments to brace height, to nocking point positioning above square, to tiller, to every aspect of arrow preparation, front of centre, point weight, fletching, and they have the experience to register by feel, and also by testing their groupings with various set ups, to end up with a superb harmony between bow and arrow.
The club shooter, and especially the newcomer, does not have that sense feel in their armoury, but must be aware nevertheless that these parameters will eventually become very important. At the very least, make ballpark assessments in set up and tuning procedures. In this way the bow, arrow relationship may not be quite at the level of perfection an Olympian operates under, but is certainly close enough to provide a very positive, functioning match between bow and arrows.
If you are new to this information then take the time to check out tiller and front of centre specifically, because it can make a marked difference to your scoring level if your bow and your arrows are working in positive partnership.
ROY ROSE