brace height
I have a bow whose length is 56" unstrung when measuring with a straight line tip-to-tip. What would be an appropriate brace height for it?
Before I had the brace height at about 5", but a friend warned me that the angle between the string and the notch in the siyah was too shallow --- there would be a risk of the string ends inadvertently sliding out if the limbs were to bend forward during a shot. Now I have it set to 6.25" and the angle between the notch and the string seems to be a right angle. But I had to twist the string 23 times to achieve this height.
Before I had the brace height at about 5", but a friend warned me that the angle between the string and the notch in the siyah was too shallow --- there would be a risk of the string ends inadvertently sliding out if the limbs were to bend forward during a shot. Now I have it set to 6.25" and the angle between the notch and the string seems to be a right angle. But I had to twist the string 23 times to achieve this height.
Hello Justin Ma,
What bow is it? A brace height of around seven inches is about average but things can affect this measurement, like a really set back grip etc. It sounds like your string is too long, you should only need a few twists. Any more and the string loops at either end will begin to twist as well which is not desirable.
What bow is it? A brace height of around seven inches is about average but things can affect this measurement, like a really set back grip etc. It sounds like your string is too long, you should only need a few twists. Any more and the string loops at either end will begin to twist as well which is not desirable.
It's this bow: http://www.alibow.cn/cp/html/?5.html
It has a set-back grip, so I wonder if it's okay to have a lower brace height. At 6.25" from the center of the grip (23 twists), the string ends are twisting, which is something that worries me.
It has a set-back grip, so I wonder if it's okay to have a lower brace height. At 6.25" from the center of the grip (23 twists), the string ends are twisting, which is something that worries me.
I would brace it the way that the pictures you show had it braced. At those angles the string does not appear to be in any danger of slipping sideways past the ears and unstringing during a shot (which is always unpleasant if not dangerous).
I prefer to string my bows at about 7" brace height. It makes it so that I do not need to wear a arm gaurd to protect from string slap. At 5-6 inches I sometimes get a nasty string slap.
The loops seem a little too short for the length of the ear though. The siyah/ear commonly parts the loop and helps force the string to track properly as the limb snaps forward. When the loop is to short it can encourage the string to squirm sideways around one side of the ear (which can cause bow reversal).
Have you made your own strings or are you buying them with the bow? I advise people to get a spool of dacron string or other bowstring material ans make their own strings. It can save you a lot of money on strings.
I prefer to string my bows at about 7" brace height. It makes it so that I do not need to wear a arm gaurd to protect from string slap. At 5-6 inches I sometimes get a nasty string slap.
The loops seem a little too short for the length of the ear though. The siyah/ear commonly parts the loop and helps force the string to track properly as the limb snaps forward. When the loop is to short it can encourage the string to squirm sideways around one side of the ear (which can cause bow reversal).
Have you made your own strings or are you buying them with the bow? I advise people to get a spool of dacron string or other bowstring material ans make their own strings. It can save you a lot of money on strings.
Ah, I had seen that bow around before, how does it perform?
Re: brace height: I know that a lower brace height makes the arrow go faster. On my Hwarang and Grozers, I have the brace height as low as possible with the string they provide.
Judging from the photos, my instant thought was that you could lower the brace height a little. But the bowyer knows his creations better than I do, he probably has good reason for having it like that.
Re: brace height: I know that a lower brace height makes the arrow go faster. On my Hwarang and Grozers, I have the brace height as low as possible with the string they provide.
Judging from the photos, my instant thought was that you could lower the brace height a little. But the bowyer knows his creations better than I do, he probably has good reason for having it like that.
Okay, so I did some remeasuring of my previous brace height, and it turned out to be 5.5". Not as low as I thought. I'm using the string that came with the bow, which actually has larger loops than what is shown in the picture.
I like the bow. I got it with cobra skin limbs and a ray skin handle. At the previous brace height it shoots fast and has little hand shock. Still getting used to it, as it is my first 45 lb bow.
Based on what I'm hearing, I lean towards reverting back to 5.5" because (1) I have to twist the string severely to get it to 6.25"; (2) during the forward snap, the bottom end of the string loop against the siyah will probably prevent the string from slipping out of the notch; (3) the bowyer probably had a good reason for including the strings he did.
I like the bow. I got it with cobra skin limbs and a ray skin handle. At the previous brace height it shoots fast and has little hand shock. Still getting used to it, as it is my first 45 lb bow.
Based on what I'm hearing, I lean towards reverting back to 5.5" because (1) I have to twist the string severely to get it to 6.25"; (2) during the forward snap, the bottom end of the string loop against the siyah will probably prevent the string from slipping out of the notch; (3) the bowyer probably had a good reason for including the strings he did.
"...the bowyer probably had a good reason for including the strings he did."
I agree heartily. Bowyers usually have the product all figured out before they bring it to market, being that frustrated customers are not repeat customers.
Ray skin is really great stuff! I covered a sinew backing with tanned ray skin once. It is supper tuff stuff, but the bow performed below my standards so I recycled it. I can't remember what I did with the rayskin strips.
Shark skin is great stuff also. I would prefer a rawhide rayskin or sharkskin though.
I agree heartily. Bowyers usually have the product all figured out before they bring it to market, being that frustrated customers are not repeat customers.
Ray skin is really great stuff! I covered a sinew backing with tanned ray skin once. It is supper tuff stuff, but the bow performed below my standards so I recycled it. I can't remember what I did with the rayskin strips.
Shark skin is great stuff also. I would prefer a rawhide rayskin or sharkskin though.
I have just bought korean Kaya bow 48 inch 55lb which is nearly the same like Hwarang . I have original string with it but just thinking about if anybody of you could advice me the best brace height for this type of bow ? If I should turn around the original string a few times or leave it how it is ? thanks
I'm surprised that there seem to be quite a few bows being sold without important information like brace height. A bowyer near me always provides the correct string for the longbows he makes, including a string keeper and the optimum brace height. Other info like max draw and weight per suggested draw length are marked on the bows.
Many replica Asiatic bows are listed with this info but the important thing to remember is these bows are mass produced. I have Turkish and Hun bows by Grozer, the strings provided would struggle to achieve the brace heights he suggests. There again, the spare strings I asked for were a different length, which suggests there is an element of trial and error. I have found the same with my Kassai Hun which had no brace height info but a fellow club member has the same bow.....You guessed it, different string lengths.
OK, these are fairly minor matters if you know the correct brace height, making a new string is not too difficult but it's still a nuisance and bad form by the supplier.
The main point to remember is the string should not be wound so much as to resemble a rope, a few turns is all that's required. There should be no evidence of the string loops twisting.
Many replica Asiatic bows are listed with this info but the important thing to remember is these bows are mass produced. I have Turkish and Hun bows by Grozer, the strings provided would struggle to achieve the brace heights he suggests. There again, the spare strings I asked for were a different length, which suggests there is an element of trial and error. I have found the same with my Kassai Hun which had no brace height info but a fellow club member has the same bow.....You guessed it, different string lengths.
OK, these are fairly minor matters if you know the correct brace height, making a new string is not too difficult but it's still a nuisance and bad form by the supplier.
The main point to remember is the string should not be wound so much as to resemble a rope, a few turns is all that's required. There should be no evidence of the string loops twisting.
You are right Ordha but I hoped that anybody is shooting Whal/Wharang/ or Kaya bow and could tell me his optimal brace height in inches
I have a Hwarang from Thomas.
I find a brace height of 5.25-5.5" ideal
I have suspect the bow is designed so the string lies close to the right side, meaning a left-hander finger-shooter like my self has way less Paradox to contend with.
The bow is spooky fast and quiet.
It and my Mind-50 have become my 'go to' bows of choce
I find a brace height of 5.25-5.5" ideal
I have suspect the bow is designed so the string lies close to the right side, meaning a left-hander finger-shooter like my self has way less Paradox to contend with.
The bow is spooky fast and quiet.
It and my Mind-50 have become my 'go to' bows of choce