Thumbring technique

Orda Khan · Post by **Orda Khan** » Thu Oct 07, 2010 8:41 pm

I find a leather ring very nice to use but not a horn one. It feels so unsafe by comparison, sliding on the string and such. Anyone else find or found this? The leather ring does such a good job I'm wondering if it's worth bothering, the release feels crisp and clean enough.

Ashbow · Post by **Ashbow** » Thu Oct 07, 2010 9:47 pm

Hello Orda, my experience is very similar. A well fitting leather tab does the job very well. I have also found now that I can shoot with the bare thumb pretty comfortable with the bows say up to about 60 #, of course not a lot of arrows. I was actually quite surprised I can manage that as I didn't practice the bare thumb at all and I was not able to draw the bow more than half the way with the bare thumb when I was shooting the three finger way only. Seems that using the leather and hard rings made my thumb skin tough enough to bear the strain.
Where did you get your thumb ring from, what's the shape? Do you have problems with the string sliding down the lip on the pad of the thumb or the other way, sliding behind the ring itself?

About the hard rings, I'm sure a well fitting hard ring is a pleasure to shot, but it can be a hassle and it can take a lot of time to get or made one that is really properly shaped and fits you, the matter is not made simpler by the fact that we have a lot different types of rings to choose from, and each one can work in a different manner.
My opinion now is that one should first get the feel for the thumb draw and its mechanics and that it's best done with the leather tab, better still having a proper coach at hand, what is unfortunately not always possible, only after getting some experience one is actually able get to understand, and that doesn't mean understand fully, the shapes and design of the various thumbrings.
An ill fitting ring can harm you, as well as you won't be able to develop your technique well, thus I think it's important to learn to shoot first before you start playing around with hard rings.
Saying that I think that making and trying all the different types of hard rings gives one a lot of pleasure so it's definitely worth the effort just for the sake of it.
My advice to those just starting and desperately wanting to get a thumbring would be against being tempted to buy any of the sort that you can't try yourself on, I've been there myself. There is plenty of thumbrings sold around at different archery stores or such, but unfortunetelly most often the seller doesent really know enough and the rigns can be next to useless.

Justin Ma · Post by **Justin Ma** » Thu Oct 07, 2010 10:09 pm

Ditto. These days I use a hard leather tab tied by a lace ( http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~jtma/chines ... 11_web.jpg ). It's not the prettiest thing, but it's functional and inexpensive.

Getting or making a custom, perfectly-fit rigid ring turned out to be either too expensive or too time-consuming for me. During the process of searching for the "right ring" (instead of starting with a basic leather tab), my thumb sustained all manner of injury, which delayed my development as an archer by several months.

Orda Khan · Post by **Orda Khan** » Fri Oct 08, 2010 4:29 pm

Ashbow, you are spot on. Far better to concentrate on technique, consistency and such. The rings I tried were Korean style, either made or purchased. Even then there are subtle variations and Justin mentions how labour intensive it can be to fashion something that doesn't suit. The sliding I found was both along the string and slipping towards the lip. Clumsy, most probably me, but I can honestly say I prefer to feel the string. I'm doing ok with my release so I can't really see the point in changing. Well, there will always be curiosity of course

but I'm happy enough. Coaching would be very nice, I agree.

Justin, mine is similar, the tab thins and extends to the back of my thumb and is tied there. Five minutes with a piece of scrap leather and perfectly effective.

daryush · Post by **daryush** » Fri Oct 08, 2010 5:39 pm

I use boiled leather thumb rings. I leave a piece of leather to soak for a while (I tend to leave it overnight, but I think 2 hours will do ... I was in a rush and have just done some in 2 hours). They are easy to make and you can make the fit as you like it, and because it is boiled leather, they function similar to a horn one.

Daniel · Post by **Daniel** » Fri Oct 08, 2010 7:45 pm

Recently I made my first "hard" thumb ring out of water buffalo horn. To my surprise it came out really well

It is however whole lot different experience to draw the stronger bow (#65@32") with one comparing to laminated leather tab ring I have been using ever since I first started my thumb draw jurney.
Anyway I totally agree with you guys: one should take time, start with light to medium draw weight bow and leather tab, very slowly progressing to hard material rings.

Pikkuhannu · Post by **Pikkuhannu** » Thu Apr 07, 2011 12:00 pm

I buy this hungaria hand made thumbring, never seen same, even i try to search.

Very good release, but string hit in my thumb and can?t use long periods.

Pikkuhannu · Post by **Pikkuhannu** » Thu Apr 07, 2011 12:03 pm

Few more pics...

Any advice how i can make this better?

Bede · Post by **Bede** » Fri Apr 08, 2011 12:49 am

Technically, there are a lot of problems with that ring. The lip is too short for your thumb which explains why you are being hit by the string. It is also too short to sufficiently distribute the pressure of the bowstring over the pad of the thumb. There is so much material in the ring part that I wonder if this ring did not start out as a different ring, more of a deep Korean archer's ring.

You could fold over a piece of leather to cover and extend the lip to protect your thumb. There is a group of lipless bronze rings that may have been used this way. Your ring has enough material in the ring section for the hole to be enlarged so that the leather tab does not make it too tight. I have seen a leather and metal ring made like this used by a Mongolian archer a few years ago.

Pikkuhannu · Post by **Pikkuhannu** » Fri Apr 08, 2011 10:19 am

Thanks Bede.

I try some leather, maybe i can use this somehow.
Hole must enlarge and shape.

I have another "normal" thumbring, which works great.

Weird, this ring suppose to be made by Hungarian bowmaker T?th...

Bede · Post by **Bede** » Sat Apr 09, 2011 12:37 am

He was probably experimenting and may have produced a ring that worked perfectly for a particular technique. There are many variations in thumb size and how comfortable the person finds bending the thumb. Some makers concentrate on making replicas and others like to experiment. Many do both.