Korean bow grip material

jonesj26 · Post by **jonesj26** » Sat Jan 03, 2015 4:25 pm

Can anyone tell me what type of foam is used on the handles of Korean bows, and where I might get it? I just bought a Grozier bow that I love EXCEPT for the hand shock.

Orda Khan · Post by **Orda Khan** » Mon Jan 05, 2015 7:52 pm

Mine just looks like high density foam.

jonesj26 · Post by **jonesj26** » Mon Jan 05, 2015 7:56 pm

Thanks, Orda! I figured they didn't use something too unusual, but was wondering if it was something specific, like neoprene. For now I've just wrapped the grip with really thick buffalo hide. Ugly, but it helps some. Still would like something with a little better shock absorption though.

Bede · Post by **Bede** » Sat Jan 10, 2015 4:43 am

Old bows sometimes had folded up paper wrapped in string. I have one like that. Others used similar packing but wrapped more elegantly in velvet. New bows usually have close celled hard foam, but strangely they very much like the old bows in the hand.

jonesj26 · Post by **jonesj26** » Sat Jan 10, 2015 4:40 pm

Bede,

Interesting about the newspaper. I guess that kind of practicality shouldn't surprise me. The bottom line, I suppose, boils down to "whatever works".

Cheers,
Jack

Mule · Post by **Mule** » Sat Jan 10, 2015 7:52 pm

Maybe you should consider wrapping the grip in tennis grip tape. Some of them are designed to specifically absorb hand shock

jonesj26 · Post by **jonesj26** » Sun Jan 11, 2015 3:57 pm

Mule,

That's a good idea. Hadn't considered that.

Bede · Post by **Bede** » Mon Jan 12, 2015 1:34 am

The paper was quite thick traditional paper, a bit tougher than newspaper. I have used tennis racket handle material in the past and it works well. Many modern Korean bows have a rubber covering with semi hard little points all over it. I was told it was to massage the hand. If you don't like the rough feel, deerskin suede is a good cover.

rtvn · Post by **rtvn** » Mon Jan 12, 2015 8:47 am

My first idea was cork. You can find it in about 1 mm thickness. Easy to glue in layers on the inner part of the grip to get the desired shape and the final layer around the entire grip to fix it finally in position. A very natural material

Bede · Post by **Bede** » Tue Jan 13, 2015 2:51 am

Both natural and traditional. Cork oaks grow in Korea and the Manchus probably imported it for the cork handles on Manchu bows.