New to Asian archery, where to start?

David_Hurst · Post by **David_Hurst** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 12:44 pm

Well, that clears everything up!

No, I would not think that a thumb ring would be any more a release aid than a tab or glove. It is still the hand and the digit/s that are directly contacting the string and controlling the release. I do want to learn to use the ring/thumb release, but I would want to do so with a bow that is historically appropriate to the technique. If it is, perhaps, a shorter bow that can be difficult to master, so be it. "Difficult" does not mean impossible...it just means having a good focus and dedication to putting the work in.

All very interesting, thanks folks for the information!

Bede · Post by **Bede** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 10:48 pm

Regarding Roman thumb rings, the principle example cited is the partial ring found at Dura Europus, a Roman outpost against the Persians. The archaeological information was recently republished and re-evaluated. Despite the author's suggestion, I feel that there is no strong evidence for the date of the ring nor its association with the Roman levels.

Roman literature has direct references to rings much later during the Byzantine period. The rings found in Britain have usually proved not to be archer's rings at all.

The many rings appearing for sale are at best Byzantine of the later period and in many cases early Turkish from the Balkans. Without preempting a study that is to be published in the near future, I can say that there is some evidence for modern reproductions being sold online.

Stephen is also right, many people shot without a ring or with only a leather tab. These practices did not leave archaeological traces. Both practices are mentioned in the contemporary literature.

While there are definite advantages to using a thumb ring with a shorter bow, many large bows were used with the thumb release. Short bows themselves have more advantages from their portability than anything else. Many longer bows were used by horse archers as well.

Stephen Selby · Post by **Stephen Selby** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 3:43 am

Another thing: a number of modern thumb-draw cultures don't wear a thumbring; but they do build up the string below the nocking point so that discomfort from cutting by the string is minimized.

That leads to an additional piece of advice when learning thumb draw: your serving at the nocking point will be bulkier than you may have been using with a three-finger draw. A thicker string gives a smoother release than a thin string (with or withour a thumbring), which offsets any slowing of the bow caused by the (minimal) additional weight of the serving.

S

David_Hurst · Post by **David_Hurst** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 4:35 am

Lots of good information in this thread. Thanks!

I only wish that I could shoot before buying, but that's the way it goes I guess.

Stephen Selby · Post by **Stephen Selby** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 9:30 am

I've got these fiberglass Chinese-style take-down bows that we've been developing in Beijing. They're around 35# and cost US$150. Because they're take-down and light they're dead cheap to ship. Not the acme of archery technology, but a cheap way to dip your toe in the water.

Send me a PM if interested (you or anyone else.)

S

Hyarmendacil · Post by **Hyarmendacil** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:49 am

What's the possible range of draw weights for these low-cost fiberglass bows?

Stephen Selby · Post by **Stephen Selby** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 1:25 am

Hyarmendacil wrote:What's the possible range of draw weights for these low-cost fiberglass bows?

We make them like the old Ford cars. You can have any weight you like as long as it's 35#.

Two reasons: one is that they are for learning and we don't want people learning Asian archery on heavy bows because they always develop a bad technique that way. Second, these are a new design and we are not confident about how the take-down structure (no screws: just slotted) would stand up to heavy draw-weights.

S