Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: bradsmith2010 on February 16, 2022, 06:08:59 pm

Title: brace height
Post by: bradsmith2010 on February 16, 2022, 06:08:59 pm
  ok I usually brace to bow as low as possible to get good arrow flight,, or the sweet spot shooting through a chrono,,
   this last year I was shooting quite a bit,,,, and had a bow that I braced higher than normal,,
it seemed more forgiving with arrow spine and I had less string slap,, in my mind I was stressing the limbs more to achieve that,, was it worth the tradeoff,, im not sure,, but was thinking of making a bow a bit longer than conventional for my draw,, to be able to brace it higher without straining the limbs,, thoughts???
Title: Re: brace height
Post by: Pat B on February 16, 2022, 06:52:51 pm
I usually use my fistmele for brace height on most of the bows I build but sometimes slightly higher to clear fletching.
Title: Re: brace height
Post by: Pappy on February 17, 2022, 09:09:00 am
I usually brace mine between 5 1/2 and 6 inches, seem to be optimal for me as far as arrow flight/speed and string slap but I know several that brace them higher and have seen no real bad effects from it. I know on the glass bows I use to shoot i always went with the top end of the brace , it was smoother /quieter and move forgiving, lower had more noise , not as forgiving in arrow spline but faster, all about trade off I guess.
 Pappy
Title: Re: brace height
Post by: Marc St Louis on February 17, 2022, 09:15:55 am
It depends a bit for me but at least high enough to clear the fletching on the arrows
Title: Re: brace height
Post by: BowEd on February 17, 2022, 09:39:17 am
To the point of good clean arrow flight.That usually for me is around 5 and 1/2" to belly of handle.Too low and the arrow nock is on the string yet as it's paradoxing making it kick bad.
After tuning my shoot shafts I've gone as short as 3" fletching,but usually 4" so fletching is always cleared.
Title: Re: brace height
Post by: Happy Grandpa on February 17, 2022, 11:56:45 pm
Here is an interesting page on brace height by Bob Lee bows. These are fiberglass bows but still an interesting page.
https://bobleebows.com/brace-height-fistmele-settings/
Title: Re: brace height
Post by: Selfbowman on February 18, 2022, 01:03:29 am
About 6” for me. A tad lower for flight.
Title: Re: brace height
Post by: Kidder on February 18, 2022, 02:07:24 am
It makes sense that higher braces bows will be more forgiving - the angle of the arrow to the rest is reduced thereby reducing the paradox. What I’ve also heard anecdotally as well is that with woods prone to violent explosion like ERC it’s actually easier on them to brace a little higher. Anyone have thoughts on that and why it is, if so?
Title: Re: brace height
Post by: bownarra on February 18, 2022, 04:07:56 am
Higher brace decreases arrow speed but makes the bow less spine sensitive. Gain here....lose there! Speed or accuracy or a combination....up to you :)
Leaving your arrows 5 or 6 inches long will have the same effect on spine sensitivity though.....you then lose your arrow speed as the shaft weighs more.....gain here.....lose there.....
Basically experiment until you find what you like.
Title: Re: brace height
Post by: bassman211 on February 18, 2022, 06:58:20 am
No lower than 6, and up to 6 3/8 inches on some bows except for horse bows. Speed is a non issue for most hunters.  Quiet counts if you are hunter.  Speed, and distance counts it you are a flight shooter. Just play with brace, and find out what  works best for you over all.
Title: Re: brace height
Post by: neuse on February 19, 2022, 08:31:27 am
Does everyone measure from the lowest part of the grip?

Which would be a different measurment from a flat grip.
Title: Re: brace height
Post by: Selfbowman on February 19, 2022, 04:07:44 pm
I do . But that’s another can of worms.🤠
Title: Re: brace height
Post by: Will B on February 19, 2022, 04:40:09 pm
I measure brace height from the throat (lowest part) of the grip and usually brace my bows at 6” to 6-1/2”. I shoot 5” shield cut fletching so with this brace height the feathers are not touching the bow at brace. Any less brace and I seem to get some wrist slap.
Title: Re: brace height
Post by: Selfbowman on February 19, 2022, 05:30:09 pm
I measure brace height from the throat (lowest part) of the grip and usually brace my bows at 6” to 6-1/2”. I shoot 5” shield cut fletching so with this brace height the feathers are not touching the bow at brace. Any less brace and I seem to get some wrist slap.
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I do the same with my 5” fletchings .
Title: Re: brace height
Post by: bownarra on February 20, 2022, 02:21:12 am
No lower than 6, and up to 6 3/8 inches on some bows except for horse bows. Speed is a non issue for most hunters.  Quiet counts if you are hunter.  Speed, and distance counts it you are a flight shooter. Just play with brace, and find out what  works best for you over all.
Why not go for speed and low noise ;) totally possible. In fact a fast bow with no vibration(loss of efficiency) will be quiet too. Thin strings will make a big difference to bow noise. Of course accuracy is a whole bunch easier when you don't have to account for excessive drop. When trying to hit a spot.....speed is a huge factor in vertical accuracy....same deal as I was saying about stacking/energy storage.
Title: Re: brace height
Post by: BowEd on February 20, 2022, 08:14:28 am
Exactly!! There's really no reason why you can't have both.
When a bow shoots point of aim dead on dead in the hand at 40 yards with a 10 grain arrow.You've got a fast bow. :OK Another way I test bows.
You can shoot a heavier arrow dead on for more momentum/KE at closer range for hunting.

I personally bow my wrist a bit while shooting to avoid wrist slap.High brace/low brace.It only occasionally happens but really overall does'nt matter.It does matter on arrow flight though as I said earlier.

There's a reason they make and sell bracers.

It seems everyone gets into their own way of making handles/gripping the handle/drawing and releasing the bow for accuracy that suits them.
Title: Re: brace height
Post by: bassman211 on February 20, 2022, 04:35:21 pm
When you brace a bow at the sweet spot you do have both. Next time you shoot your favorite bow drop the brace an inch even 2 ,and shoot it through a chrony. See how much speed you pick up. With proper brace height I get no wrist slap.  I shoot self bows like I shoot glass recurves. In a v with the thumb ,and index finger. Never a problem with string slap, but we all have our own way of shooting . Anchor has a lot to do with point on distance. You can shoot a low anchor with a lesser bow, and expand your point on distance. I still have to gap at 30 yds. with a 35lb. bow shooting a 350 gr arrow. You just have to find out what works best for you.
Title: Re: brace height
Post by: bradsmith2010 on February 20, 2022, 06:03:35 pm
I shoot my bow with a bent wrist,, so everything slaps me,  :)
Title: Re: brace height
Post by: George Tsoukalas on February 22, 2022, 09:50:58 am
I brace my bows as low as possible to not get string slap or arrow slap and usually that is 7 to 7.5 inches as measured to the back of the bow. Jawge
Title: Re: brace height
Post by: bentstick54 on February 22, 2022, 05:40:34 pm
My straight handle selfbows seem to favor around 7-3/8” to 7-1/2” from the back of the bow. Converts to about 6-1/4” to belly of the handle.
Title: Re: brace height
Post by: freke on February 23, 2022, 05:54:04 am
 
Is there any thumb rules how much to reduce brace height from optimal accuracy to optimal speed (switching between target to flight)?
Title: Re: brace height
Post by: aznboi3644 on February 23, 2022, 09:03:44 am
I’ve braced some of my 46” short bows as low as 4” and don’t get any slap.  I do shoot with a slight bent elbow and turn my wrist out. 

But usually I brace my bows long or short bows around 5-5.5”
Title: Re: brace height
Post by: Selfbowman on February 23, 2022, 10:02:23 am

Is there any thumb rules how much to reduce brace height from optimal accuracy to optimal speed (switching between target to flight)?

I haven’t broke enough records to figure that out yet! But it’s more important to get clean arrow flight for sure. If you can’t hardly see the arrrow coming out of the bow then I would say your close. 🤠🤠🤠
Title: Re: brace height
Post by: bradsmith2010 on February 23, 2022, 03:25:59 pm
you will still need great arrow flight to get best speed,,
so as you lower the brace,,too much you will see bad arrow flight and reduced speed,,, you went to far,, raise height till the arrow flight is good and maximum speed is achieved,,

at that point the bow is very sensative to your release,, and a bad release with effect arrow speed and flight,,

as you raise the brace the bow is more forgiving of your release,,,,