[English Longbow] Using a bowhand glove

Simon Banks

Active member
I've been shooting my longbow for a few weeks now and whilst I did get a few cuts and nicks initially I "seem" to have got to a point where I am happy with the nock height.

Question I have is is there anything more to a bow glove other than to stop the feather cuts when the arrows is loosed?
 

Tuck

New member
It stops you getting a quill injection if the fletching becomes detached at the front, very painful.
 

DavidH

New member
I've never really had the problem until I reserved the string and changed the nocking point a bit. Bought a glove weeks ago then lost it then found it then lost it again;) I'm using a piece of tape right now but probably an Elastoplast or similar in the right place would do the trick. I know exactly the spot, its where I've nicked my forefinger around a dozen times!
 

Simon Banks

Active member
Yes I resorted to a plaster after I noticed my arrows were covered in blood..
I had measured the nocks from the top of the grip and not we're my hand/rest was going.. (Quarter of an inch higher)..
Seems another piece of equipment which is not mandatory..

Funny thing is as the long ELB archer at my target club everybody expects me to wear gloves..

Exciting weekend coming up.. Sat am off to my local field archery club..
Sun am shooting at my first official target competition.. Interesting to see other ELB in action.. You know I've never seen one shot at 100 yards.. :)
 

ghound

Member
Yes I resorted to a plaster after I noticed my arrows were covered in blood..
I had measured the nocks from the top of the grip and not we're my hand/rest was going.. (Quarter of an inch higher)..
Seems another piece of equipment which is not mandatory..

Funny thing is as the long ELB archer at my target club everybody expects me to wear gloves..

Exciting weekend coming up.. Sat am off to my local field archery club..
Sun am shooting at my first official target competition.. Interesting to see other ELB in action.. You know I've never seen one shot at 100 yards.. :)
What's the comp Simon?
 

English Bowman

Well-known member
I've been shooting my longbow for a few weeks now and whilst I did get a few cuts and nicks initially I "seem" to have got to a point where I am happy with the nock height.

Question I have is is there anything more to a bow glove other than to stop the feather cuts when the arrows is loosed?
It stops you from instantly noticing if your hand position has changed or nocking point has slipped.

It stops you from cutting the arrows to your draw length and then using the feel of the pile coming onto your hand as a draw check.

I don't use a glove, and never will. If your equipment is well set up, and well maintained you won't get a problem with the feathers cutting your hand, and the extra feel is invaluable to me.

As for feathers getting detached at the front, a simple check of the arrow before you shoot it will stop that being a problem. If the arrows are made properly then it's very unlikely anyway.
 

Simon Banks

Active member
Ghound, am at the Crowthorne nationals doing a short..
Also out doing field for the first time on Sat.

Will take some tape in my back just in case ;-)
 

ghound

Member
Ghound, am at the Crowthorne nationals doing a short..
Also out doing field for the first time on Sat.

Will take some tape in my back just in case ;-)
Never shot a short national but it looks a good one to start on 50 and 40yds, first longbow shoot i done was a BLBS albion, sort of tossed in at the deep end on that one!
Good luck with it!
 

Simon Banks

Active member
I wish I had the confidence/skill to do that, only took up longbow a couple of weeks ago and haven't quite got the stamina for 50lbs yet. So I am find myself constantly judging myself at barebow performance so I need to be careful about overtraining. Thus my emphasis at this point is focus on the fun (hopefully ).

Less is more in this case..

Sometimes I think that I think to much to be an archer..;-)
 

DavidH

New member
It stops you from instantly noticing if your hand position has changed or nocking point has slipped.

It stops you from cutting the arrows to your draw length and then using the feel of the pile coming onto your hand as a draw check.

I don't use a glove, and never will. If your equipment is well set up, and well maintained you won't get a problem with the feathers cutting your hand, and the extra feel is invaluable to me.

As for feathers getting detached at the front, a simple check of the arrow before you shoot it will stop that being a problem. If the arrows are made properly then it's very unlikely anyway.
There speaks a real longbow man. You are of course absolutely right about the feel of the pile. A good bead of glue on the end of the fletch should stop it lifting, but there again how many of us check our arrows regularly enough
 

Simon Banks

Active member
Do you have to use the start of pile for a draw length reference point or can you mark the shaft so you can feel it? (e.g. with notch, glue or thread?) I would be concerned I'd miss it and end up with an 50lb arrow though in my hand ;-) I guess my piled are over an inch long so that would be quite some increase to draw length.
 

DavidH

New member
I have never cut my arrows to the correct length and wish i had the confidence to do it, like you I always allow an inch too much
 

Bald Eagle

New member
I designed a finger stall that fits onto the index finger of the bow hand, shaped like a Bishops Mitre. The arrow rests on it to stop any injury and does not interfere with arrow flight. I take my leatherwork to field shoots and have sold loads of these. 50 p is cheaper than a glove!!!
 

ghound

Member
I wish I had the confidence/skill to do that, only took up longbow a couple of weeks ago and haven't quite got the stamina for 50lbs yet. So I am find myself constantly judging myself at barebow performance so I need to be careful about overtraining. Thus my emphasis at this point is focus on the fun (hopefully ).

Less is more in this case..

Sometimes I think that I think to much to be an archer..;-)
It wasn't confidence simon, i had just joined the BLBS and that was there first shoot on the calender so i just went with it.

I was catching my finger at first with the arrow, but i found as my form settled it stopped happening.
 

Raven's_Eye

Active member
Ironman
It stops you from instantly noticing if your hand position has changed or nocking point has slipped.
Incorrect, though it does stop you noticing the nocking point via a sting/cut on your finger, it can be seen with a score mark on the leather of the glove. As for hand position they way the bow feels in your hand should do that a glove should have no bearing.

It stops you from cutting the arrows to your draw length and then using the feel of the pile coming onto your hand as a draw check.
Again incorrect, I use a glove and my arrows are cut to size. If the arrows are correctly cut to size then as long as you are consistent in pulling them back you shouldn't need to feel the pile. It worries me seeing archers pulling arrows so the pile starts to come past the wood and onto their fingers, and then they ease off so it goes back, to me this isn't right. Also with the fact that a friend of mine who also uses a glove can feel the edge of the pile on his knuckle.

I don't use a glove, and never will. If your equipment is well set up, and well maintained you won't get a problem with the feathers cutting your hand, and the extra feel is invaluable to me.
True, I use mine though because I prefer reduce the chance of cutting my fingers.

As for feathers getting detached at the front, a simple check of the arrow before you shoot it will stop that being a problem. If the arrows are made properly then it's very unlikely anyway.
I personally whip mine so the chances of it detaching are slim to none.

I all depends on what glove you have I suppose, if you have a full glove on your bow hand then yes it makes feeling the pile archers/impossible. the one I have is in effect a leather loop around my first finger and thumb where the leather goes between the knuckles, so my hand and fingers are still exposed.
 

WillS

New member
I think they're a tad daft, but that's just my personal opinion of course! The more stuff you have between the bow and yourself the less feedback you will get. It may be fractional, but for those worried about scoring it's probably a big deal. There are archers who spend hours slaving away over perfectly matched arrows then wear leather everywhere so they can't feel the bow responding.

I used to get chunks taken out of my knuckles when I started, despite whipping all my arrows, but after a while it healed and calloused up nicely just like my shooting fingers (I can't stand tabs or gloves for anything under about 70#) and now isn't a problem.

There's a guy who sometime shoots with us who has all the gadgets, from bowhand glove to extended bracer, tabs with bits of plastic in, different quivers for different arrows.... And about once a month he has to skip a week of shooting because his bowhand glove is pinching or something and he can't carry on. The idea of not using it is so abhorrent to him, and yet the solution is so simple. Take a cut or two if you have chunky arrows or a dodgy nocking point, and in a week or two you won't notice it.

Yelling "grrraaaaarrggghhhhh!!!!" on every shot helps too, as it channels your inner warrior and puts everybody else off.
 

WillS

New member
It's funny actually, I can never feel the feathers pulling bits of my hand off (when they used to!) but I'd walk up to the target and all my feathers would be bloody, or there'd be streaks along the shaft.

The one argument I've ever heard that actually makes a bowhand glove seem at all worthwhile is the old story of somebody getting a complete feather quill forced into the knuckle, but it's either an old wives tale (I've heard it from about 5 different people!) or the result of really, really badly made arrows.
 
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