Finget tab problem

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help me. I'm retired person who has just come back into Field Archery after over 40 years of being away from the sport. I'm finding that my index finger hits the top edge of the tab and is causing a fair amount of pain and is causing a callous.

I've been looking for tabs that give a wider index finger cover (? word) but the only ones I can see are at the cheaper end of the market and I'm afraid I can't afford the top end.

So what I'm wondering is the a make out there that woudl give me what I want or where can I buy Cordovan off cuts or an alternative to Cordovan, to make my own tabs.

Thanks
Craigrostan
 

Stretch

Well-known member
Without a photo or reference to the specific tab it’s hard to recommend anything specific. If it is a mainstream tab then there is a good chance you could fix the issue by adjusting your hook or your elbow position. Or you could move to a tab that doesn’t have a plate over the top of the finger. The anchor pad is on the other side of the plate - like the AAE/Cavalier Elite. The Elite may be a bit pricey but there are other tabs that look *remarkably* similar!

You definitely can make your own. Sourcing aluminium or brass sheet is easy enough. However, getting good cordovan that is suitable for archery is less easy and most leathers are just unsuitable. There is a seller on ebay at about £11 per face but my experience was that the codovan was very dry and too stiff. After soaking with various leather softners and then drying out again to remove surface excess it is a decent face. Suede backing can be bought pretty cheaply on ebay too. So... making your own probably isn’t the cheap path unless you fancy it for fun. If you can source good quality cordovan for not too much cash you are onto a winner!

Other tab bits like separators can be pinched off other tabs or modelled from something like Miliput or Sugru (Or sugru over milliput etc).

Stretch
 
Thanks for the replies guys, its very much appreciated.
Currently I'm using an Avalon Classic HD Brass. I'll give both suggestions a go over the next few months, once I've saved the pennies :).
 

Stretch

Well-known member
Is the issue just that the tip of your finger is contacting the leading edge of the platform? Looking at that tab I’d contact the ledge too. Try just filing it down until you have clearance. Or just take the ledge off and make sure it solves the problem. Also make sure that the finger separator is not angled upwards. You want it to be 90 degrees to the plate or a little down (In my opinion).

Just because a tab comes with a ledge doesn’t mean you have to use it. I don’t use the ledge on my tabs.

Tab looks OK to me - a basic AAE Elite/Fivics copy. Cordovan would be better :p

Good luck

Stretch
 
D

Deleted member 7654

Guest
Brass? platform? Ledge?
Just cut out some old shoe leather and make an old school tab... archery doesn't need to be complicated or expensive (unnless you want to hit the target to the point of boredom :ROFLMAO: )
Del
 

Stretch

Well-known member
Just cut out some old shoe leather and make an old school tab... archery doesn't need to be complicated or expensive...
You have LEATHER shoes?! :eek:

No it is a fair point but it depends what you want out of it. if you are happy hitting the target that is different from someone who is happy if they hit the yellow, or ten, or whatever denomination your centre has. (And of course you cash-flow circumstances).

I’ve never used shoe leather but I have used random off cuts. The problem was always that you spend a month shooting it in, then it lasts three months, then the performance drops off, then you realise why you are shooting crapola, then repeat the cycle. YMMV, it depends on how lucky you get and I was shooting 46# or so when making my own tabs from scraps.

That is why cordovan is so popular. Good cordovan lasts for years of high volume shooting. It will never shoot badly because it will get thin to the point you get sore fingers before it structurally breaks down. Unfortunately good cordovan seems to have quadrupled-plus in price.

It was easier to recommend a tab when good tabs were a tenner or less. £100 tabs are a bit obscene... like many archery gadgets As they don‘t actually perform any different. Spending significant chunks of cash to find it a good tab but a bad fit.... :poop::mad:

Stretch
 
Is the issue just that the tip of your finger is contacting the leading edge of the platform? Looking at that tab I’d contact the ledge too. Try just filing it down until you have clearance. Or just take the ledge off and make sure it solves the problem. Also make sure that the finger separator is not angled upwards. You want it to be 90 degrees to the plate or a little down (In my opinion).

Just because a tab comes with a ledge doesn’t mean you have to use it. I don’t use the ledge on my tabs.

Tab looks OK to me - a basic AAE Elite/Fivics copy. Cordovan would be better :p

Good luck

Stretch
Hi! Stretch,
No, it is the middle of the first knuckle. I've removed the finger spacer, the pinkly doo dah and the thumb ledge, but my finger still tends to sit right on the top edge of the index finger part.
 
You have LEATHER shoes?! :eek:

No it is a fair point but it depends what you want out of it. if you are happy hitting the target that is different from someone who is happy if they hit the yellow, or ten, or whatever denomination your centre has. (And of course you cash-flow circumstances).

I’ve never used shoe leather but I have used random off cuts. The problem was always that you spend a month shooting it in, then it lasts three months, then the performance drops off, then you realise why you are shooting crapola, then repeat the cycle. YMMV, it depends on how lucky you get and I was shooting 46# or so when making my own tabs from scraps.

That is why cordovan is so popular. Good cordovan lasts for years of high volume shooting. It will never shoot badly because it will get thin to the point you get sore fingers before it structurally breaks down. Unfortunately good cordovan seems to have quadrupled-plus in price.

It was easier to recommend a tab when good tabs were a tenner or less. £100 tabs are a bit obscene... like many archery gadgets As they don‘t actually perform any different. Spending significant chunks of cash to find it a good tab but a bad fit.... :poop::mad:

Stretch
I'm in complete agreement with you here. Back in the late 60's, early seventies, you just got basic tabs, or you got hairly little things :) and they were good enough for the average archer. Now they seem to push high end gear where it isn't really needed. Surely there is a market for those of us on low incomes that just want to throw arrows at a target and that are never or don't want to be the Olympic champions. I'm to old to compete with these kind so have come back in just to have pain free fun.
 

Stretch

Well-known member
Hi! Stretch,
No, it is the middle of the first knuckle. I've removed the finger spacer, the pinkly doo dah and the thumb ledge, but my finger still tends to sit right on the top edge of the index finger part.
Ok, so *if* I am picturing this correctly the issue is that the leather does not align with your top finger. So it is the string causing pain? Apologies I thought it was the tab plate itself.

It may be that the finger leather is too narrow, nothing you can do about that - alas no possible to glue cow back - but you could make a face for this tab with other leather. Anything around 1.5 to 2mm thick as long as it is reasonably pliable. (Olive oil can be used to soften leather if you don’t have anything like Neatsfoot oil in the house).

If the leather is wide enough but just doesn’t align you need to move the finger loop down on the tab. So that could be extending the hole for the spacer down on the plate then doing a bodge to stop it moving. Or you could continue without the separator and just move the finger loop down... or even retro fit with 2 or 3 elastic finger loops (like the AAE KSL) which might keep the tab lower if you line the top loop up with the top finger.

HtH

Stretch
 
Ok, so *if* I am picturing this correctly the issue is that the leather does not align with your top finger. So it is the string causing pain? Apologies I thought it was the tab plate itself.

It may be that the finger leather is too narrow, nothing you can do about that - alas no possible to glue cow back - but you could make a face for this tab with other leather. Anything around 1.5 to 2mm thick as long as it is reasonably pliable. (Olive oil can be used to soften leather if you don’t have anything like Neatsfoot oil in the house).

If the leather is wide enough but just doesn’t align you need to move the finger loop down on the tab. So that could be extending the hole for the spacer down on the plate then doing a bodge to stop it moving. Or you could continue without the separator and just move the finger loop down... or even retro fit with 2 or 3 elastic finger loops (like the AAE KSL) which might keep the tab lower if you line the top loop up with the top finger.

HtH

Stretch
Yes, that is the issue, sorry for not being clearer about it.

I can't move the finger loop, and feel that it is the leather that isn't wide enough. So what I've done to get round the problem is to get my hands on some leather, ok its not cordovan but it is close grained and will allow me to test my theory. I traced around the tab that I'm currently using an Avalon HD Classic and using the close grains stuff for the outer and just a plain leather for a backing, and have made a tab with a wider index finger area. Well see how she performs tomorrow morning up at the course.
 
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