Archerytalk

Looking for a recommendation

2023.04.27 17:14 jakethegreat4 Looking for a recommendation

Morning all,
Its just starting to get nicer here (CO) and I was thinking about getting out to the range, as I am due for a couple of tags this fall I think. I was looking at my bow (Mathews Icon) and figured it's time for a new string, then remembered a handful of y'all (might have been the bowhunting sub) recommended looking at year-to-two year old flagship models at pawn shops/archerytalk, etc.
I don't even know what is out there- I'm short (5'7", want to say ~26" draw) but don't have a problem with pull weight, my mathews has been set at max (I think 75#?) since I was a teenager. Used a tab for a long time, switched to a release probably around 2009/2010. Haven't shot much since I EASed, been busy with school/work/family stuff.
Any recommendations for bows to look at? I was thinking about just running into a local store to put hands on a few, but I'm not even sure what to look for. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
submitted by jakethegreat4 to Archery [link] [comments]

2022.11.27 17:34 fneuf Recommendations for a 2nd year beginner looking to buy own equipt. - Target Recurve

Hello there,
I'm in my second year of archery, using the club material. First year was a thrill, practiced at distances from 10m to 50m indoor and outdoor (always on targets). 18m being the usual training distance indoor and 30m outdoor. I was completely enjoying the -basic- setup (entry wood, basic sight, central stab) and by the middle/end of the year it was fun to compete with older archers and there pricey equipments, did a few tournaments. Above all, in comparison to other newbies on wood or aluminium, my setup was pleasingly mostly silent.
Second year, new round of lended equipment. Sadly, I have lost the fun factor. The whole bow makes strange noises at each draw. I need to retighten the visor screws every other time, etc. Early october my 26# limbs have broken and the only limbs compatible they still had in stock is 24#, so not going in the right direction. Anyway, weeks after weeks I seem to progress getting the hang of this material, but it's mostly a massive pain. I'm clearly still trying to come anywhere near with my level from last year. Time to end that agony!
>> I'm a left sighted archer (right hand holding the riser), draw of 28", using 26# limbs and a finger tab. Based in EU (FR).
Ideas of a setup :
25" Riser
I know it's an older model, heavily recycled, but can't help but to digg the look of it, definitely in blue. And well, if it has been so much copied and reused, there should be some good in it :) On a side note, most of the beginnemid-ranger aluminium risers feels too "baroque" for my taste.
Limbs
I'm interested in Uukha SX-50 (380€), but tend to consider this is far over the roof at the moment, while I still probably be changing limbs # in the future. I would like to find some budget minded option, allowing me to evolve withouth exchanging a kidney. Most of all, I would like something without heavy logos: subtle and discrete, like plain mat black would be awesome (one of the non-technical reason I was looking at SX-50).
Sight
I would tend to favorize the Arc-Système, as this is locally made and has quite a reputation. I'm also told this Shibuya model is hardly sourcable at this time.
Arrow Rest
I was originally in favor of the Shibuya due to positive feedbacks here, but I'm told it is too thick and would probably interfer with some arrows. Again, local Arc-Système could be an easy solution. For the rest I see many references, likely all using the same 2 or 3 principles, but all very difference price points. So I'm a bit lost there.
Berger
Stab
Again, I would favor the local manufacturing, and additionaly their products are quite stealth looking but Arc-Système's range is wild, not really sure of the best iteration for my case. Their "X" models are telescopics, this looks like a major plus to play and tinker.
The questions
Obviously the grand total of this list (and it is still missing arrows, cases, string, clicker, etc) is way higher than what I was expected. But if I'm going to jump in owning my equipment I prefer to get a solid basis, which I can use for multiple years without to rebuy "everything". As the anglo-saxon saying goes, buy once, cry once. Moreover, a setup that I would aesthetically like to hold is a big plus. I'm also keen to think that higher quality material would be easier to resell, should there need be, like if I end up missing time to practice.
But anyway, a buck is a buck, so if you feel some of those equipment do not hold great in the price/quality ratio please jump-in. Any comment or advice is welcomed.
Thanks to have read this so far!
submitted by fneuf to Archery [link] [comments]

2022.10.11 01:24 North-End6812 Alternative Archery store

Has anyone bought equipment from the before? The site isn’t the cleanest looking but their prices are exceptional and I can’t find any bad reviews.
That being said I also can’t find many definitive reviews about them period, besides an older thread here from 2015 and a few archerytalk forums.
I’m willing to wait a few weeks for the equipment especially when it saves $300+ compared to Lancaster prices even with international shipping, but only if I can guarantee it’s legit.
submitted by North-End6812 to Archery [link] [comments]

2022.09.09 05:02 Knikkz Ever had this bow issue?

Last winter I bought a used bow from Archerytalk, an Elite Ritual 33. Came in phenomenal condition with fresh strings, got my dropaway set up, all sighted in and shooting good groups. Put a couple hundred arrows through the set up. All of a sudden, my arrows started hitting the rest. Took a couple more shots and happened more consistently. Took it to shop, tried to make a couple quick adjustments, no dice. Left it there overnight for tech to work on. Discovers cracked cam spacers and ultimately a bent cam axle. They’re working on getting a new pair of axles and new spacers from Elite, but just wondering if anyone else has had an issue like this? Is it just bad luck? Haven’t heard of this being a common issue.
submitted by Knikkz to bowhunting [link] [comments]

2022.04.28 10:06 onlyknife1 Your Complete Guide To Kitchen Knives – Choose The Right One

Your Complete Guide To Kitchen Knives – Choose The Right One
​
Your Complete Guide To Kitchen Knives
What’s all the fuss about kitchen knives? Don’t they all do the same thing? These are some of the things we’ve come across in our research, and loads of people are genuinely unaware of the correct answers to these questions. The studies we compiled showed that the general population doesn’t know and, quite frankly, doesn’t care about what type of kitchen knives they have.
“It’s not something that I’m concerned about,” said one of our interviewees. The problem with such thinking is that it dismisses the truth in one sentence. The truth is that it DOES matter, and it can make your life so much easier in the long run. A blunt kitchen knife is quite dangerous, and it’s even more dangerous than a sharp blade.
The type of knives you buy or the way you take care of them are all critical factors in the safety of your fingers and the protection of your wallet because, let’s face it, who wants to continue buying kitchen knives every year? No one, and so you end up using the same old knife for yonks. We hope to change this, so here’s your complete guide to kitchen knives.

Kitchen Knife Types

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Kitchen Knife Types
There are tons of different kitchen knife types, and it’s important to know what they are first because you’ll need to choose the right one.

Chef’s Knife

The traditional chef’s knife is a long upward curved knife with a sharp pronounced point. The blade is very long to make it heavier and more efficient at cutting a vast amount of food.

Bread Knife

Bread Knife is primarily self-explanatory, but for those that are not aware, there’s a knife that has the sole purpose of cutting bread. It has a viciously serrated blade that can tear through bread with little to no pressure on the bread, meaning that you don’t squish the bread to death when you slice it.

Cleave Butcher Knife

These knives seem to appear in quite a few movies, and they’re known for their square-ish shape. They carry a lot of weight and are brilliant at cutting meat. Usually, these knives are very sharp and shouldn’t be used on bones, but some can. For bones, we recommend a pure boning knife.

Vegetable Knives

These come in several different shapes and sizes, but the notable ones are the Japanese Santoku and Nakiri knives. These are masterful vegetable cutters and work effectively for chopping, slicing, dicing, and mincing. These knives can turn hours of vegetable chopping into a couple of minutes with the proper technique.
There are many other types like paring, carving, peeling, and filleting knives, to name a few, but these are the main types that you should try to get your hands on. We would say that each household should have at least three or four of these knives.

How To Choose Kitchen Knives

There’s more that comes into play when buying a good kitchen knife than you think. Unfortunately, it has nothing to do with what the knife looks like on the outside. You can have the most beautiful knife, and it can still be utterly useless when it comes to performance. The materials that make up the knife will be vital to determine whether or not the knife is worth buying. This is kitchen knives explained.

Steel Quality

In any kitchen knife buying guide, you’ll most probably find that there’s a huge emphasis placed on the type of steel used in making the blade of the knives. Most chef’s knives are made with high carbon German steel, which is very durable and has decent edge retention.
Edge retention is how long the blade stays sharp. This is the top feature when considering how to choose a chef knife as well as other knives. The vegetable knives are usually made from Japanese steel, which is incredibly hard and retains its sharpness for ages.
They are immensely sharp and can cut effortlessly, saving you time and energy when slicing and dicing. Japanese steel is not as durable as German steel because of its increased hardness. It is prone to chipping and denting if used on anything other than vegetables, especially something with a hard surface.
Check to see if the steel is genuine or if it is low grade. Most well-known brands use the highest quality materials making their knives the best, although they are more expensive.

Handle Material

The other main thing to look at is the type of material used in the handle. Almost any guide to kitchen knives would talk about the handle. A handle needs to offer maximum support for the blade and have a strong, comfortable grip.
Wooden handles are the toughest and most durable, whereas plastic handles have been known to crack and split. The handle should have a full tang instead of a partial tang. The tang refers to how much of the blade extends into the handle. A full tang extends from the blade to the end of the handle.
A full tang offers a great deal of strength to the knife as well as brilliant balance. The full tang is best accompanied by wooden material like pakkawood or pear wood. These are water-resistant when treated with resins and are resistant to corrosion.
You can find knives with a continuous design where the blade is shaped into the handle in one continuous piece of steel with no extra handle material. These knives usually are lighter and very strong because they have no added pieces that could potentially break off.

Making The Move

Make sure that you know what you need before going ahead and buying a knife. Take a moment and check what you have in your kitchen already and then decide if they are in good enough condition and if not, then replace them. Invest in buying a couple of different blades because you cannot use one knife for everything.
Each knife has its particular purpose, and you need to respect that; otherwise, you’re going to damage them and need to buy new ones often. Take care of your knives and don’t abuse them; don’t put them in the dishwasher even if they are said to be dishwasher safe. Because this will damage them and maybe even cause them to start rusting. Please wash by hand and then dry them soon after.

Final Thoughts

This information can be done away with, and you might manage to cope, but if you take it on board and follow it, then your complete guide to kitchen knives will have served you a fountain of good advice that will save you money, time, and effort as far as the kitchen goes. Keep discovering and researching because having more knowledge won’t hurt you.
It’ll only help you to make better decisions in the future. When it comes to knives, you don’t want to risk going cheap because it can end up harmful in the end. Remember, blunt knives are more dangerous than sharp ones, so keep up to date on the condition of your blades and don’t neglect them. Getting lazy with maintaining your knives will mean rust and corrosion, which is not suitable for anyone.
submitted by onlyknife1 to u/onlyknife1 [link] [comments]

2022.04.28 05:29 robomartion That crawler photo is not from the Resistance 3

That crawler photo is not from the Resistance 3
CONCLUSION: THIS TRAIL CAM IMAGE IS A PHOTOSHOPPED PHOTO OF A DEER
LATEST EDIT: My best guess of what this photo is someone caught a deer looking weird in their trail cam they decided to further photoshop it to make it look like a humanoid or they just crouched down and took a photo of themselves. The latter doesn't make sense because if you look at the exact dimensions of each photo one is 1705x1279, the other is 1797x1348 and the scale has been changed. Why would the same trail cam give you two photos with different dimensions and scales if they weren't edited. Even if you just look at the details of the 'crawler' there is no shadow beneath it. It's in a crouching position meaning it would have disturbed the ground beneath it but you can see the exact same stick in front of it. Nothing about this photo is even remotely not fake. I'm also questioning why I am even doing this. But some people are adamant this is a real image..
https://i.redd.it/s6i0tbyn60y81.gif
This is the source of the Resistance 3 theory. And the original story is here and here. The grim from Resistance 3 has 6 eyes and looks very different to the photo. This seems to be where the photo first appeared. It seems to have appeared on the news from a .mil (military) email address and the photo that was aired had a different date on it to the forum post. This youtube channel also analyzed if it was really edited with Photoshop and decided it wasn't. Can anyone who knows more elucidate us, and anyone who has seen a crawler in person verify if that's what they look like?
There seems to be some sort of lead to the Stuart House Recordings
A Kossack member Needs your Help (dailykos.com)
edit: this photo is definitely fake. Even if you don't buy that it is photoshopped, there shouldn't even be a high resolution version of the photo because it was supposed to have been taken on a trail cam.
OK second edit: even though nobody would give me any evidence for it this photo was indeed created with AI using a program called Remini. The photo I was using was too dark for it too work. You need a bright version of the image for some reason for it to do anything. I played around with it and you basically just get random outputs with varying quality.
using original image
using brighter version
Actually created with an AI program called Remini
I don't know how I missed this original before. The fact everyone said this is exactly what they look like when the photo is fake is not really supporting the case. I don't think the crawler is real people. Just a mish mash of fictional stories from throwaway accounts on reddit, with personal anecdotes people had as children, and real life sightings of dogs and deer, swans and pelicans (the sounds). There is also a pandemic of sarcoptic mange (a mite) in black bears which makes them skinny and lose their fur and also makes them smell like rotting flesh. Also the Rake which was called Operation Crawler, and was identical to the Crawler was also a fabrication. This is what a mangey bear looks like:
https://preview.redd.it/ta9yhq0pedw81.jpg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1d69c07dae97a71bdba2bb71bec481de5c93be10
submitted by robomartion to CrawlerSightings [link] [comments]

2022.04.23 12:21 onlyknife1 How Do Japanese And German Knives Compare – To Get The Best Quality

How Do Japanese And German Knives Compare – To Get The Best Quality
How Do Japanese And German Knives Compare
Knife manufacturers take every opportunity to use Japanese and German Steel in their knives because these are the highest quality steels that you will find. All of the top-notch knives in the industry come from either German or Japanese origin. In the early 1900s, knife makers in Japan began making “super hardened” knives that were sharper than any other type of blade in the world.
They effectively created the perfect knife until they realized that with increased hardness comes more brittleness. German steel manufacturers took these learnings and applied them to their steel industry by decreasing hardness and increasing carbon strength, keeping the blade sharp without brittle characteristics.
They weren’t ever able to achieve the same unrivaled sharpness as the Japanese steel, but they came reasonably close. Knives nowadays are always constantly changing, and new better types of blades are surfacing, like ceramic knives that don’t rust at all. So in the modern age, how do Japanese and German Knives compare? Let’s dive into some of the details that differentiate these two types of knives.

German Knives Vs. Japanese Knives

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German Knives Vs. Japanese Knives
What makes these knives different? Is it just the design or maybe the shape? When talking about knives from different times and different parts of the world, you have to look at them from a particular standpoint and determine which aspects make these knives what they are.
Here we will look at four key factors that compare these Japanese and German knives in a significant way. We will take the standpoint of German steel vs Japanese steel and the significant factors, which are hardness, edge retention, durability, and maintenance.

Hardness

The keys to unlocking a knife’s potential all lie within the grasp of steel hardness. The Rockwell hardness rating or HRC is a measure of how hard the steel is, and that is what we will refer to when trying to understand hardness better. The scale ranges from 0 – 100, and it is simply based on a scale to help understand.
So if you were to scale the HRC of a diamond, you would see 100. But the actual hardness would technically be 16 times that, which is HRC 1600. So that is why we use this scale to rate steel hardness. German steel ranges from HRC 54 – 58, and Japanese steel ranges from HRC 58-62. HRC 54 and below are considered very soft steel types, and anything 60+ is considered very hard.
Here you can see that Japanese steel is a lot harder than German steel. So when we compare knives, the first thing we’ll do is find out what the hardness of the steel is and that will give us an accurate idea of what we should expect. The hardness rating will affect all three of the other factors that we’re going to look at.

Edge Retention

The hardness rating directly affects the edge retention of the knife – how long the blade stays sharp. Edge retention is necessary because it shows how long you can use the knife before sharpening it. Constantly having to sharpen a knife is a hassle, and it can damage the blade if you don’t know the proper technique for sharpening. Edge retention goes up as the hardness of the steel goes up.
Think of it this way; when you use a knife to cut something, the tip of the blade touches the surface of the item being cut. And if it is a hard enough surface, the tip will slowly break away on a microscopic level. So the harder the tip, the slower it will break away and therefore won’t need to be sharpened for long periods.
Japanese knives have unparalleled edge retention due to their extreme hardness, whereas German Knives don’t last that long. Japanese blades are usually also ground to a smaller bevel edge angle than German knives, which makes them superior in sharpness as well. The harder the steel, the finer the angle on the edge of the knife.

Durability

Durability and edge retention often confuse people because they think they’re the same thing. However, that’s not the case. Durability speaks about how easily the blade will break under pressure. All Blade edges fade away and become dull with time, but durability should be a constant factor that doesn’t change.
The durability of a knife is inversely related to edge retention. So when the hardness of the knife increases, the durability, instead of going up as in the case of edge retention, decreases. The harder the steel, the less durable it is. Japanese knives are known for this lack of durability because they are so hard.
Hard steel is brittle and prone to denting and chipping if used on a hard surface like bones. German steel is made with high amounts of carbon to make it sharp but is mixed with other materials that make it softer so that it’s incredibly durable. That’s why most vigorous activities are done with German knives – you would seldom find Japanese outdoor knives with a hardness rating of above 58.
Many high-end chef’s knives are made with Japanese steel because they need the sharpest knife for their work, whereas lower-end home knives would be made with German steel to boost the durability and strength of the knife.

Maintenance

This point goes for several different factors, such as safety, storage, and cleaning procedures. German knives have a high rust resistance factor because of the extra elements mixed into the steel, so you don’t usually have to worry about rust. Japanese steel is slightly more prone to rust and corrosion. So you need to take care of how you wash these types of knives.
Japanese knives are also tender and easier to damage, so you should never place them in a dishwasher; you should always clean them by hand and dry them by hand as well. But to be frank, I’d suggest you wash any good knife by hand if you want it to stay good. You should do this for all sharp knives just as a good practice but especially for Japanese knives.
Japanese knives need to be stored in a safe location where they won’t be banged around; a knife block is the best option. If you have an outdoor type of knife made from German steel, you’ll still want to make sure that you have good storage and ensure that the knife stays inside a sheath.
Japanese knives shouldn’t be used to cut hard surfaces like frozen meat or bones because they can damage the blade. And so you should research what types of food the knife was meant to be used on.

Final Thoughts

These are the main features that compare Japanese knives and German Knives. There are slight differences in the manufacturing processes between the two. But that doesn’t affect the outcome to a significant degree. What is mixed with the steel is what has the largest impact on the performance of the steel. There are hundreds of different types of steel.
Among the German and Japanese steels, several subcategories of several other varieties are still called German or Japanese steel. So when someone asks, “how do Japanese and German knives compare?” You can tell them all about it and even more because there is so much to the knife industry that we haven’t yet shared.
submitted by onlyknife1 to u/onlyknife1 [link] [comments]

2021.12.28 04:41 Knikkz Maintain older bow or upgrade?

Currently shooting a 2010 Hoyt Alphamax 35. I’ve only been bow hunting for a couple years now. My bow needs new strings at a minimum, and I’d like to upgrade the sight and maybe the rest (I stand by the whisker biscuit but want to see the hype of a dropaway). This adds up to a few hundred $$ pretty quickly. I’ve done enough hunting at this point to realize it’s something I’m sticking with (been rifle hunting for 15 years). That being said, is it worth upgrading my old bow or upgrade to something newer? Finding a lot of good deals on bows on archerytalk/etc.
submitted by Knikkz to bowhunting [link] [comments]

2021.12.07 18:07 Character_File_914 Archerytalk 101 Podcast #6 - How to determine your Dominate Eye and dra...

Archerytalk 101 Podcast #6 - How to determine your Dominate Eye and dra... submitted by Character_File_914 to u/Character_File_914 [link] [comments]

2021.11.08 04:57 Kohawk66 Scent Control tote

Anybody ever make their own scent control tote for their clothes? The instructions linked below seem simple enough and I’m thinking about just using a ton charcoal pods purifying bags. Seems easier (and cheaper than the alternative)
https://www.archerytalk.com/threads/diy-scent-free-storage-tote-for-less-than-20.1537291/
Conversely, anybody have the official scent-crusher or similar style product that swears by it? If it’s worth it I can see buying one down the road, but would love to know that it’s actually worth it.
submitted by Kohawk66 to bowhunting [link] [comments]

2021.10.11 03:07 notfarenough ILF Dymondwood Riser Build-a-long (part 4 - Final)

Edit: for those of you who have not followed these posts, I tried (and was able) to build a complete olympic format (International Limb Format or ILF) riser at home. I hoped to document the process, which I more or less was able to do.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
The riser is complete now. First the pics, and then some final remarks:
Side
Side
Front
As far as construction, this is the last and final edition, and I realize that I've provided quite a bit of detail on materials, and little on dimensions. I'll try to wrap it up and put a 'bow' on it.
Final assembly, and a few lessons learned:
Sanding and Finishing:
Dymondwood comes in a lot of colors and is used for pen blanks and duck calls and a few other specialty items. It's dense heavy and according to the manufacturer- nearly waterproof. There is an older material called 'Actionwood' which was much higher in phenolic content and could be finished without a sealepoly, but reportedly the factory burned down and actionwood does not machine well. Dymondwood cuts well on a table saw using 4-6 tpi blades but blade life is still low- maybe one blade per riser. It will also sand to 1000 or higher grit, but it does not pick up any luster on its own. I only learned this after sanding. The finish is 4 coats of oil based spray on polyurethane. I like oil based since (according to the instructions) coats can be applied after sitting overnight without intermediate sanding. I will add one more coat and do final sanding but wanted to wait until after final assembly and some potential tweaks- like reprofiling the grip which is the beauty of building your own riser.
edit: Through trial and error, I figured out that dymondwood polishes up extremely well; so 3 attempts at a poly coat later, I removed all of the poly with 0000 steel wool and then polished up on a buffer.
I started with a high grip (steep palm angle) but it is even more extreme than my real ILF setups and forces the top of my hand upward creating a pressure point. In addition, the left or outside of your hand naturally wants to twist or wrap around the riser- I have some relief built in to the grip (on the left side) but need more. Not having relief on the left side can contribute to some errant weak or right side shots since the bow wants to twist more to the right.
Hardware
Fail: I tried using threaded brass 5/16-18 wood inserts for my tiller bolt inserts. Not a good idea. While mounting limbs and test stringing my near finished riser, the upper wood insert ripped out of the bow. The riser hit me in the chest and I got a nice scratch and destroyed a dovetail mount in the process. Fortunately the riser and my nice Border limbs were unscratched. As I said in an earlier post, Dymondwood is hard- too hard for the thread .03" depth of standard brass furniture inserts- which is why I machined mine down to .01 so that just a bit of thread remained. They were not epoxied in. Frankly since ALL of the limb force is concentrated on the tiller bolt, I am not sure epoxy would hold over tens of thousands of shots.
DO NOT USE THREADED BRASS FURNITURE INSERTS WITH DYMONDWOOD
To be strong enough to support the mechanical load, I realized I would need a full depth brass or aluminum threaded insert with a flange or stop bolt on the end. I sketched this up using OnShape CAD and a local machine shop did the work last week, and $170 poorer for time and materials, I had what I needed plus two spares for my next build. Could I have paid less? Maybe. I actually looked at the cost of buying a cheap metal lathe, but at $700+ plus hours of training, that was a 'nope' for me.
To fit these newly machined flanged inserts to the riser, I had to very carefully drill out my 1/2 riser bolt shaft to 0.75" x 1/4 deep using a 3/4" forstner drill bit. This would have been easy while still partially assembled but turned out to be a 4 hour job (for me) at this point in the build after making a custom drilling jig. They turned out all right.
Critical Dimensions
Aside from maintaining an accurate centerline for the riser and limb bolts, there are a three essential dimensions when making an ILF riser:
First, the overall riselimb angle, or amount of deflex- which is simply the combined angle of the riser from the center to the end. My riser is 14 degrees per side or 28 degrees combined. No matter the total length of your riser (mine is 25" end to end), the limb angles will range between 18 to 35 degrees combined. On a traditional bow, riser angle isnt calculated, but we still look at and value the impact of deflex on bow stability during the shot. I discussed limb angle theory in one of the earlier posts.
Second, the limb dovetail mounting hardware dimensions. ILF limb dimensions are a universal fit item for any ILF bow. There are two critical dimensions to an ILF dovetail/riser mount which is the slotted mounting bolt on end of an ILF bow limb and the mounting hardware on the riser. The critical dimensions are
a) the distance from the center of the limb dovetail detente to the center of the tiller bolt (2.3125") Side and
b) the total length and degree of taper of the standard ILF limb (mounting portion) (3.3125 length, tapering from 1.56 to 1.125) top
If the dimensions above are cut/machined incorrectly, the bow wont work.
Third, the arrow cutout 'window' which can be seen in this Front pic and should be 'past center' to allow for clearance of an arrow rest and/or plunger. I cut mine approximately 3/8 past center. Since this is the narrowest part of the riser, I left extra width (when viewed from the side) to provide strength. Time will tell if I left enough material, but frankly, it would not be shootable with a plunger if it were any thicker.
Thats it!
Today I was able to mount them up and shoot it. While the grip is too chunky and still needs work, it is the fastest bow I've ever shot- and I've shot these limbs on several other risers. Plus it is very quiet. Fur string silencers, phenolic laminate, and all of that dense Dymondwood absorb nearly all of the noise and vibration that you normally get in an ILF setup, where there are lots of parts that can make noise. The only sound I hear is a mechanical 'chuh'!, and the arrow just goes! without any post shot vibration
Limbs: I'm using Border Hex 6.5 super recurve limbs (47lb) braced to 6.5" per Border recommendations. Border is a Scottish (not English!) company that makes fantastic archery gear. You can use any ILF limb that you want.
Riser Bolt Detail
I believe I'll be switching from the brass bolts to these machined limb bolts from push archery. I already have one mounted and I think it looks much better and adds a bit of stabilizing weight. The tapered end of the Push branded bolt means that the washebolt combo is relatively square to the limb no matter how much you dial it in or out.
Closing thoughts
I doubt many will follow down the trail I've blazed, and I've nearly lost enthusiasm for the write up given that I started 5 months ago. My personal opinion is that you should just go buy one. The reality is that as a project it was just barely within the reach of home shop tools (bandsaw and drill press), and at around ~$400 (which includes the $160 for the fabricated riser bolt inserts) materials are not necessarily cheap. In my fantasies I own a waterjet cutter and a multi-axis lathe and could have done the whole job in a few hours.
If you do attempt it, I hope I've saved you some time, and you are welcome to reach out. On the other hand, it is one of a kind, and so far it shoots really well.
submitted by notfarenough to Bowyer [link] [comments]

2021.09.23 14:47 FerrumVeritas Gillo GTL-88 Limbs Review

Someone at my club was very generous and let me borrow their Gillo GTL-88 limbs for a day to try out, as I was considering picking some up. It's fair to say that I'm a fan of Gillo, but I was shocked by the results and figured I should write a review.
Context: I'm currently shooting Galaxy Gold Star limbs,* marked 34# and drawing to 38# at my AMO draw length of 29" on my Gillo GT riser (approximately 1 turn down from factory default limb pocket position). It's a 70" bow.
What I tested: Gillo GTL-88 limbs marked 38#. I believe that while this is different, it's a fair review because I would not purchase the same poundage limbs as I'm currently shooting. Now that I'm confident that my draw weight is unlikely to change (or, if it does, will go up slightly) and am looking at buying high end, long term limbs, I'd buy them at my preferred DW (which would be 36, since I draw 29"). Gillo limbs come in 4# increments, so I'd go up to 38 and use my riser's wide adjustment range to accommodate. Additionally, Gillo advertises that these limbs maintain their characteristics and performance throughout the Gillo GT's adjustment range.
Constants: For the review, I tried to control as many variables as possible, so I kept the brace height and tiller the same (22.5cm, even), as well as the same plunger tension, centershot, arrows, nocking point, and rest position. The only adjustments I made were to the limb pockets.
How I measured: I used a bow scale and Easton measuring arrow drawn to 27" at the center of the plunger (AMO 28 3/4") because it was easier to be consistent than trying to draw to my true draw length (27 1/4").
The GTL-88s have a more recurved profile than the Galaxy Gold Star limbs. It's significant, although not as extreme as Uukha or Border limbs (which look totally Metal). This seems to be the same profile that W&W uses for their MXT-G limbs, although I didn't have a pair to directly compare to. The Gillos use a multi-layer foam and carbon construction, visible when viewed from the side. They're otherwise a very normal looking limb, with white tops to prevent heating up in the sun.
Before I got to the range, I put both limbs on a gram scale to see how much they weighed. I was surprised to find that the GTL-88s were 5g heavier than the Gold Stars with Limbsavers. Upon closer examination, this is because the GTL-88s are slightly wider than the Galaxy limbs. In theory, this could allow them to be torsionally stable. But I don't have a welded together jig to accurately test that. I couldn't feel a difference (but see below).
The first thing I did at the range was set up my bow normally and shoot two groups of Victory VAPs into the bale using my 50 and 15m crawls. These arrows are tuned to the best of my ability (I actually shot a PB with them the night before). I marked their impacts in the bale. Then I broke down my bow, took 2 two turns out of the limb bolts, and set it up with the GTL-88s. Once I had the limb alignment set (which is super easy and I legitimately do not understand how Jake Kaminski struggled with it), I used a bow scale to dial in the draw weight ([email protected]" DLPP) so it was the same as my regular setup.
One thing I immediately noticed is that the GTL-88s I tested have no natural tiller. I could reverse the top and bottom limbs and get the same setup. That's very good quality control to get two perfectly matched limbs and would avoid an—admittedly stupid—error that could potentially ruin a tournament for you. If you shoot with an even tiller (as Michele and Vittorio Frangilli recommend), it also gives you the maximum adjustment range in your riser.
I plucked the string and shot a few blank bale shots to settle everything down before shooting a group at my 50m and 18m crawls like I had before. The arrows landed ~4" below both marks (measured but averaged). I was surprised—I was actually mentally preparing to pull an arrow out of the wall—and shot another set of groups, focusing on tension and expansion like I do when I'm tired outdoors. Same result. The Gillo limbs were slower at the same draw weight.
Now, it's worth noting/restating that these limbs are a higher marked weight than my Gold Stars. So the limb pockets were in a further out position to set them up at the same draw weight. The same draw weight, with all else being equal, reached at a lower limb bolt position will be faster (although less forgiving and with more vibrations) than with the limbs further out. But the GTL-88s have more recurve and a more advanced construction, so I expected that difference to not only be minimized but overcome. They had home field advantage on my Gillo GT riser, after all. They were literally designed for this.
Since stringwalking can potentially change tune, that prompted me to normalize the test another way: I adjusted the limb pockets so that my crawls (effectively my sight marks) were the same, rather than the draw weight. Then I shot 30 arrow round to see how the limbs felt when I wasn't thinking about numbers or arrow speed.
I beat my personal best from the previous night by 2 points.
The limbs feel nice. They are smooth, but not soft. I like the draw cycle a lot. When string walking, the lower limb had a weird low frequency vibration which kept going long after the shot was over. I could probably tune this out (tiller adjustment and Limbsavers), but it was strange. I had to rest the lib against my leg to calm it down after every shot. I'd chalk this up to stringwalking, if these limbs weren't specifically designed for that purpose. I suspect that this means that they are actually a little less torsionally stable than my Gold Star limbs (see above), but would not be confident in that assertion without a lot more time to test (and preferably a second riser to setup a side by side comparison). Even with all of that, I really like the way they pull the string from my fingers, and shot really well with them.
Time to get back to numbers and measurements.
To use the same crawl, the GTL-88s measured 39.2#@27"DLPP. They didn't feel noticeably heavier when shooting. I then measured at one inch shorter and one inch longer to get a rudimentary draw force curve around my "clicker zone." +4.1% and -6.9%, which averages to about the 5% weight gain per inch Vittorio has stated was his goal with these (5.5%), but is not as consistent as that implies. They felt nice though, so I don't really care. I wanted the number as a concrete comparison to my current limbs.
I set my limbs back up (I took meticulous notes so it was really quick). The Galaxy Gold Star limbs gave me +4.3% and -6.4%. In theory, this means that they're more forgiving of a weak shot, but started to stack a little more. In practice, it's well within the measurement tolerances and rounding errors. The GTL-88s aren't any smoother than the cheaper cross-carbon and foam limbs.
Well damn. I had high hopes based on this comment (although Jake Kaminski found them "stout"). I was warned that I wouldn't find noticeably better limbs until I was spending north of $700 by an archer I respect a lot (Uukhas are noticeably different and probably faster, unlike the GTL-88s, but not necessarily better). Of course, that archer is shooting $800 semi-custom limbs.
I figured I'd shoot an end with my current limbs to see if I noticed a difference in feel or performance. They actually felt a bit softer than the GTL-88s, which makes sense. They're were set at a lighter draw weight after all. They're a little harsher. Even with Limbsavers, there are some high frequency vibrations, but they're pretty minor and I'm shooting a pretty light arrow. I shot a dot to make sure the setup was right, and blew it up. Good sign, but shooting a dot isn't the same as hitting a target.
I shit you not, I shot a 30 (one X) and called it a night.
Conclusion:
The Gillo GTL-88 limbs are nice limbs. They shoot really well. Clearly a lot of care went into their selection, and I like the way they feel. The vibration was a little troubling, but I'm confident it could be eliminated—or at least evenly distributed—with adjustment. But the Galaxy Gold Star limbs are an outstanding value that are 95+% as good for half the price.
I'd love to compare them to the Gillo Q2/Q3 limbs, which have a similar construction to the Gold Stars and are about the same price.
Please note: none of the links above are affiliate links. I was offered affiliate links by a company (discussed in the comments) and declined. While the review was done with borrowed equipment, none of the equipment used was provided by a manufacturer or retailer.
submitted by FerrumVeritas to Archery [link] [comments]

2021.09.15 15:36 FerrumVeritas Experienced Recurve Archers: How Smooth Are Your Limbs?

Recurve limbs are notoriously difficult to try in person. This makes purchasing upgrades difficult. I’m working on a comparison of limb feel so that archers can select limbs that feel like the limbs they like, while choosing them for other properties that are easier to ascertain (weight, speed, appearance, material). I started this on ArcheryTalk because of the vast amount of experience there, but archery has a wider user base.
So if you’ve shot multiple limbs, especially if you’ve shot limbs that are already on the list, rank them from smooth to solid. If you have draw force curves, I’d love to see them. If not, an aggregate of rankings is still useful for generating relative position.
submitted by FerrumVeritas to Archery [link] [comments]

2021.09.04 13:52 yawn_zzz My Coach's Recommendations...

I just had my 2nd lesson(ever) and I was shooting 18m.
My coach said that I am ready to buy my own bow.
The riser recommendations are Wiawis ATF-X and Fivics Titan NX.
Other recommendations - Sight and plunger: Shibuya, limbs and arrow: cheapest.
There are scant user reviews regarding the Titan NX. It seems like its not that popular. I am leaning towards ATF-X at the moment but there was a post about quality issues in archerytalk forums.
All comments regarding individual components and the choices are welcomed. Thanks in advance.
submitted by yawn_zzz to Archery [link] [comments]

2021.07.27 05:36 onionsopinion Getting conflicting information about arrow selection. How to select?

So I've been looking at getting some DIY arrows but am getting some conflicting opinions from different places.
My intended arrow length is about 29" at 40# draw weight (39.3# otf to be precise), and I currently do Olympic Recurve for recreation. Based on Easton's target arrow selection chart, this falls right at the edge between T6 (36-40#) and T7 (40-44#). So the natural question is, do you error on the weak side or stiff side?
I've heard opinions for both. Folks on archerytalk seems to tend to buy stiffer arrows. This means T7 group in my situation. My understanding is that this allows you to buy longer arrows that you can cut shorter later on if you move up in draw weight? But I'm happy with my current draw weight so this doesn't provide upside for me (until maybe my gear acquisition syndrome strikes again LOL). Also T7 group no longer has Inspire; and Carbon One/Avance are pricier.
OTOH Lancaster's customer service told me that Easton arrows tend to be on the stiffer end, so going a step down to T6 should be the choice instead. I've never used Easton arrows before so can't tell whether this applies for all arrows.
Ideally one would need to try both and see, but the closest pro shop with a range I can do some fitting is far and needs a long drive, so I want to make sure I do some homework before taking a trip.
I'm curious what folks on this forum think, and what the reasons behind going on the weak or stiff side. And what other factors you consider when getting new arrows?
submitted by onionsopinion to Archery [link] [comments]

2021.05.08 05:36 Helpplz69420 Stabilizer weights: Questions, comments, concerns (but not in that order).

Hello archery world. Relatively new shooter here with some questions on stabilization.
I have both a recurve and a target compound all set up and tuned, ready to shoot. Except for stabilization. I’ve tried YouTube, google, Reddit, archerytalk... and it seems like the only answer to “how should I set up my stabilization?” is “just try it.”
My problem with that is I don’t want to spend $15/ounce on what are apparently 1oz vibranium discs for experimentation purposes.
I read some comments on using fender washers as a good approximation, figuring out the weight I need before buying the actual weights. Any opinions on this?
For my compound, should I run just one side stabilizer? Again, I don’t want to spend $100 on a V bar to find out that I only want one side stabilization and now need to spend another $75 on a new doohickey to do half the work.
What size long rod and side rods should I be running? I’m about 5’10” with a 28” draw, if that matters.
And, as a starting point, what is everyone’s set up here? I’m looking for both recurve and compound set ups. Also always appreciate pictures, so if you wanna show off, post them up!
Tl;dr: don’t even know how/where to start with stabilization without spending six month’s rent and my spleen.
submitted by Helpplz69420 to Archery [link] [comments]

2021.01.17 10:20 H20ceans First Bow and Questions

BLUF; First time bow purchase and trying to determine if I'm getting a good deal or if I should be headed another direction and asking for general advice and guidance.
​
Howdy everyone. I'm trying to wade into bowhunting and I have a few questions. I have the opportunity to buy a Bear Rant from the shop I work at for around $270 which seems like a pretty decent price but I've been seeing a lot of mixed reviews on them.
The only thing I was coming up with when I searched it up on this form was a sub telling the guy to go ahead on the bow with a few folks telling him to hold out and find one used on archerytalk.
Questions:
Would I be doing good to snag this set up for that price to try and get into the sport or should I wait and try to find something else for the same price used on an internet platform like archerytalk (or where ever else you all can recommend looking)? Am I headed in the right direction or should I be looking at something completely different to get started up? Any other tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.
submitted by H20ceans to bowhunting [link] [comments]

2020.12.16 15:10 unevenconfiguration Buying used sights, rest, etc safe?

Greetings all! I’ve settled on my first compound bow (PSE drive NXT) and the consensus from the local shops in my area, and what I’ve seen online, seems to be that I should stay away from buying the complete entry level starter package. Is purchasing the bare bow and selecting my own stuff advisable on a budget? I’m also primarily wondering if it’s safe to buy used components such as sights and a rest from eBay or the archerytalk classifieds. Any reason I should avoid secondhand gear assuming a seller is reputable?
submitted by unevenconfiguration to Archery [link] [comments]

2020.12.10 03:16 _N9SiB Black Friday purchases and reviews - UV the Hinge, UV2, and more

First post but have been lurking for some time. Figured I'd provide my feedback on some things I recently purchased.
I don't have a long history in archery but I go by a few philosophies when I purchase items/gadgets. Research it to the max and buy once cry once. I come from pistol and rifle shooting so archery is new to me. Just another thing to improve on and fell in love with archery.
UltraView The Hinge (large)
I saw many people talk about this release and I thought I'd give it a try. They had a great sale and I decided to go with the brass large Hinge. I went with a large since I have some short sausage fingers. When everyone talks about the comfortability of this release I will say the same thing. You draw back and you forget it is in your hand. The click is audible enough to hear but you don't feel the click like you do I some other releases.
The one thing I can talk about is the positioning of the hinge over the middle finger. This design makes this release (for me) the most natural feeling release I have felt. I have previously shot the Stan Blackjack and the Stan ShootOff. They were both nice releases and did their job but the hinge located over the middle finger is a game changer. It is difficult to describe the feeling until you try one and it being a new release its difficult to get your hands on one. I can honestly say this is by far the best hand release I have tested or tried out.
An odd thing I noticed is it made a 70lb draw seem easier. Like it reduced the weight to a 50-60lb bow. I know that is not possible but the draw seems easier with the hook over the middle finger. Not something that I thought would be a difference this hinge makes but in my experience that is how it felt. Maybe a honeymoon phase as of now on how it felt. I'll add if it changes.
I can't talk about durability as I have not had it for long and it has not been out long so the research part kind of scared me when it came to a background of this release. I am not skeptical anymore. I would purchase another if I needed to (at a sale price of $219.99 for the brass).
UltraView UV2 hunting .19 kit
I don't have a lot of experience in this area. I have used HHA and Spot Hogg Hogg Father sights. The HHA was bright and very nice. The Hogg Father was super durable but the fiber was dim for me. I placed the UV2 onto my Hogg Father and will never look back.
I really like the idea of moving from a hunting sight to a magnified sight if I wanted with a switch of the housing. You don't need a whole new sight. I have not used the magnified sight yet but plan to once I get some more funds to shoot some 3d when I want.
I can't speak for the durability of it but the housing is aluminum which is durable. The "cartridge" as they call it is a plastic and seems durable. It's not metallic so if it bumps into something metal it won't make the metallic sound but could possibly bend or break if hit hard enough.
The only downfall is I was not a fan of the light. It's very bright but the manipulation of the on and off I was not a fan of. Until you try one I have a difficult time explaining but you can turn it off from the brightest and lowest setting. I personally would like a small click when turning to the lowest setting to turn off. Like a walkie talkie dial to turn it off. If this doesn't bother you the light functions perfectly and the nice part is there is no wires to break. I may be overly critical in this area but it is my only negative.
Secondly, if this light is not what you want I found a solution for a different light. Below are two Archerytalk Site members who I found and create amazing alternatives.
UV2 3D molded light adapter - Archery Talk site member (OnPar)
The light adapter worked perfect and worked with the Ruff Light below. Fit and finish were what I expected and fixed my problem with the UV2 light. It would be nice to be able to use a regular sight light adapter but that is not the case with the UV2. You have a new light attachment and I needed a fix. He has the fix and is amazing to work with. Hit him up if you decide to go this route. He uses the UV2 sight too.
Ruff Light - Archery Talk site member (Sight Light)
I want to give credit where credit is due. This light is amazing for the price. I have never had a very expensive light other than a small screw in one like the Spot Hogg one. That one flickered on and off and was not what I wanted. I looked at getting a Zbros light but was not sure if I wanted to drop $170 on a light.
The light adapter and light ended up to being $80 about. The UV2 Light is $99.99 on their site. So, you are under their price tag with a wired light.
Thanks for reading and I'll answer any questions you have.
Posted on a different form so might reference that form. Too lazy to go through all of it and change it.
submitted by _N9SiB to bowhunting [link] [comments]

2020.11.30 06:30 notfarenough Measuring dynamic vs static arrow spine (with realworld testing)

Thought I'd share an interesting finding, with a few prefaces:
First, I use a homemade spine tester - all credit to two-jays which I modified to have adjustable arms so that I can measure spine at any length from 26 to 34 inches (If you are asking, 'why would I do this?', read on...).
Second, I also buy a lot of gold tip 'blemished' arrows which I tend to break while stump shooting- often enough that I had 14-15 lying around of various lengths. Important to note that 'blemished' arrows often are just that- slightly flawed prints or other factory rejects- but can also include arrows that were rejected due to not meeting spine or length tolerances.
Now, if you don't do your own bareshaft testing with the ability to do two things, you are forced to be much more reliant on industry charts and bad store advice when selecting arrows, usually with less than satisfactory results in my experience: Those two things are 1) the ability to change point weights - which means keeping an inventory of points (I have points ranging from 80 grains to 175 grains) and 2)the ability to use a dremel and sanding block to cut your own arrows. There are simply too many variables to get an accurate spine, length, and point weight from a catalog without doing real world testing. Everybody who says otherwise is either very lucky or simply unaware of what an enormous difference a well-matched set of arrows can do for accuracy and consistency. In my experience, a well matched set of arrows is 'reliably' sensitive to tuning (brace height, draw weight, plunger stiffness) where a poorly matched set is not. On this point, I know many people are uncomfortable cutting (or fletching) their own arrows. If you have the shop or store glue in the inserts when you purchased your arrows - or if you use commercial adhesives- you really can't remove them. What I do instead is use hot melt glue for all of my inserts, which means I can easily heat up and remove any insert I've put in. I've never lost an insert in a target using hot melt, but I have lost inserts using epoxy, super glue, and other adhesives.
SO after sorting the good and the bad blems, I was able to salvage 12 arrows by cutting down - in this case, from 32" (which I shoot on a 40lb Win&Win rig but will be shooting these on a 47lb Border recurve) to 30"- a length I found by cutting and bareshaft testing in 1/4" increments which took a LOT of time. However, of the dozen, I found two arrows that measured significantly weaker- nearly a full spine. So the question is: how much would I need to cut the weaker static spine arrows to behave the same as a stiffer arrow on the same bow?
There really isn't much guidance for that. But this is where dynamic spine comes in. Static spine measures the arrow at a pre-determined length: 26" with a 2lb weight using ATA standards. However, when you shoot an arrow, it flexes across the entire length of the arrow as a function of point weight, bow draw weight, and a few other lesser variables. Standard spine measurements only give you a relative measure vs a standard: a 500 spine arrow should flex .500 inches under ATA standards. However, if you measure two arrows of the same spine (say 400) on a spine tester- from tip to tip rather than at the industry standard 26", a shorter arrow will show less flex than a longer arrow. This is a proxy for dynamic spine.
In principle, I should be able to get two arrows using the same point weights, but with different spines, to shoot the same from one bow, just by changing the length of the arrow.
So, will it work in actual practice?
Back to those weaker arrows. Based on my own bareshaft testing, I learned that 400 spine arrows cut down to 30 inches (and a deflection of .650 at that length) is what I need for my bow (using 80 grain points). So I measured the weak arrows to .650 by pushing in the arms of the spine tester until I got to an arrow length that gave me a reading of .650- which turned out to be exactly 1" shorter or 29". I cut them down to 29", added inserts and 80 grain points ,and presto- they shoot the same as the rest!
Two Three follow up comments: First, while in principle I should be able to buy an arrow of any spine- say 350 or 600, measure it to .650 deflection on a spine tester, and cut it- I can't go longer than the original arrow length, or shorter than my draw length. The real benefit is being able to change brands or go up and down on spine and get to a tuned arrow much more quickly.
Secondly, point weight affects spine, but it takes a lot of point to offset 1" of cut arrow- I'd say 50-80 grains of point weight. While there are folks that say more point weight is always better due to kinetic energy and penetration, my theory is that FOC is over-rated when it comes to accuracy. You just get a slower arrow which means more vertical drop at any distance, and - for my shooting style at least- using point weight alone to compensate for excessively stiff arrows gives me a less consistent, and far more finicky arrow to tune. I have a theory on that as well, which is that a heavier point has more inertia, so any variance from shot to shot (eg plucking the string) is exaggerated more than with a lighter point. That one is hard to prove but I'm open to discussion...
Last comment: My standard for bareshaft testing is ' horizontal (no up or down) and same point of impact as fletched arrows at 20 yards'. I've read advice to bareshaft slightly weak or stiff, but I haven't found any advantage to either. In fact, I sometimes shoot my bareshafts more accurately (fletching contact maybe?). I can generally place a group of 5 or 6 well tuned bareshaft and fletched arrows within 6" at 20 yards (barebow).
submitted by notfarenough to Archery [link] [comments]

2020.07.20 13:16 donaldTBD How to choose split finger tab size for my hand

Hi, im thinking about buying a split finger tab:
http://archeryeurope.com/finger-tabs/765-aae-arizona-anchor-tab-leather.html
I also found an image describing tab sizes: https://www.archerytalk.com/vb/attachment.php?s=269a999a3d09fefb531514d85108594d&attachmentid=5483249&d=1486310096&thumb=1
The problem is I would have to order it online, but actually even if i could try it on then being a beginner and buying my first split finger tab I wouldn't know how it should fit. So my question is - how do i determine the correct size for my hand?
Also a bonus question - what is the metal edge on the top of the tab? Is it just to get a better anchor point when anchoring below the chin? :)
submitted by donaldTBD to Archery [link] [comments]

2020.03.02 21:43 Davis_Wimberley Archerytalk Classifieds

Does anyone have any experience buying a secondhand bow off of the archerytalk classifieds? What’s the process and how was your experience?
submitted by Davis_Wimberley to Archery [link] [comments]