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Setting Up a Recurve

MN_Bowhunter4

MN_Bowhunter4

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2018
Messages
992
Location
Minnesota Metro
I have been interested in shooting trad for some time now and was given a Kodiak Hunter by my dad last year that I've been shooting. It's a RH bow, and I recently converted to LH. I believe (perhaps it's placebo, but whatever) that my recurve shots will improve dramatically if I also move to dominant eye. I recently ordered a Samick Sage in LH to complete my switch to southpaw.

Ahead of it's arrival in a week or so, what should I be looking for to set it up for the first time? I have a square and nock kit set coming too and plan to shoot off the shelf. Do you set the nock to be square at first and see what flight looks like? What else?
 
I set up a pile of sages back in the day. Not much to do except tweak brace height to preference. I usually found they shot better if you raised it a bit from the factory. Starting level with split fingers, or about a quarter to half inch high for three under, and adjusting from there should work for nockpoint.
 
What Nutterbuster said. I would add that I noticed with the Samicks you really need to "tune" the limb bolt pockets. Measure horizontal from the top of the riser to the string and same with the bottom. Tighten and loosen to get an even measurement. They are typically off by a bit. Also helps to put a limb width piece of inner tube between the limb and rise to reduce noise. One more note is that a raised flipper style rest, feather rest, or something that lifts the arrow off of the flat shelf make a good bit of difference.
 
Do yourself a favor and replace the string with a low stretch material like Fast Flite. It really wakes the bow up!! Your Sage should come with some set up instructions. Get a stringer and use it.
 
Last edited:
ricky racer said:
Do yourself a favor and replace the string with a low stretch material like Fast Flite. It really wakes the bow!! Your Sage should come with some set up instructions. Get a stringer and use it.
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I saw you mention that on another thread. What sort of difference did you notice?

Glad to hear it comes with instructions! All this has been incredibly helpful.
 
The Fast Flite string takes the bow from a better than mediocre recurve to one that will rival a high dollar custom bow. Shoot it first with the Dacron string for a bit, then change it out. Oh yeah, you'll notice the difference!!;) Stick the original string in your back pack for a spare in case you'd cut yours while on a hunt.
 
I believe that the Kodiak shelf is fairly flat (no crown to it).
In order to minimize inconsistent grip or torquing of the handle, its helpful to have a more defined point (located directly above the deepest part of the grip) for the arrow to ride on. It can be something thin like a piece of toothpick placed under the shelf pad. The same concept is helpful on the strike plate but anything that moves the window further away from being center-shot will make the arrow shoot more stiff...which can be desirable in some cases.
 
always89y said:
I would add that I noticed with the Samicks you really need to "tune" the limb bolt pockets. Measure horizontal from the top of the riser to the string and same with the bottom. Tighten and loosen to get an even measurement. They are typically off by a bit.
Click to expand...
That is called "tiller". In some cases, depending on how the string is gripped or hand positioning on the bow handle, it may be better to adjust the tiller uneven.
Lots of bows have a shorter measurement on the bottom...maybe an eighth to a quarter inch.
 
I know the arrow comes off of my bow much cleaner shooting split finger. For a bow to shoot cleanly shooting 3 under it really needs to be tillered for 3 under shooting. Most bows are tillered for shooting split finger.
One thing to get in the habit of doing is, every time you string your bow, the first thing you do is check to make sure the string is properly in the string grooves. You don't want to shoot it with the strings misaligned. One other thing, don't just stand the bow up in a corner when you're done with it. Hang it properly.
 
Well, it's payday and as is customary, I sent $20 over to Lancaster for a fast flight string this morning. I was looking at a rest too but I think I'll just use some female velcro or something that we have laying around the house for now. Unless the bow comes with one, that is!
 
MN_Bowhunter4 said:
Well, it's payday and as is customary, I sent $20 over to Lancaster for a fast flight string this morning. I was looking at a rest too but I think I'll just use some female velcro or something that we have laying around the house for now. Unless the bow comes with one, that is!
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No need to buy a rest. Just glue a piece of leather to the shelf. If the shelf is constructed with a crown that is straight above the depth of the grip, you are good to go. If the shelf is flat, then slip a piece of toothpick or similar thickness under the leather and locate it directly above the depth of the handle. You want the arrow contacting the shelf (and the strike plate) in relation to where your hand is pushing on the bow handle. A long, flat shelf is more critical of inconsistencies of how you push on the handle (pushing more or less on each shot with the heal of your hand). You want that arrow resting on the smallest, most exact surface (like a toothpick-sized bump). Shooting off the shelf is more helpful for instinctive shooting because it puts the arrow closer to your hand. If you are gap shooting or using a sight, then shooting off the shelf is less important, except a raised rest is less "traditional".
 
Allegheny Tom said:
No need to buy a rest. Just glue a piece of leather to the shelf. If the shelf is constructed with a crown that is straight above the depth of the grip, you are good to go. If the shelf is flat, then slip a piece of toothpick or similar thickness under the leather and locate it directly above the depth of the handle. You want the arrow contacting the shelf (and the strike plate) in relation to where your hand is pushing on the bow handle. A long, flat shelf is more critical of inconsistencies of how you push on the handle (pushing more or less on each shot with the heal of your hand). You want that arrow resting on the smallest, most exact surface (like a toothpick-sized bump). Shooting off the shelf is more helpful for instinctive shooting because it puts the arrow closer to your hand. If you are gap shooting or using a sight, then shooting off the shelf is less important, except a raised rest is less "traditional".
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Thanks. I do plan to shoot instinctive off the shelf. This thing can't get here soon enough, and you can bet I'll have this thread open once it does!
 
I got my SWA Sage clone last week and have been trying to get it set up too so I appreciate all this information.
What I am struggling with is shooting form/anchoring. When I used to shoot a recurve instinctively I anchored the tip of my middle finger to the corner of my mouth. After shooting with a compound with a release for the last decade I'm used to having my hand back below my ear and my arms straight. Anchoring at my mouth feels like I am at half-draw now and pulling all the way back to where I have "back tension" feels to far.

How/where do you trad guys anchor?
 
TreeMunkie said:
I got my SWA Sage clone last week and have been trying to get it set up too so I appreciate all this information.
What I am struggling with is shooting form/anchoring. When I used to shoot a recurve instinctively I anchored the tip of my middle finger to the corner of my mouth. After shooting with a compound with a release for the last decade I'm used to having my hand back below my ear and my arms straight. Anchoring at my mouth feels like I am at half-draw now and pulling all the way back to where I have "back tension" feels to far.

How/where do you trad guys anchor?
Click to expand...
One of the most important aspects of shooting form is proper back tension. I can be anchored at the corner of my mouth, but my back tension can vary significantly. Proper back tension has been described in a lot of ways, but think of it as trying to hold a tennis ball between your shoulder blades.
Your draw arm elbow should be pointed backward, pretty much in a straight line backward from the bow arm.
This forum is fantastic for lots of things but when it comes to shooting form for traditional bows, there is a better source of info.
Trad Gang has really good info and charts demonstrating all aspects of trad shooting.
Check it out...

The Shooters FORM Board

The Shooters FORM Board
www.tradgang.com
 
Thank you sir. I'll check out that site. Given my physical dimensions the difference in draw length between the two styles goes from around 28 to just over 30 inches so it has a very different feel.
 
I’m trying to do some prelim thinking about arrows. I’ve got 340s, 400s, and 450s laying around with a few different point weight options.

I’ll be pulling 40# and it looks like the 450s might be a good starting point based on what I’m reading. Am I on the right track?
 
MN_Bowhunter4 said:
I’m trying to do some prelim thinking about arrows. I’ve got 340s, 400s, and 450s laying around with a few different point weight options.

I’ll be pulling 40# and it looks like the 450s might be a good starting point based on what I’m reading. Am I on the right track?
Click to expand...
It might be.
There's a lot more to it though.
Arrow length, point weight, and the bow itself...is it center shot, fast flight?

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk
 
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