New Bow: to arrow rest or not???

[smokeu]

I am in the process of building a new hunting weapon and would like to go sans arrow rest, but dont have much clue how to shoot properly without one. The few times i tried seemed a bit awkward, and my flethching seemed like it wanted to cut as it passed my knuckles.  If you could share tips or techniques I would be very grateful.

Thanks<

Mike

[Pat B]

Mike, I make my bows without arrow rest but I use a "floppy rest" and that protects my hand from the fletching. I also wrap the forward end of the fletching so the quill doesn't cut or skewer my hand.

[Dano]

I like to stack leather and build a rest, the floppy is too inconsistent for my bad form.

[John K]

I glue a little piece of antler on most of my bows.

[kylerprochaska]

I glued antelope horn on my last bow and it seems that my fletching catches on it  ....I think on the next bow Im gonna try stacking leather to build one...or cut one in the wood itself

-Ky

[yazoo]

I think shooting off the knuckle inproves your fletching

[smokeu]

Can you elaborate on that yazoo?

thanks,

Mike

[radius]

just wear a thin leather glove and make an arrow pass mark on the correct side of the bow...your hand placement being the same each time gives consistency and the fletching won't cut ur hand so badly...been there done that...

on the other hand...

you can wrap the handle with hemp or jute  and build an arrow rest out of that.  just add a ton of layers in the right spot.  epoxy it and ur good to go

[woodstick]

i like a rest i cut some of my bows with a shelf and sight window. some of them i use harness leather to make a shelf. if i had to count on hand placement the same every time i would be screwed.

[George Tsoukalas]

LOL, yazoo. smokeu, skive the leading edges of your fletching. You could also wrap your fletching with art. sinew or any thread really. Wrap the leading edges as well. More info on my site including handle info. Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/

[ricktrojanowski]

I like some of my bows without rests, in that case I stop the wrap where I want the arrow to ''rest"  that way I put it on the same spot consistently.  Also like George said.  Make sure you shave the leading edge of the feather down and wrap with sinew.  Your  finger will get a little raw at first, but you will build up a callous and you won't even notice after a while.

[Gordon]

I've built several bows without a rest and I shoot them just fine. I burnish the front of my fletching and then apply a drop of glue. I've never had a problem with fletching cutting my hand.

[bigcountry]

I have made one bow with out an arrow rest.  Shoots fine, but I prefer to put a piece of bone or antler or leather there.  Just for consistnecy.

[Del the cat]

just wear a thin leather glove and make an arrow pass mark on the correct side of the bow...your hand placement being the same each time gives consistency and the fletching won't cut ur hand so badly...been there done that...

That's exactly what I was going to say...having the nocking point slightly higher on the string is also meant to stop it cutting your knuckles.
Mind I quite like the scars I have on that knuckle

Del

[Hillbilly]

I usually glue a small leather rest on most of mine unless it's a ELB or Native American style bow. An arrow rest certainly isn't necessary, but it's nice to have on a hunting bow where you might be wearing gloves when you shoot-that can change your point of contact and throw off your shot big time if you're shooting off the knuckle. Like everybody else said, wrap those fletchings.