Installing horn nocks

[Badger]

Vaving some problem bracing my bow since I put the horn nocks on, If I use a stringer it wants to rip them loose, how far does the wood go into the horn normally, I made mine about 1" but am thinking I need more, Steve

[Garry]

It's all about angles, you want it as low as possible, try using a shorter stringer.

[Kviljo]

On the MR-bows, the wood has gone about 2" into the nock, with the string-groove about 1" from the bottom of the nock.

[Pat B]

Steve, On my war bow the tip goes about 3/4" to 1" into the horn. I added a second groove about the string groove and used a longer string as a bow stringer. That worked well for me. Be careful with cut type stringers they will break the horn nock off the tip.     Pat

[Badger]

I like that idea of a second string groove, that would work very well, Maybe I will go in about another 1/4" and then add an extra groove. Steve

[Pat B]

I believe it is traditional anyway!     Pat

[Loki]

If you use the stringers with the little bags on the ends you may snap the nocks off,the extra groove is the way to go with these thing's.

[Garry]

My mistake, I assumed that you were using second string grooves. Don't know of anyone who uses pocket type stringers with horn nocks, bad things are just going to happen. You only need a second groove on the upper as the lower loop can use the same groove as your bow string. My stringer is 12" longer than the bow, works just fine.

[DBernier]

Badger, I have a bow with the second string groove on the nocks and it works slick. If you are at Pat's in a couple of weeks you will see it.

Dick

[justice66]

Badger,I recently broke my horn nock off,I prefer the double cutnock,one for string the other for the stringer,works better,TJ

[mullet]

  Steve,on the last yew long bow I made I also drilled and pinned the horn knocks to be on the safe side.

[Rod]

It should be enough to ensure that you have a tight fitting taper of sufficient length.
A properly fitted nock will even stay in place without glue, though it would make stringing more interesting.
But never apply pressure to the horn where it is not amply supported by the internal cone of wood.
A major fault is to make a short convex cone as is sometimes shown in some instructions.
Make the cone as long as possible and flat sided in profile, and as snug and tigh a fit as you can manage.
Glue should not be regarded as a filler for an ill fitting nock.
The sign of a good bowyer is an elegant tight fitting nock with a seamless transition from limb to horn.
Rod.