Nock guideline

[adirondack46r]

I am working to fine tune my setup a little this winter, and one of the things I haven't fiddled with yet is the fit of my nocks to the string. My question is this; does anyone have a good guideline for an optimum "fit" of the nock to the string?

For example, using a spring scale it looks like it takes roughly  7 or 8 pounds of pressure to pull an arrow off my sting once it is nocked. Does that sound like a lot? Is it a good assumption that "zero" would be optimal in terms of bow performance?

46r

[Stringdancer]

Nock an arrow on your string point it to the ground, and tap the string, and the arrow should fall off.  Your's are WAY too tight.

[adirondack46r]

Stringdancer,

That was my assumption too. I thought my scale must be off, but that's what it is. Do you have a favorite nock type that allows a nice loose fit with a minimum of filing? My string is a 12 strand D97. I don't know exactly what it is served with.

Thanks,
46r

[Stringdancer]

The classic nocks work well, but you will need to play with different serving size to get the correct fit.  I like #62 by BCY in .018 .021 .025 diameter I've had very good luck with this.  I would try the .018 to start, and go from there.  The Mercury Speed nocks are good too if you can find them.

Mike

[adirondack46r]

Mike,

Those are glue-on nocks, right? What about nocks that can be inserted into a CX heritage?

46r

[CJ5]

46r.........Try the Easton 3D Supernocks. They have a much softer snap than the regular Supernocks, more of a finger shooter's nock. I use them in my Heritages and they fit perfectly on my factory BW string, which is a 12 strand D97. I think you will like them....

[adirondack46r]

Thanks, Kyle. I'll take a look at those.

[JimmyC]

I just made an order for a bunch of Heritage 150's myself.  Good to know I have options for nocks.

[dano140]

I was about to ask a similar question. I shoot wood arrows with Nirk nocks off a 14 or 16 strand flemish twist string.
I could feel the nock snap onto the string and it just seemed too tight to me. You couldn't knock them off without a good hard tap.

I bought a small file and used that to enlarge the slots on the nocks, but I am interested in how everyone/anyone else does it?

Should you be worried about taking more off one side than the other?

Thanks!
Dan

[CJ5]

Dan.........Personally, I don't like filing or heating nocks to open them up. If my chosen nock doesn't fit well, I usually just re-serve the string for a better fit. Alot depends on choosing the right nock as well. Many of the tunable nocks are designed with a tight(even double)snap to accomodate compounders with releases. Even re-serving doesn't help with some of these. Still, a good server is the ticket for getting the optimal fit IMO.

[adirondack46r]

Just to follow up on this one, I picked up a couple dozen Easton 3D Supernocks. They definitely have a much softer snap onto the string. The nocks I had acted more like "jaws" on the string whereas the supernocks have a profile that just seems to "wedge" the string snugly between the two flared ends.

They still take a bit of pressure to pull from the string, but not quite as much as the old ones. They certainly don't fall from the string with a light bump.

The last thing I may try is to find a piece of metal rod or similar approximately the size of the served string or slightly bigger. Then place the nocks on it, steam or heat them, and leave them for a few days to see if the shape changes to a slightly more open profile.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[adirondack46r]

One last follow up. Here is the final result.

My string is actually 14 strand D97. When I first inserted the supernocks into my heritage shafts I found them a little tight on the string and so as I mentioned above I planned to try to steam/boil and adjust them. HOWEVER, I decided to shoot a couple of rounds with them before I did that and apparently shooting those rounds had the effect of spreading the nocks ever so slightly. Now, the nocks fit perfectly and fall off with a gentle bump when suspended from the string. I even detected a little more consistency in my shooting.

Thanks for the info on those nocks CJ5.

[Danny J]

I use a small file as Dano140 suggested and count stokes. Then test and fine tune the knocks as needed to get them all as close as I can to being the same. I beleive this is how target shooters use to do it also. I shoot different bows with different string diameters. If it isnt quite perfect, I dont mind. I just love to shoot.

[JImmyDee]

Stringdancer & CJS got it right, IMO.

Pick the nocks you want and re-serve, if necessary, 'til you get a fit that's sung enough to hold your arrow but loose enough so that it falls off if you tap the string.

[JRY309]

My favorite nock for the standard carbon size is Easton 3D Super nocks,they are different from Easton Super nocks.If you are using 14 strand of D97 try a .018 no. 62 or Halo .019 serving will give you a better fit with 3D Super nocks.

[Tree man]

I serve to fit Bohning classics and Mercury Speed nocks.If I am adapting some other nock to my strings I find that folding wet or dry sandpaper/emory paper and sliding it up and down in the nock works well to open them evenly.