Strike plates and such

[Friends call me Pac]

I've been shooting with a raised rest but now I would like to try shooting off of the shelf.

What do I need to use for the rest on the shelf and what do I use for the strike plate?

I understand what the rest part is for but what does the strike plate do?

[Bear Heart]

the strike plate protects that part of your bow.  I use pigskin leather for both.

[longbowguy]

I'd get a good sized piece of fairly thin leather and a tube of Barge Cement, which is a contact, rubber cement. You can cut various sized pieces, and use various numbers of layers for both the rest and the plate. The Barge cement enables you to peel them off and try another combination.

The strike plate not only protects the bow but, with multiple layers of thin leather, enables you to tune the arrow left-right just as the plunger does on an Oympic recurve. - lbg

[Bear Heart]

I almost said that but it is one of my peeves.  When you do that you are stuck trying to build it out the same each time you replace it.  I just rather get the right arrow.
Note: It also keeps your arrow from making noise when you are hunting

[Bradd]

The deal is to get the right arrow in the first place BUT, it is also used to move a slightly weak spine over to the left by building it out to the right thicknesses.

[DaveBriner]

Some also use seal skin for their shelf and strike plate.  I'm so new to this I really can't say if there was a difference between the leather that was on there and the sealskin I have now.  I will say the sealskin is much prettier!
Best,
Dave

PS.  The barge cement can be purchased from numerous trad archery stores (3rivers eg).  I got mine and Ace hardware, although they had to ship it from the warehouse.