Tight nock problems??? Cut nose

[A.S.]

I've been having problems cutting my nose when I shoot again (I know I'm not the only one!).

I just spent the last hour in front of a mirror examining my form. I can't find anything wrong, but my nocks fit a bit snug on my string. I switched to a string with skinnier serving and I'm not hitting my nose now. Could the tight nock fit be causing the string to whack my nose?

I'm about out of ideas...and skin on my nose!!

[McDave]

Rod Jenkins showed up for MBB III with a bandaid on his nose, so if it's any comfort, even the great shots seem to have that problem.

I've heard, and it makes sense to me, that switching from a metal nock to a tied on nock can help.  But I still shoot with a metal nock and don't hit my nose much anymore.

When I first switched over to Rick Welch's style of shooting, I whacked my nose from time to time, but lately I seem to have gotten away from it.  I wish I could tell you my secret, but I don't know why.  Also, I really tuck my draw hand in close to my jawbone to avoid shooting left, so the string is pretty close to my face, but I still seem to avoid hitting my face/nose with the string.

I think you have to experiment with how you get your dominant eye over the arrow.  I think I tilt my head to do that now, which keeps my nose more forward and out of the path of the string, rather than rotating my head so my nose is in the path of the string.  But I'm not sure of that.

I've seen Rick Welch shoot, and his nose ends up almost touching the shaft behind the cock feather, and he never hits his nose with the string, so it can be done.

[tradtusker]

Originally posted by McDave:

I think you have to experiment with how you get your dominant eye over the arrow.  I think I tilt my head to do that now, which keeps my nose more forward and out of the path of the string, rather than rotating my head so my nose is in the path of the string.

yip id go with that!

[A.S.]

Thanks guys...I'll keep working on it.

[Rob DiStefano]

tight nocks are a huge no-no.  a totally loose nock is way better than one that hangs on the string.  all kindsa bad nasty issues with nocks that hang on strings - dumbest thing going are those stupid pinch on nocks ....    :rolleyes:    

[Don Stokes]

Right on, Rob.

[A.S.]

Thanks guys. I got my serving changed, changed my stance a little, and my nose is healing nicely!    

Just looking back at a couple bows that I've oned and sold because I thought I couldn't shoot them well--I think a looser fitting nock would have made a world of difference! It really is amazing the increase in accuracy with proper fitting nocks!!

[TheVirginian]

I'd have to guess that for those of us with longer noses, that tilting the head to get the eye over the shaft without getting the nose closer has gotta help there. It most likely is a combination of the nock snapping the string a bit and how the release is done as to how close the string can move to the nose. I'm totally new to this, so that's only observation and reason, not experience talking.

The tight nock brings up a big question for me too. That is the second thing that I noticed about my new arrows and Longbow rig. The first was the rigid vanes, the second the "snap-on" nocks. I hadn't shot in years, so I just thought "Okie dokie" when I first got them in my hand and the extra bit of engineering just made them seem, well extra engineered. perhaps that was a learned thing and would prove to show greater reliability.

Intuitively, however, when I saw these new features, I thought "That's gotta bump against the bow... That can't be good." and "That's gotta go (snap.. boing) when coming off of the string.. That can't be good." So what do the TradMasters reckon?!
-Bill

[smokin joe]

Virginian,
You are correct. Vanes (those plastic versions of feathers) and tight nocks don't shoot well off the shelf of a traditional bow. You will need to get yourself some arrows with feather fletching and looser nocks. You can sand the nocks a little with a folded piece of sandpaper or an emory board to open them up some.
Good luck.
Joe

[TomMcDonald]

Originally posted by Rob DiStefano:
tight nocks are a huge no-no.  a totally loose nock is way better than one that hangs on the string.  all kindsa bad nasty issues with nocks that hang on strings - dumbest thing going are those stupid pinch on nocks ....     :rolleyes:        

What kind of issues?

[Terry Green]

1 Bad/inconsitent/uppredictable arrow flight.

 2 The robbing of energy.

 3 Noiser bow.

 4 As we found out on this thread,...nose        whacking.

I'm sure Rob is not talking about 'snap' nocks that have a litte resistence....but overly tight nocks.  

If you are going to release an arrow from a string, there's really no gains I can think of by having it hang on for dear life as the string reaches its forward progress.

[A.S.]

Terry is completely right! After I got my nocks loosened up, it fixed a multitude of small problems I was having. Mainly the nose cutting, but my accuracy improved dramatically! My groups are back to where I know they can be. This is such a simple thin, I'm sure others deal with similar problems and never think of their nocks being too tight.

Now I'm a fanatic about listening to other people when they nock and arrow to see if it snaps on tight.

[TomMcDonald]

Originally posted by Terry Green:
1 Bad/inconsitent/uppredictable arrow flight.

 2 The robbing of energy.

 3 Noiser bow.

 4 As we found out on this thread,...nose        whacking.

I'm sure Rob is not talking about 'snap' nocks that have a litte resistence....but overly tight nocks.  

If you are going to release an arrow from a string, there's really no gains I can think of by having it hang on for dear life as the string reaches its forward progress.

Oh ****, I was thinking you guys were talking about those clip-on metal nock points.

[champ38]

Bill, this may have already beem mentioned,you may want to consider getting a fletching jig and real feathers, instead of buying new arrows. It will pay for itself many times over, it has for me anyway.

[Tom-Wisconsin]

I had same problem with my nose so I just got some camo duct tape and used it to pull my nose to the side.    Just kidding. I dip the nocks in hot water and then spread them out so they stay on the string but come off easily when you hit the string with your finger.