String slap - Self bow

[Jessebeaux]

Hey guys,

Finished up my first self now which is a 66" 45# Osage and I love it! I determined my brace height by fistmele (6") and I can play with it some to tune the bow. However, no matter what I'm getting some string slap. Never had a bow with this low of brace height and I've never dealt with string slap so any suggestions? Or is that just part of the self bow world?

[LBR]

Low brace does make string slap more likely.  Grip style, how you grip, etc. might fix it for you...or might not.  Low brace light that always gets me.  I raise my brace, even on my selfbows.

[LBR]

If you have reinforced tips, you might eliminate the slap with a different string material.  Basically anything other than Dacron.

[Sam McMichael]

I have always experienced string slap with low brace heights, so I avoid them. Fortunately, my bows have performed well with heights up around 7" or more, both in terms of tune and noise. Also, I always use an arm guard.

[Ari_Bonn]

Anylower that 6 1/4"   I have found for me  will always get slap.    Best wear an arm guard.   The extra fps from the power stroke is worth it imo. 

[Terry Lightle]

Open your stance a little and it will pull your arm away from the string.
Terry

[yard dog]

I don't use a deep grip on my selfbows.... more towards the thumb, and never have an issue.... I don't wear armguards anymore..

[Tedd]

FF string material. You don't need to build up the tips. Someone told me that once. Though it does make you wonder! So I never built up the tips. But I don't think you would want to shoot a light arrow or dry fire it. That being said, I have used FF on self bows without a problem. Yet.
It will keep the string off your arm.
Edit  - I think it was The Ferret that said FF works fine on self bows. Could be wrong about that. Years ago when he was posting his build alongs on here is when I was making self bows.

Tedd

[Pat B]

Selfbows are fine with FF strings. Practically everyone I know that makes selfbows uses FF strings. I'm old school and still use B-50. I rarely get string slap. I have a loose shooting form so my elbow is bent quite a bit. I do wear an arm guard  but it is mainly to keep the string from catching on my shirt sleeve. The brace height on my selfbows is my fistmele, about 6". As long as the string clears the feathers it's usually good.

[mahantango]

Never been able to shoot less than 7" brace height no matter what without slapping the heck out of me. What  made you arrive at 6" as ideal? Have you tried it substantialy higher, like 7" , and go up a rating orshorten the shafts? I honestly don't find the shortened power stroke makes a noticeable difference.

[michaelschwister]

I always end up around 6 1/2" brace on my self bows.  Twist the string up until it no longer slaps, twist it done until it does again. Add 1/8" brace and you are there.  I use a firm grip, strong heal, and a broomstick shaped grip.

[Jessebeaux]

Thanks for replies everyone! Gonna keep playing with the BH. I don't want to get too far from fistmele so we'll see..

[Mo_coon-catcher]

I usually end up with a brace height from 6-6.5” depending on the bow. Though I did have one that had a 7.5” brace because of a natural twist in the limb that wouldn’t let it be braced any lower without unstringing itself. I also run d97 string on all my selfbows. One of which is a walnut selfbow with black cherry tip overlays pulling 68#, which are much softer that Osage. And they have held up fine. The string is a 12 strand with 4 extra strands padding each loop. I’m going to add a side groove to the tips to take some strain off the overlays wince that’s all that’s holding the string.
With the 6” brace and d97 strings, I still don’t get any string slap. Though I give up about .5-1” draw length to bend my arm enough to clear the string.

Kyle