does anyone NOT use shelf rest material on their bow??

[adkmountainken]

i received a beautiful HH Wesley Special yesterday. Ebony core black glass front and back with bamboo lams. the lines just flow so well and there was no shelf rest material which made it look all the more sleek. got me to thinking does anyone NOT use rest material on their bow? what are the actual advantages of using shelf material besides the obvious of noise control and feather wear? i shot the bow today and did not seem to be loud at all. added fabric to rest and sight window when i got home and i like it better bare. just looking for input here.

[BAK]

You already mentioned the noise aspect, but the arrows are going to wear that pretty wood real quick.

[evgb127]

I suppose the finish on the bow may be a factor, but I’ve been shooting my ASL’s without them for three years without any issues.

[McDave]

This string was started by someone who states that he also does not cover his shelf rest or strike plate with anything: https://www.tradgang.com/tgsmf/index.php?topic=174129.msg2939845#msg2939845 

I wouldn't do that, but you are not alone!  I use my shelf and strike plate covering as a part of tuning the bow.

[Scott E. Thomas]

I have a Jet ASL that came without anything on the shelf. It's ok but I don't hunt with it. If I did I would probably add some shelf material to make sure it was super quiet. God bless, Scott. 

[adkmountainken]

great info thank you all!

[Gordon Jabben]

I really don't think it matters either way.  I have a bow that came without and have had others in the past.  I was told by a bowyer years ago, it was more accurate without but I doubt it. 

[A tag]

I don’t think it’s necessary as long as you have a good form and arrow spine properly to your bow.

[TSP]

I like a rest and side-plate on my bows, to me they are quieter, look better and are more tunable.  I also like string silencers and a wrap on the grip (except on recurves).  For hunting the leather/material add-ons just make sense, for target shooting it really doesn't much matter.  In the end its all just personal preference but I've yet to meet anyone that prefers shooting a bow that isn't reasonably quiet.  Sqeak..eek...eek...eek...kerflapple...BOING!!   

[Deno]

X2  A tag

[Larry Dean]

I don't have them on two of my bows. With aluminum arrows, I can play a merry tune if I am not careful while putting an arrow on the bow or drawing. On the side, aluminum glides very quietly on the bow if not bouncing. A rough finished wood arrow can make considerable noise while drawing. I buff and wax my wood arrows to quiet the drawing noise. Of course, my bow can make twice the noise as the one pictured above.

[Bowwild]

I have never shot my recurves without shelf material in place, even when I'm shooting from an elevated rest. I'm concerned about shaft and shelf contact making noise.

I use the loop piece of stick on velcro.

[Sam McMichael]

I prefer to use covering material on my bows. It just seems quieter. I do think some bows are prettier without it, though.

[two4hooking]

You can learn a lot about your form with no shelf material.  I’m shooting mine that way currently.

[TSP]

Two4hooking, what exactly did you learn about your form that shooting your bow without a rest or side plate taught you?         

[Gdpolk]

Benefits to shelf material

• more quiet, especially on the draw
• less wear to the finish of the bow over time
• ability to further tune the bow/arrow/string combination

Benefit to a clean shelf

• it looks cleaner
• nothing to hold moisture or grit/sand in some cases like velcro

I've owned and shot bows done both ways and don't have a strong preference.  Both of my longbows have beavertail for the shelf material to match the beavertail grips.  When they wear I'll replace them with the same.

[two4hooking]

You can hear a clank and extra noise if your release isn’t clean. The bow can talk to you if you listen.  Sometimes hiding the sounds only inhibit your recognition of form problems.  Some may not have these issues but the feedback is helpful for me to identify and correct my bad habits.

[Ken Taylor]

When I was in my early teens I didn't know that you were supposed to put something on there.

I shot and hunted small game for about 6-7 years without anything on the shelf until meeting other guys with newer bows.

[Sam McMichael]

two4hooking makes a good point that release flaws are more noticeable without shelf material. However, I already know how lousy my release is, so I will continue to use this material to help conceal the noise of my bad form. I have often felt that some of my bows would look really nice without it, though.

[TSP]

Hmm.  Not to be argumentative but I don't see how shooting a bow without shelf or side-plate material can prove advantageous with regard to better form (an issue not directly related) or better noise control.  Scuff marks that often develop on 'soft' plates and rests (but not as readily on hard/more durable bare wood), whether from from poorly-matched arrows, feather issues, etc., can actually give excellent (more visible) feedback for correcting such problems.  And with regard to the 'clack' of improperly-spined shafts, that aspect will be just as detectable with or without shelf material since the cause originates from the arrow not the bow. 

At least for hunting purposes I see no advantage to a bare-shelf bow except possibly for looks...which is strictly a personal (aesthetic) preference completely unrelated to performance.  But, to each their own.