활 기초 가이드
Pressure Buttons / Plungers
A pressure button (sometimes referred to as a plunger) is a device that is used to set the position of the arrow in the bow and to tune the flex of the arrow for a better flight. The pressure button will screw into a dedicated threaded recess on the riser (handle) of the bow such that the sprung loaded button comes into contact with the side of the arrow.
Archery Targets
All of the bows that we sell must be used with a suitable archery target. For the lightweight bows, a straw bale may be sufficient but a dedicated straw target (boss) would be a better option. The target must be soft enough to absorb the impact of the arrow without damaging it but hard enough to prevent the arrow from passing straight through. NEVER shoot your bow at a hard target such as wood or a tree trunk. This may cause damage to the shaft of the arrow (which may not be visible) and this could be very dangerous next time the arrow is released. If an arrow splinters or breaks on release this could cause serious damage to your arm, hands or face! If you do not have a suitable archery target, we recommend the use of one of our Archery Targets. Most of our bows can be purchased as a 'Target Kit' which includes the target with a small discount.
Right or Left Handed?
This question is a common source of confusion among beginners to archery. In Archery 'handedness' is linked to the hand that draws the string. A right handed person would normally draw the string with their right hand. This means that a Right Handed bow is actually held in the left hand. Some right handed archers prefer to shoot left handed but generally if you are right handed you should use a right handed bow (which is held in your left hand).
Recurve
The original longbows were constructed simply from a straight length of suitably shaped wood which was then bent into a curve and held by the bowstring. When the arrow is drawn back, the bend on the bow is increased to provide a source of power that drives the arrow forwards upon release. The recurve bow is an enhancement to this design whereby the limbs of the bow are curved forwards. This enables a greater amount of potential energy to be held by the limbs once the bow is strung. Recurve bows are the most common type of bow in the beginner to intermediate market.
Compound
A compound bow generally has much smaller and stiffer limbs than a recurve bow. To harness the power of the stiffer limbs a pulley system is used. The string of a compound bow is arranged around a pair of pulley wheels at the top and bottom of the limbs. This enables a great deal of power to be generated from a smaller and more compact bow. An added advantage with a compound bow is that the pulley wheels can be offset to act as 'cams' such that when the bow is fully drawn, the pressure required to hold the string is much less. This allows the archer to take his or her time with their aim.
Colour Coded Arrows
Most archery arrows have colour-coded vanes. When placing the arrow, the odd coloured vane (nocking vane) should always point away from the hand pulling the string. This ensures that when the arrow is released the vanes are aligned to pass the riser as efficiently as possible. If the arrow is placed the wrong way around, the odd coloured vane will hit the riser when the arrow is released. This will cause inaccuracy in the shot and will also (over time) damage the arrow.
How to String a Bow
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Step 1:
Place one end of the bow string (shown in yellow) over the top limb of the bow and slide it half way down.
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Step 2:
Place the other end of the bow string into the groove on the bottom limb of the bow.
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Step 3:
Place the hooded end of the bow stringer (shown in blue) over the bottom limb of the bow and the saddled end of the bow stringer over the top limb of the bow half way down.
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Step 4:
Ensure that you have suitable eye protection before attempting this step. Hold the bow by its handle so that the curved tips of the bow are pointing upwards and place your foot over the middle of the bow stringer (blue). Carefully pull the bow upwards until it starts to bend.
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Step 5:
Ensure that you have suitable eye protection before attempting this step. Continue to pull the bow upwards until you can fit the loose end of the string (yellow) correctly into the groove on the top limb of the bow.
How to fit Nocking Points
Nocking points are small guides that clamp on to the string of your bow to mark the correct position to nock your arrow. The nocking points should ideally be fitted using a Bracing Height Gauge as follows:
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Step 1:
Place the Bracing Height Gauge on the string so that the front of the gauge rests gently on the arrow rest.
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Step 2:
Place the lower nocking point on the string so that the top of the point is 10mm above square.
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Step 3:
Then place the upper nocking point above the lower nocking point on the string and adjust the gap between the two nocking points to suit the width of the nock on your arrows.
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Step 4:
When the nocking points are fitted correctly, the arrow should point down very slightly with the back raised by 10mm. This should give the arrow the correct clearance when released from the bow.
