Thumb Rings

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Mar 03, 2002 10:35 pm

Where in time did thumb rings come about on bows? How long were they used? How do you use one?
I was surfing tonight and I came across a site that sold them. Just then I remembered that in the game Age of Empires 2 you can get thumb rings for your archers. How are they used? Can you point me to a place the can say it better than yourelf? Thanks!

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Torr O'Neal
The Irish, Norwegian Merc

Templar Bob/De Tyre · Sun Mar 03, 2002 10:44 pm

You want to share that site with the rest of us, Torr?

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Robert Coleman, Jr.

The Noble Companie and Order of St. Maurice
Those who beat their swords into plowshares end up plowing for those who don't.

Remember: In Living History/Reinactment, Real Life is the Great Leveler of Man.

[This message has been edited by Templar Bob/De Tyre (edited 03-03-2002).]

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Mar 03, 2002 11:44 pm

http://www.horsearchery.com/ is where to find it. Go under the acessories catergory to find them. There you go, now how do they work?

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Torr O'Neal
The Irish, Norwegian Merc

Alcyoneus · Post by **Alcyoneus** » Mon Mar 04, 2002 1:11 am

I've heard that if you use a thumb ring on your right hand, you need to use a left handed bow. Is this accurate?

Trevor · Post by **Trevor** » Mon Mar 04, 2002 1:13 am

Not sure when they started being used, but a thumb ring works thusly:

A thumb ring has a groove in it meant to catch the bowstring when the thumb is crooked slightly. Your index finger covers the string, preventing it from popping out of the groove. When you draw the bow, the force of the bow is transferred in a straight line to the thumb; thus making a stronger pull than the fingers can. When you want to release the string, merely straighten the thumb. This allows the string to be released without "rolling" it, as a finger release does. This makes the release smoother and more accurate.

hope this helps.

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All bleeding eventually stops.

sasa · Post by **sasa** » Mon Mar 04, 2002 1:49 am

the best place to ask is
www.atarn.org
but I will be surprised if the contraption is "younger" than 2000+ years.

Alcyoneus,
Not the LEFT-HANDED bow (cause it is nonsense). The arrow is placed to the rigth of the bow handle (straight), and not to the left of it (diagonally) as in European draw.

Trevor,
I saw many shapes of bow rings, but none of them has a groove. Indeed, for the thingy to work the surface must be smooth.

Egfroth · Post by **Egfroth** » Mon Mar 04, 2002 2:47 am

Have a look at http://geocities.com/qilich/articles/article.htm for a very comprehensive collection of thumb rings.

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Egfroth

"I can't help it. I was BORN sneering" - Pooh Bah
see my webpage at www.geocities.com/egfrothos

Bojei Temur · Post by **Bojei Temur** » Mon Mar 04, 2002 9:50 am

A couple thumb rings are included in Nicolles Armor from the Crusading era books. They were from the ilkhanate or mongolia proper around the Chinggissid period (sorry, books at home.)

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Alcyoneus:
I've heard that if you use a thumb ring on your right hand, you need to use a left handed bow. Is this accurate?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

mmmm, if your pulling the string with your right hand your left hand has to be holding the bow... unless you plan on using your teeth.

In european archery/draws if your pulling the string with your right hand the arrow shaft rests on the right side of the bow. If your using a thumb ring, the arrow would rest on the left side of the bow instead.

There's a book called _Chinese Archery_ that describes the {relatively modern} chinese use of thumb rings.

Rev. George · Post by **Rev. George** » Mon Mar 04, 2002 10:30 am

In european archery/draws if your pulling the string with your right hand the arrow shaft rests on the right side of the bow. If your using a thumb ring, the arrow would rest on the left side of the bow instead.

Actually I think you got that backwards....

Most european type shooters I've seen place the arrow on the side of the ho9lding hand (ie if you hold the bow in your left hand, the arrow shelf is on the left side. Oddly this is refered to as a "right handed bow" because it is used by right handed people)

I believe eastern shooting has the arrow rest on the drawing hands side (so a righthanded pe3rson, holding the bow in his left hand would need an arrow shelf on the right side of the bow. European bows made like that are designed to be held in the right hand, and are called "left handed bows"

Now I believe modern hunting bows have an arrow shelf on the side of the draw hand for ease of knocking...

-+G

Joe Skeesick · Post by **Joe Skeesick** » Mon Mar 04, 2002 11:16 am

Actually, Eastern European bows typically don't have an arrow rest at all, unless your counting your hand. As for which side the arrow goes on... it goes on the top. Horse bows tend to be fired canted over, not straight upright like a long bow. So if your firing to the left the arrow goes on to the left, if your firing to the right it would go on the right side of the bow.

J

Kveldulf · Post by **Kveldulf** » Mon Mar 04, 2002 12:15 pm

Check out The Tradidtional Bowyers Bible Vol 2. There is some information on thumbrings in the chapter by Jay Massey.

Norman · Post by **Norman** » Mon Mar 04, 2002 2:38 pm

http://www.geocities.com/normlaw/archery.html

Have a read.
See pics of my thumb ring.
Skip down to "The Method of Archery" for how its used.

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Norman J. Finkelshteyn
Armour of the Silk Road - http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Olympus/3505
The Silk Road Designs Armoury - http://www.enteract.com/~silkroad
Jewish Warriors - http://www.geocities.com/jewishwarriors
The Red Kaganate - http://www.geocities.com/kaganate
silkroad@spam.operamail.com (remove "spam" from e-mail to make it work)

Rev. George · Post by **Rev. George** » Mon Mar 04, 2002 3:02 pm

When I said "arrow rest" I was meaning "where you put the arrow" not "contrivance designed to hold an arrow while aiming"

-+G

Bojei Temur · Post by **Bojei Temur** » Mon Mar 04, 2002 5:15 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Rev. George:
Actually I think you got that backwards....
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
You're right, teach me to post before my first two pots of coffee.........

Trevor · Post by **Trevor** » Tue Mar 05, 2002 12:49 am

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by sasa:
Trevor,
I saw many shapes of bow rings, but none of them has a groove. Indeed, for the thingy to work the surface must be smooth.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Wow-I checked out Norman's page-that makes a LOT more sense. MY concepttion of the whole thing was way off. Thanks for the information!

Lubeck · Post by **Lubeck** » Wed Mar 06, 2002 11:40 am

I reccolect there being a chapter in The Book Of The Crossbow on Turkish thumb rings. Its an ivory hook that decreases friction on the release and increases draw length. You can find the book at Smoke And Fire the next time you attend a war.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Mar 06, 2002 2:59 pm

You all have been so helpful. I thank you all so very much and would also like to say that you are helping to educate a helpless victim of Public Education!

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Torr O'Neal
The Irish, Norwegian Merc

Alcyoneus · Post by **Alcyoneus** » Thu Mar 07, 2002 12:20 am

Hm, you are wearing the ring opposite the way I envisioned it. I thought the "pointy" end would have been towards the palm, not the thumb nail. This way (shown in picture) would make it easier for the thumb to pull a greater weight, though.

[This message has been edited by Alcyoneus (edited 03-07-2002).]

Rev. George · Post by **Rev. George** » Thu Mar 07, 2002 12:42 am

but wouldnt it make the release hella hard?

-+G

Tim Finkas · Post by **Tim Finkas** » Fri Mar 08, 2002 7:40 pm

I have seen artifact thumb rings from around 500 BC. They probably date even farther back. Since I want to create a Scythian personna, I would like to make one some day and learn how to shoot with it.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Mar 09, 2002 1:21 am

That would be really neeto. I would love to make one, so when you figure out ow to, then post it up and enlighten us all.

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Torr O'Neal
The Irish, Norwegian Merc

Rev. George · Post by **Rev. George** » Sat Mar 09, 2002 2:03 am

I've seen a site where a chap described how to make 3 thumbrings from a billiard cue ball... but I have no idea how to do it, or where the site was.

-+G

Norman · Post by **Norman** » Tue Mar 12, 2002 12:06 pm

I've seen a site where a chap described how to make 3 thumbrings from a billiard cue ball... but I have no idea how to do it, or where the site was.

Go to the Red Kaganate (URL below) Resource Links page - to the Archery subgroup, find "Atarn". That would be the site - then surf around a little.

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Norman J. Finkelshteyn
Armour of the Silk Road - http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Olympus/3505
The Silk Road Designs Armoury - http://www.enteract.com/~silkroad
Jewish Warriors - http://www.geocities.com/jewishwarriors
The Red Kaganate - http://www.geocities.com/kaganate
silkroad@spam.operamail.com (remove "spam" from e-mail to make it work)

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Mar 12, 2002 4:05 pm

Well, I just got a new book yesterday called The Crossbow, by Payne Gallway. It had some examples in there and I would recomend this book to anyone who loves crossbows, periodocity, etc. It is awesome. You all have been so much help, now only if I could make one...

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Torr O'Neal
The Irish, Norwegian Merc

Post by JT » Tue Mar 12, 2002 4:24 pm

FWIW, I believe the most recent yearbook from the Royal Armouries has an article on them (got my order form in the mail yesterday).

JT checks the web sites...
Yes. http://www.armouries.org.uk/publications/books/year.html

Cost is Â£17.50, plus Â£5.00 per order for overseas shipping. I hadn't gotten the last two, because I didn't see much that interested me, but I think I need to get volumes 4,5, and 6 now (gotta collect em all!)

-- jt --