Finger Spacers

[Rik]

Originally Posted by tel

You've got it - not a cavalier, but same principle. Not only prised apart but built-up too. It was the prising apart that must have caused the final failure.
This one has also gone over to the other style of spacer - I struggled with it last night, but as Linecutter suggested I may have to look elsewhere for an answer...a compromise between the design of the tab and the design of the archer!

I've never thought that finger spacers are there to keep your fingers apart. I don't think they would work for that. Your finger joints are flexible enough that the tips can touch, even when there's quite a large gap at the middle joints. Try this: with your fingers bent and the tips touching, spread the middle joints as far apart as they can go. Even without forcing it, I can get a good inch of separation. I've never seen a spacer that big, and I suspect it wouldn't be good to use one that size.
So I've long suspected that spacers;
are something to hold the tab with
are there to *remind* you not to pinch
help get a consistent tab position

You don't need a spacer, to not pinch, just training and practice. Just remember that it takes time to get used to changing a part of your setup. The usual rule of thumb I apply, is to allow 3 months (of normal shooting) for changing something like this.

[tel]

Originally Posted by Rik

The usual rule of thumb I apply, is to allow 3 months (of normal shooting) for changing something like this.

I don't know how long you've been shooting Rik, but I've got a lot of catching up to do - if I allow three months for every small change I'll be retired before I've begun!

[silver streak]

the pinching is more likely to be caused by fingers being too stiff ( tensed up ) Have you tried taking more string in your fingers and then because of this your fingers should relax a bit more so that you get rid of the pinching problem. I built up my spacer once a long time ago, and found that it made things even worse!!:christmas

[Rik]

Originally Posted by tel

I don't know how long you've been shooting Rik, but I've got a lot of catching up to do - if I allow three months for every small change I'll be retired before I've begun!

Eeek! I just figured out, this is my 20th indoor season...

[Jerry Tee]

There two types of spacers, the first a relatively thin one,and it purpose is to remind you to space your fingers at the start of the draw and to provide a solid distance between the top of the middel finger and the platform on the tab. The type of spacer that is ment to keep you fingers apart extend out to the last finger joint. With this type of spacer it is very difficult to get finger pinching. As aws asid earlier in the thread it is possible to get the tips to touch around the spacer but to counter this with a long spacer you need to push the fingers together slightly on to the spacer, this will hold the tips apart. Trust me on this one I shoot a bow with a 44" string lenght.

[gunmender]

I found that with a new A&F tab i had to cut/file away a fair bit of the bottom lip on the shelf to fit my finger comfortably. I was ending up with a very red patch on the top of my index finger. Things felt 100% better after this. What about the length of facing in contact with the string? is this critical as well?