_OF THE STRING, BRACER, AND SHOOTING-GLOVE_
The best bowstrings are all of Belgian make, and cannot be considered of
such good quality as they used to be twenty-five years ago. Then the
best bowstrings were obtained from a maker at Liège, by name Meeles, the
last of his race, who, with his wife, kept most jealously the secret of
the manufacture, which had been transmitted through many generations in
the one family, and they died childless without communicating it to
anyone. Their residence was kept with the windows on the street side
constantly barred up, so as to make sure that they could not be
overlooked, and they depended entirely for the air and light necessary
for their labour on the private garden at the back of the house.
In the choice of a string see that it has three, not two, strands; and
care must be taken to avoid those that are too hard and stiff, as they
are liable to be brittle and to break very soon. The next thing to be
attended to is that the string is smooth and round throughout, and
sufficiently increased in bulk at the ends where are the eye and loop.
It cannot be doubted that a quicker cast may be obtained from a _thin
string_ than from a _very thick one_; but it will be better to choose
strings strong enough in proportion to the strength of the bows to
ensure their (i.e. the bows') safety rather than to pay too much regard
to this quickness of cast. When the string is chosen its eye must be
fitted into the groove of the lower horn of the bow. In order to make
_the loop_ at the other end the string must now be applied to the back
of the unbent bow, and the first rounded turn of the loop must be made
at about three inches from the groove of the upper horn, or two and a
half inches in the case of a lady's bow. At about the distance of one
inch and a quarter beyond--and one inch in the case of a lady's
string--the crown of this rounded turn the string must be sharply bent
back, and this sharp bend applied round the string on the other side of
the rounded turn. Slip the sharp turn a little further down the string
towards the eye, and twist the remaining reversed end of the string
three times round the looped part of the string, beginning inwards. The
sharp turn must then be pushed back into the first bent position. The
eye must now be passed over the upper horn, and passed far enough down
the bow to allow the loop to be passed over the lower horn and into its
groove, and the loop should be so applied into this groove that the
waste end of string shall lie between the sharp turn and the horn (see
fig. 16). If the waste end of the string be then knotted firmly, and the
remainder cut off, the loop will be finished, and, if successfully
managed, will never shift or stretch when it has once reached its
bearings. The virtue in this loop is that it is quite fast and tight
when in use, and yet it can be very readily slipped off and opened for
readjustment on the same bow, or for application to another bow of
different length. By far the neatest finish to a bowstring is the
addition of a _second eye_ instead of the _loop_, and this is now very
readily done by the bowmakers for their customers at a small additional
charge; but every handy archer should learn how to make this second eye
for himself. The following method is recommended. When the loop has been
correctly adjusted, so that the string, when the bow is braced, is at a
suitable distance from the bow (i.e. six inches or so for a man's bow,
or five and a half inches for a lady's bow) mark with ink the crown of
the rounded turn before mentioned (i.e. the point of the string, not of
the waste twisted round the string in the loop nearest to the upper
horn). Now unbrace the bow and take off the string. Undo the loop and
straighten out the string (see fig. 15). At the distance of one inch
and a quarter (one inch is sufficient for a lady's string) from the
ink-mark, and on each side of it, tie tight round the string a small
piece of fine waxed thread; cut off the waste end of the string at the
knot made in finishing the loop. Keep the part of the string between the
two ties well wound up during the whole of the succeeding stages of the
manufacture of this part into an eye so as to correct the necessary
unwindings. Unwind up to C, fig. 17, completely separate, and straighten
out the three strands (1), (2), (3), fig. 17, of the remaining portion
of the waste end of the string up to its tie at C. Pass a small
marlinespike or stiletto between each of the three strands of the
string, just beyond the other tie at B, and as close to it as possible.
Flatten out the three unwound strands of the waste end fingerwise (fig.
17). Bend (keeping it wound up) the part of the string between the two
ties B and C, so as to bring these two ties exactly together, with the
separated strands (1), (2), (3) lying across the string at right angles
to its worm (see fig. 18). Now insert the middle strand (1), fig. 19
(taking care to cross the worm of the string), with the help of the
marlinespike under that strand of the string across which it lay in fig.
18.
[Illustration: FIG. 15, FIG. 16, FIG. 17.]
[Illustration: FIG. 18.]
[Illustration: FIG. 19, FIG. 20.]
Give the commenced eye a quarter turn to the left (see fig. 20), so that
it is seen edgewise, tie C being now out of sight.
Strand (2) now lies across the strand of the string under which strand
(1) has just been passed, and the next strand of the string. Insert it
(2) under this latter strand, and give the eye another quarter turn,
showing strand (2) inserted (see fig. 21).
[Illustration: FIG. 21.]
Strand (3) as shown in fig. 21 must now be bent to the left across the
central upright strand of the string, and passed under that strand and
brought out and back towards the right again (see fig. 22).
[Illustration: FIG. 22.]
The loop will now be an _eye_, as soon as the two ties B and C have been
brought close together again, and the three strands, loosened by
constant manipulation, have been carefully waxed and wound up again.
From this point there are two methods of proceeding: the one, which will
complete the eye so as to resemble the manufactured eye, by winding each
waste strand round and round its own corresponding strand; and for this
method the waste strands should now be _tapered_ before they are wound
in. By the other method each waste strand in turn should be passed over
the next strand and under the next but one. The waste strands will again
occupy alternate positions between the other strands. Wind up and wax
the waste strands again carefully. Enough has now been done to secure
the safety of the _eye-splice_; but it will be best to splice in once
again each of the waste strands; then bind tightly over the waste for
about half an inch down the string, and cut off the remaining waste
strands.
In order to taper the waste strands, divide each into two equal parts,
lengthwise, after the position shown in fig. 22 has been completed, and
with a blunt knife fine down each of the two parts gradually till each
tapers to nothing at the length of about two and a half inches from the
string; now work in as much wax as possible, flattening each of the
divided portions in so doing; readjust the divided portions, and wind
them carefully together again. The waste ends may then be wound round
and round the appropriate strands until they disappear; or the first
method of splicing may be continued till they fade off and disappear, so
that the finishing process of binding and cutting off the waste ends
may be dispensed with. Don't bind the eye with string, leather, or any
other material. If the string was originally sufficiently thicker at
this part, its final failure is very unlikely to occur at either of the
eyes, and there is a general belief that any _unnecessary clothing_ of
the eye interferes with the cast of the string. If the waste strands,
_untapered_, be spliced in and in very frequently, the string will be
somewhat shortened. A string that is too short--i.e. too far from the
bow when braced--cannot be lengthened without altering the loop or
remaking the eye, but a string that is slightly too long--i.e. not
giving sufficient distance between the string and bow when braced--can
be shortened by spinning it up tighter; but care must be taken not to
attempt this operation with a hard-cemented, new string, as it will
almost certainly prove fatal to the string, which will snap in two at
the loose; and no string should be much spun up.
The next thing to be considered is the _necessary clothing_ of the
string, called its _lapping_. Without doubt the best _lapping_ of all is
a thin strip of _whalebone_, of the width of about one-eighth of an
inch. This may be fastened on to the string at about two inches and a
half from its (the string's) centre (this is calculated for the case of
a bow whose centre or fulcrum is one inch below the top of the handle:
if the centre be at the top of the handle, as in old Flemish bows, the
lapping need not be so long, and if the centre be lower down than one
inch, as in the Scotch make of bows, the lapping must be still longer)
with very fine string, waxed thread, or silk, so that the whalebone
lapping may be wrapped closely round the string in the reversed
direction to the grain or worm of the string.
Let an arrow be now applied, resting on the top of the bow hand as if
the hand holds the handle of the bow in shooting, and exactly at right
angles to the braced string. This exact right angle must be carefully
attended to, because, if the upper angle be an acute angle between the
arrow and string, cast or force will be lost in the force of the cast
being resolved, as shown previously in the case of an increased
impediment, acting as an obstruction to the right line of force: the
arrow will beat itself wastefully on the top of the hand in overcoming
the unnecessary impediment; and, if this upper angle be an obtuse angle,
the difference between the lower and upper portions of the string will
be increased, to the manifest injury of the pre-arranged balance of the
limbs of the bow. Mark carefully on the lapping the exact position of
the centre of the nock of the arrow, and overlap with two or three
strands of waxed filoselle very tightly for about one-third of an inch,
with the mark under its centre. This is the nocking-place. The whalebone
lapping must be carried down to the length of five inches in order to
save the string from being frayed against the sleeve, armguard, &c.; and
it will be found that this length of lapping will be sufficient for
another nocking-place if the string, already provided with two eyes, be
turned over. The occasional use of the second nocking-place will be
found to lengthen the life of the string by changing the position of the
wear and tear. A narrow strip of vellum used frequently to be used for
lapping, and was applied in the same way as the whalebone. Long strips
of the smooth hard covering of the rib of the peacock's tail-feathers
were also in high favour as lapping at one time, but were found to be
too frail. The lapping usually applied to the strings, as bought in the
shops, is three strands, bound on together, of waxed twine, about the
substance used for chemists' parcels, and the three strands are applied
together, not so much in order to finish the lapping more quickly, as to
safeguard the bow from breaking should the string snap. The dangerous
recoil is then caught up by the triple strength of lapping twine well
secured upon the string. This, of course, is supposing that the string
has broken at or near the nocking-place. It is probable that every
possible sort of twine has been at different times tried for
lapping--from the softest floss silk to the most wiry fishing-guts,
which actually help to cut the string when in use.
[Illustration: FIG. 23.]
After all, the best lapping is that which will give a good loose, and at
the same time will be lasting and be easily and quickly repaired should
it fail during the shooting. Now all the lappings already mentioned are
liable to get loose in use, and it takes time to refasten them. The
following somewhat tedious process, the result of more than twenty years
of experience, is recommended. Take a naked string with two eyes, and
make a pencil-mark on it for the exact central position of each of the
two nocking-places. Wax the string well. Wrap two strands nine inches
long of waxed (yellow) filoselle tightly upon the string at each
nocking-place for the third of an inch, with the pencil-mark under the
centre of this third. Fasten off so that the waste ends shall come out
close to these centres. Do not cut off the waste ends. Now take three
strands of waxed filoselle of another colour (red), and in length from
one yard to four feet. Wrap this tightly round the string, commencing
from one and a quarter inch above the one nocking-place, and ending at
the same distance below the other. Apply this wrapping the contrary way
to the worm of the string, and let the waste ends of the previous
wrapping (it does not signify which way this is applied) pass out
between the wraps as they occur. Now take other three strands of (green)
waxed filoselle, of the same length, and wrap them tightly on over all
the last wrapping of red; but this time wrap the same way as the worm of
the string. Again let the first ends of the yellow wrapping pass out.
The principal wrapping is now complete, and the waste ends of (yellow)
filoselle are ready in place to complete the necessary thickening for
the nocking-places. This lapping is very firm and lasting. It cannot get
loose in use, and it is in every part capable of almost instantaneous
repair, and the archer has no need to carry about him any other
materials than a few pieces of filoselle, some wax, and a knife.
The most convenient position for lapping a string is assumed by passing
the left leg through between the braced bow and its string and sitting
down with the string uppermost and the bow stave under the thigh. This
description of the operation of lapping will be incomplete without
instructions for fastening off, for the benefit of beginners.
[Illustration: FIG. 24.]
In the commencement of lapping the end is passed under, and the wrapping
is tightly bound over it five or six times, till it is considered
sufficiently secure. To finish off, the same operation is reversed,
thus: arrest the lapping by passing the filoselle, or whatever the
material in use may be, over the thumb of the left hand, interposed
between the lapping-material and the string. Wrap the lapping material
upon the string the reverse way to that in which it has been previously
wrapped about five or six times (see fig. 22). Keep the material _a b_
tight-drawn with the left thumb whilst this is being done. Now draw the
end _c_ (fig. 24) close to the string, and along its length, so that it
may lie close between part _a_ and the string. Now take the piece _a b_
from off the left thumb, and draw the part _a_ up to the lapping already
applied. Bind part _a_ on to the string. This binding will unwind the
part _b_. Continue this till all _b_ is unwound from the string and
wound on again. Now hold tight the remainder unwound of _a b_ with the
left hand. Draw it through under the lapping with the right hand; but
the surplus portion of _a b_ to be drawn through must be kept tight to
the last by the insertion of the left little finger to prevent kinking
and cockling, which would spoil the finish. With the same object in
view, keep the waste part _a b_ as short as possible. Filoselle, being a
loosely wound material, easily passes through this finish, but the
kinking of some of the other tight-wound materials renders this finish
troublesome if it have to be drawn under many wraps.
THE BRACER OR ARMGUARD.
The object of the _armguard_ or _bracer_ is to protect the left arm and
wrist from the blow of the string _in the event of_ this striking upon
it when loosed. The expression 'in the event of' is especially meant to
imply that in most cases no need exists for the string's striking the
arm at all; but if the bow be low-strung--or follow the string, as it is
called--it is impossible to avoid an occasional smart blow in the
neighbourhood of the left wrist, and this must be guarded against. For
this purpose a short armguard, covering the wrist and that half of the
forearm, will be all-sufficient. As regards the blow of the string upon
this limited sort of armguard, it may be observed that it cannot
injuriously affect the flight of the arrow, as it occurs most probably
after the arrow has left the string. This protection for the wrist
should extend up the arm, but very little beyond the point where the
bowstring would touch the arm when the properly-braced bow is extended
at arm's length. For this armguard a piece of thin leather, laced
closely at the back of the forearm, answers very well. Should this be
too thin to save the arm from the blow of the string, let a piece of
stiff card be slipped between the sleeve and the wrist. The sleeve about
the wrist should be made to fit as closely as possible, and all other
materials--cuffs, shirt-sleeves, &c.--discarded, or rolled up above the
elbow. Care must also be taken to avoid all wrinkles and folds in the
sleeve between the guard and the elbow. This can be best managed by
having the sleeve no atom too long, and drawing it as far down the hand
as possible whilst the guard is being fixed. It is unfortunate that the
seam along the inside of almost every sleeve occurs just where it helps
to manufacture folds and projections ready to act as impediments to the
passage of the string. Some archers use stout elastic webbing, and
others wrap round the wrist strong braid, &c. The main object of all
these guards is to avoid the blow of the string until the string shall
have advanced so far in its course to rest as to be unable to interfere
with the direction of a properly aimed arrow. Some archers, shooting
with the bow in the left hand, aim with the left (not with the right)
eye, and this peculiarity makes it rather more difficult to avoid
hitting the forearm at some point between the elbow and the short
guard. With others, when the left arm, holding the bow, is extended
straight out, and stiffened at the elbow, it will be found to bend
inwards--knock-kneed, as it were. In such cases it would probably be
better to widen the handle of the bow, so as to remove the inner
outline of the arm farther from the plane in which the string acts, than
to increase the certainty of an aim-disturbing blow by adding the
thickness of an armguard to the already existing impediment; or--but
this is only mentioned as an alternative, not recommended for general
adoption--the arm may be slightly bent outwards at the elbow. Some try
to avoid this unnecessary hitting of the arm by keeping their bows very
high-strung; but this should be avoided, as it is very trying to both
the bow and the string, and it is generally believed that by keeping a
bow high-strung some of its cast is lost.
The old-fashioned bracer, of which there are still many modern
representatives--although Mr. Ford, in his book, successfully demolished
the 'armguard-hitting theory,' which was upheld by most previous writers
on the subject--was, and is, certainly admirably calculated to be hit as
much as possible, being often made of very thick leather, and lined and
padded as well. If something of this sort, failing other expedients to
avoid hurting the arm, must be used, let it be as thin and close-fitting
as possible, and in particular close-fitting for the four inches or so
next to the wrist, where the reckless old armguards used to project as
much as half an inch, ready to welcome the blow of the string several
inches sooner than need be. And, to avoid the worst blow of all--that
delivered upon the top of the armguard where it is shaped to the bend of
the elbow--let the upper strap be carried round above the elbow so that
it draws the front of the guard tight as the arm is straightened. In
spite of all that has been said above, it cannot be denied that, such
is the persistent determination of arrows well aimed and well loosed
to reach the target, they will certainly very often succeed,
notwithstanding frequent interruptions from an armguard in addition to
the natural difficulties. Too much care cannot be taken to see that when
fastened no edge or corner of the armguard protrudes that can by
possibility obstruct the free passage of the string. In spite of good
old Ascham's statement that 'the string, gliding quickly and sharply off
it' [the bracer], 'may make a sharper shoot' (he also advised that the
bow be high-strung, so that this hitting may be avoided), the guard
should be made of moderately soft and yielding but perfectly smooth
leather, and not of any hard material. The silver armguard, which may be
fitting enough as a trophy for the Field Captain of the Royal
Toxophilite Society, would be about as much out of place during the
shooting of the York Round as the ancient Scorton arrow would be amongst
the shafts in use during one of the annual Yorkshire meetings.
THE SHOOTING-GLOVE, AND OTHER PROTECTIONS FOR THE FINGERS.
The old-fashioned archer's glove--still in use in Scotland, and perhaps
occasionally elsewhere--resembles a boxing-glove, being made of thick
buckskin, and calculated to protect the hand from some of the accidents
of war. It was provided with a pocket for extra strings, wax, and other
necessaries on its back; and no doubt owned a companion glove for the
bow hand, also calculated to protect _it_ from injury. This glove has
pieces of hard leather sewn on to the ends of the fingers as a further
protection against the string; and leather straps, passing round the
roots of the fingers and along the back of the hand, are tied tightly
round the wrist to prevent the finger-guards from being dragged forward
out of place at the loose.
[Illustration: FIG. 25.]
The protection for the fingers, which is probably best known to
beginners and old-fashioned archers, consists of three conical tips or
thimbles of leather, each sewn up at the back of the finger, and
attached--also at the back--to long strips of leather, connected at the
back of the hand so as to form one piece, which is fixed upon a strap
which passes round the wrist and is fastened securely by a buckle (fig.
25). There is nothing to be said against this description of
shooting-glove if a thimble can be got to fit each of the fingers
accurately; but, as it can seldom happen that in a ready-made article a
perfect fit can be found, this form of finger-guard has become
unfashionable, and has gone out of favour. It was probably never made
with the thimbles of the right sort of leather (horse-butt), as the
softer and more pliable sorts of leather would be more suitable to fit
all comers. It effectually obviates one of the difficulties which occurs
to most beginners--that of recovering their tips when they have been
scattered all over the shooting-lawn.
[Illustration: FIG. 26.]
The 'tab' (see fig. 26) is probably one of the most ancient of
finger-guards, and it has so many merits that it can never be altogether
discarded. Any archer may quickly manufacture it out of almost any sort
of leather, and it is very readily altered or replaced, and it is no
impediment to the free use of the fingers for other purposes than
loosing an arrow. The whole of the first finger of the right hand is
passed right through the opening A from the side not seen, and the tip
of the finger is placed on _a_. The third finger is similarly passed
through B, and its tip lies on [Greek: b]. The middle finger is now
placed on _b_. It will be found that the 'tab' is now securely fastened
for use, the string being applied to the side not seen. The tab can be
readily turned down into the palm of the hand whilst the arrow is
applied to the string. The tab is then replaced on the tips of the
fingers and applied to the string, with the arrow at the bottom of the
opening between the parts _a_ and _b_. The one drawback to this
description of finger-guard is that the arrow comes into actual contact
with the sides of the first and second fingers, and beginners are
specially perplexed with the difficulty of keeping the arrow applied to
the proper place on the side of the bow during the operation of pulling
up, owing to too tight a pinch between the fingers, given by the bent
string. This same difficulty occurs also with other guards, but the
results are not so painful, as the corner of the nail is protected by
leather from the nock of the arrow. The tab is not, therefore, to be
recommended for the use of beginners. Should any archers be tempted to
use it when the first difficulties are overcome, it will be found that
the insertion of a piece of cork or leather between the first and second
fingers will overcome the trouble caused by this pinch. The tab, as
before mentioned, may be made of one piece of leather; but it is better
to have it made of two pieces sewn together, as shown in the sketch (see
fig. 26), the part applied to the string being made of 'horse-butt,'
which is a brittle sort of leather, the part through which the fingers
are passed being made of some more supple leather.
Before the more elaborate and scientific finger-stall or guards come to
be considered the remaining simple and old-fashioned ones must be
completed.
Next in order comes an ordinary glove, which has lately come prominently
to the front, because the constant use of a good thick dogskin glove has
enabled the Champion of 1884 to keep his place in 1885 and 1886. To this
may be applied the dogmatic words of Mr. Ford (slightly altered) with
reference to the tab: 'This does not, however, alter my opinion as to
its being decidedly an inferior method, as who shall say how much more
[he] might have excelled had [he] adopted a different and [less]
rational one?'
A well-fitting glove may be improved by sewing small pieces of pigskin
or other smooth sound leather over the tips of the fingers (see fig.
27).
[Illustration: FIG. 27.]
Constant practice on the harp has been known to enable a lady to
dispense with any artificial protection, and to make three golds at one
end at one of the Leamington meetings.
Another method of preparing the fingers for naked application to the
bowstring is to use them industriously as pipe-stoppers; but as some
archers do not smoke, and it might not be easy for a non-smoker to get
employment as a pipe-stopper to others who do, a more convenient way of
hardening the fingers would be by dropping on hot sealing-wax, and then
dipping the finger into salt.
It is undeniable that permanently successful shooting depends mostly
upon an even, certain, and unvarying loose, and such a loose can only be
attained by the help of the most suitable glove, tips, tab, or other
protection for the fingers. The archer must have the perfect command of
the string, and of the exact 'how' and 'when' it shall be allowed to
quit the fingers. If the glove &c. be too loose or too tight, this
necessary command is lost. In the first case, the feeling of insecurity
gives a hesitating uncertainty to the loose; and in the second, the
power of the fingers is so cramped that a sensation of distortion
cripples their best efforts. Further, too thick a glove &c. interferes
with the proper 'feel' of the string; whilst one that is too thin, by
hurting the fingers, causes them to flinch from the proper degree of
crisp sharpness requisite for a perfect loose. Still further, with too
hard a substance--metal, for instance: finger-tips have been
occasionally made of silver--the string cannot be with certainty
retained till the proper instant of loosing, whilst with leather that is
too soft and sodden, the string cannot be quitted without a jerk that
staggers the bow-arm.
It will be seen, therefore, that positive rules cannot be laid down as
to either the size, make, shape, or material of the finger-guards; as
each individual must be suited according to the peculiar nature of his
own fingers, be they callous or tender, strong or weak, clumsy or
dexterous.
In 1859 it may have been good advice to archers to manufacture their own
finger-guards, though Mr. Ford candidly confessed 'that the endeavours
of ten years have hardly succeeded in producing finger-stalls perfectly
to my satisfaction.' It may be safely asserted, however, that it is
better to use the thinner leather (provided it be thick enough to
protect the fingers from pain), and the stalls must be constructed so as
to confine the hand and cramp the knuckles as little as possible.
The 'Mason' finger-stall, described by Mr. Ford, consisted of a piece of
leather partly surrounding the tip of the finger, and connected over the
nail with vulcanised india-rubber, and kept in place by a ring, also of
india-rubber, or preferably of silver, passing over both joints of the
finger, and connected inside the hand with the stall by means of a thin
tongue of india-rubber about an inch or an inch and a half long; a guard
or stop is placed upon each stall, about half an inch from the top, by
which (stop) the line of the fingers and position of the string is
regulated, &c. A very similar finger-guard, produced by Mr. Buchanan of
215 Piccadilly, was made, closed at the finger-end, so as to protect the
top of the finger from possible injury.
In these finger-guards the stop or catch of leather on the inside of the
finger first makes its public appearance, but the contrivance in its
entirety has completely gone out of favour--probably owing to the
untrustworthiness of india-rubber, even though it be vulcanised. The
connecting ring removed the objection to these separate tips that,
unless they were glued on or too tight (both undesirable), they were
sadly liable to slip off at the loose. Also the connecting tongue of
india-rubber might enable the lower part of the finger to contribute
some trifle of support to the tip of the finger at its fullest strain,
and certainly it would assist to catch the finger-tip back from the
sprawled position (much objected to by some instructors in this craft)
sometimes assumed after a dead loose.
[Illustration: FIG. 28.]
Mr. James Spedding and Mr. H. C. Mules, about the same time that Mr. H.
A. Ford and others were making experiments in the construction of their
own finger-tips, contrived a little brass nutted screw-bolt for securing
the finger-tips safely upon the fingers without the uncertain action of
india-rubber, or in any way cramping the action of the finger-joints.
This little contrivance is three-quarters of an inch long. The nut A is
fixed, but the nut B can be moved to any position on the screw-bolt.
[Illustration: FIG. 29.]
This contrivance is passed through the holes at _a_ and _b_ (see fig.
29) of a finger-tip shaped thus. Of course the end of the screw-bolt
over which the nut B is passed after the screw-bolt has been passed
through _a_ and _b_ must be clinched afterwards to prevent nut B coming
off again. The lacing together of the six corresponding holes on each
side of the guard at the back of the finger over the nail can be tight
or loose, according to taste; but it should be laced with fine strong
cord, not elastic, as generally supplied by the makers. The brass bolt
passes over the top joint of the finger when the guard is put on the
finger, and may then be tightened so as to keep the guard in its place
and to prevent it escaping at the loose. Leather catches may easily be
added of any shape or in any position that is preferred.
[Illustration: FIG. 30.]
[Illustration: FIG. 31.]
The elementary tip, that anybody may cut out of a piece of pigskin (fig.
30), further sophisticated, became the tip registered by Messrs. Aldred
in 1868 (fig. 31) as the 'Paragon,' with the Mules-Spedding contrivance
added, and also a catch, and a strap over the nail, for keeping it in
position.
[Illustration: FIG. 32.]
The _parrot-beak_ (fig. 32) is a further development of the
Mules-Spedding tip, with the brass bolt omitted. This is not an
improvement, as the sewing, if it suddenly failed, could not be readily
replaced.
Mr. J. Spedding had a further contrivance which brought the little
finger in to the assistance of the third finger. This was managed by
securing a loop to the guard for the third finger. This loop was passed
over the little finger, which was tightly curled up towards the palm of
the hand, thus supporting the third during the strain of the aim. The
little finger was, of course, uncurled at the instant of loose.
Soon after 1859 Mr. H. A. Ford began to lose the almost perfect command
which he had, during about ten years, possessed over the bow. Whether
this failure arose from the use of bows that were too strong, causing
actual physical injury to some of the muscles engaged in the action of
pulling up or loosing; or whether it arose from shooting too much; or
whether it arose from loss of nerve and confidence, through over-anxiety
to excel, and keep in front of all the opponents who, profiting by his
instruction, began to tread close upon his heels, will never be known;
but certain it is that before he reappeared as Champion at Brighton in
1867, with his fourth best Grand National score of 1,037 (his better
scores being, 1,251 at Cheltenham in 1857, 1,076 at Exeter in 1858, and
1,074 at Shrewsbury in 1854), he had taken to weak bows and light
arrows, and had tried several different combinations of fingers for
loosing. Thus he contrived a finger-tip for the little finger, to the
back of which he attached the third finger, so that these two might
combine to do the work of one finger. This did not prove successful; but
he was satisfied with his final experiment, which consisted of a tip for
the first finger, on to the back of which his second finger was also
applied; and he has been heard to declare his belief that if he could
have tried this loose in his best days he might have improved upon his
best scores.
Occasionally the second and third fingers are furnished with a
double-cell tip for the parallel action of these two fingers; but as
contrivances of this sort are but the playthings of broken-down
archers--of whom, alas, there are too many--they are not mentioned with
any view of recommending them until, after patient trial, the other
simpler finger-guards have failed.
A piece of strong quill is sometimes sewn upon the inside of the tip
with the leather catch so as to prevent the string from getting embedded
in the leather, and to quicken the loose; but its interference with the
'feel' of the string argues against its employment.
It is even doubtful whether anything but the most cautious use of the
leather catch to the finger-tip may not be most dangerous. Many of the
best shots do not use it; and though no doubt the certainty of the one
best position for the string on the fingers, when the archer is at his
best, will produce most excellent results, yet, the possibility that a
permanent breakdown may be the result of the use of the same catch when
the archer is out of condition or practice, or perhaps tired, should
make every archer careful to avoid the loss of liberty of hold that may
be found advisable under varying circumstances.