Need some help from the sage ones

Is a 9" brace height too high for a recurve? Specifically a really old 1960's-ish sheakespeare necedah? How about a cravotta bros Blackhawk, short hornet.

I bought 2 new strings for these old bows to see how they shoot. I had semi regularly shot the Necedah & just measured the old string to buy the new one. They are 58" & 57.5" bows respectively & I ordered 52" strings cause that was what was on the old one so I figured it was right. It wasn't until now that I realize I should probably have 54" strings.

Can I make do?

 

sounds high to me.but i'm no expert.

 

Yep, sounds to high to me. To high of a brace height and to low a brace height can cause damage to a bow. Plus it might make tuning it a tad bit more challenging! I don't think you'll get that much stretch out of it for it to settle to where you need it!

 

Anyone need 2 52" B-50 strings?

 

A good starting point for fistmele is around 7 1/2 to 7 3/4 inches then go from there. Over 8 inches is getting to the high side for fistmele.

 

I'm thinking to high myself Ryan. Here's a site with some good Info. http://info.htcomp.net/bhn/Columnists.nsf/d731dec9a617821886256590000646df/6d6e03a01d94a96b86256e8d005e6066?OpenDocument

 

Thanks guys, I'm just going to send them back for 54" strings.

 

I generally start low and slowly increase. I find where it shoots the quietest. I like to look at the amount of contact the string has with teh tips. To much contact, the brace is too low. If there is not enough contact, the brace is too high. A general rule is;

Straight limb self bow 6.0" - 6.5"
Straight limb or reflex laminated longbow 6.25" - 6.75"
Reflex - deflex long bow 6.5" - 7.0"
Recurve self bow 6.5" - 7.0"
Hybrid Long Bow 7.25" - 7.75"
50's Style Recurve 6.75" - 7.25"
Modern Hunting Recurve 7.5" - 8.0"
Modern Target Recurve 64" or longer 8.0" - 8.5"

 

Sorry Steve. I just noticed you posted the same site I quoted.

 

I was reading through this and saw for a recurve its 7.5-8 " I have mine at like 8 1/2 (Its a Bear Grizzly) is that too high??

 

IMO A fistmele is a decent field judgement as long as you know what your individual fistmele measures. I believe most are between 6 1/2 and 7". I used to use the measurement for my HH bows and still do with selfbows but most recurve brace heights are too far above to be accurate.

 

I use the term "fistmele" because that's what we called it when I started shooting we didn't call it "brace height". And no my fist to thumb tip is not 7 1/2" - 8" so I use a square too, on some of my bows.
:d