The theory and practice of archery

by Horace A. Ford; W. Butt

With the glove and tab and tips without catches the best loose may be obtained with the fingers extended as far as is compatible with the retention of the string; and, by applying the fingers almost diagonally to the string, a very firm grip is secured combined with much facility of liberation (fig. 46, p. 128). With the help of catches on the tips the string can be taught to rest at any intermediate point on the last joint or third phalanx of either of the fingers—it will be found more convenient here to use the word phalanx for each part of the finger, each finger having three phalanges, first, second, and third—and the most entirely different hold on the string to the one previously described is that where the fingers are almost completely curled up (fig. 45); with an active or lively loose the string may be very sharply quitted with this hold, but it is more liable to strain the fingers, unless the bow be weak, and the high-set catch, though more popular twenty years ago, is now very little used. With a strong common glove and all four fingers on the string, this extreme position has been known to contribute to first-rate scores at all the distances, and it is probably the necessary position when four fingers are used.

Fig. 45.

The intermediate position between these two extremes will probably be found the best, and this may be thus described.

The third phalanx of the middle finger should be as nearly as possible at right angles with the line of the drawn-up arrow.

The second phalanx will make an obtuse angle with the third, and the first about the same obtuse angle with the second; and these obtuse angles will vary in individual instances according to the stiffness or suppleness of the finger-joints.

The back of the hand will incline slightly away from the line through the forearm, so that the line from the elbow through the wrist may be quite straight with the same line continued through the wrist to the position of the string on the fingers at A. The positions of the phalanges of the first and third fingers will vary from those of the second finger, as shown in fig. 44.

Fig. 44.

This position of the string across the fingers should be neither too near to nor too far from the tips, as too great a grip necessitates a drag or a jerk to free the fingers, besides exposing more surface to the friction of the string in passing over it; whilst an insufficient hold of the string weakens the shooter's command over it, and renders the giving way of the finger a constant occurrence. It is therefore recommended that the string be placed as nearly as possible midway between the tips and first joints of the fingers.