Archers Thumb Ring From a Spoon

Intro: Archers Thumb Ring From a Spoon

In this Instructable I'm going to show you how to make an Archers Thumb Ring from a Spoon.

A Thumb Ring is a device you'll need if you want to shoot bow and arrow in thumb release technique without damaging your thumb. Traditionally it is made of horn, leather or wood, but I searched for a cheap, easy and modern way, so I ended up with a spoon, because it has the ideal shape and is easy to get.

The thumb release technique is mostly used with horsebows. In contrast to other techniques you'll have to put the arrow on the right side of the bow, not the left, so this will unfortunately not work for standard recurve bows.

STEP 1: The Things You Will Need:

• A spoon, I used a teaspoon, if you have a larger thumb you should probably use a larger kind of spoon
• A vertical drilling machine
• Some differently sized grinder drill bits and normal drill bits
• A grinding machine or sandpaper
• A syringe or pipette and water for cooling
• A angle grinder or metal saw

STEP 2: The Hole

Start drilling a hole into the wide part of the spoon with a small drill bit then make the hole bigger in little steps.

When drilling holes into metal never forget to cool the materials or you'll wreck your tools, I just used a few drops of water on the spoon that worked just fine. Put a bowl underneath your drilling machine or you'll get water all over your workplace.

When you run out of larger drill bits and the hole isn't quite big enough for your thumb to fit trough switch to grinder drill bits and continue enlarging the hole until it fits you.

STEP 3: Cutting Off the Handle

Pretty simple: Take your angle grinder and cut off the handle. If you don't have an angle grinder just saw it off by hand, it'll take some time but it'll work.

STEP 4: Finishing

Use grinder drill bits, sandpaper and your grinding machine to smooth all edges so you don't cut yourself while shooting with your new thumb ring.

STEP 5: Adding a Notch for the String

If you fear that the string could slide off the ring to easily use a file to add a notch to prevent that.

I recommend trying to shoot with it before filing to much.

STEP 6: Shoot Something

Good Luck!

And remember: always think about the safety of persons, animals and the things around you when shooting with bow and arrow.

Comments

[weaponsmaster18]

i actually learned to draw a bow like this in the first place never used one of these I think this would be a real cool addition.

[floatchick]

I think this would be an awesome pendant! Then you'll always have it handy and not risk losing it. A non-archer like myself would like one as a pendant just for the look of it and not for the utility of it. Win, win!

[Troop494]

This is really cool! Does it make a difference if I use a hand drill or vertical drill?

[FlorinJ]

Use oil for cooling. Doesn't evaporate, and the lubrication protects the drill and slightly reduces the thermal eneregy released (just slightly - the heat comes from the drill cutting into the metal and deforming it, not so much from it rubbing onto the metal, and the cutting and deformation is the same, with or without oil). If you put the spoon into a recovered tin can filled with oil, bend its handle so that you can somehow clamp it down, the oil is going nowhere and you have continuous oil-based cooling. True, professional installation use a pump and an emulsion of oil, a sort non-corroding soap/detergent and water for cooling, continuously poured on the spot where heat is produced, but a tin can filled with oil should do, if you don't drill too fast.

[Nelimare]

Thanks :)

I think it would be very difficult to use a hand drill and cool the materials simultaneously, because it takes some time to drill through a steel spoon and the water evaporates when it gets hot. You should probably ask somebody to help you with the cooling and find a way to secure the spoon to a piece of wood or something like that, especially when you work with grinder drill bits.

[elobire]

Your supposed to shape the hole to an oval so that you can turn it once you put it on sideways so it doesnt come off your thumb

[loony1]

Wondering---is you were to utilize this method, but change it from the thumb, to, say, your middle finger, could you use the standard draw/release method (on the correct side of the riser)? It would essentially turn into a finger tab, but much slicker for release. Guessing 'we' should find out. I will plan to try it out and post back.
Thanks for the idea.

[LithiumRose]

Oh this is so awesome.

[Flenters]

Hi Nelimare, why not make an instructable of various methods of archery? Maybe through the ages. It's a cool sport, and an interesting read even for those, who unlike us, does not have much interest in archery itself. Great ibble by the way.

[Nelimare]

Thank you Flenters,

good idea maybe, If I find the time, I'll do some research on it, it could get a collaborative instructable with a few other people of my archery club.

[Flenters]

Let me know, and if you need more assistance I will do some research for you as well.

[Reesol]

Very cool! does this hurt the bowstring at all?

[Flenters]

Hi Reesol, any method of bow string release will eventually damage the bow string, and so does age and water. before you shoot inspect your string, and replace when necessary. Also, investing in a good string wax is worth it.

[Nelimare]

Thank you :)

If you smooth the surface with fine sandpaper or don't add a notch it should not have more effect on the string than any other way of shooting.

[tomatoskins]

This looks great! I've always wanted to get into archery.

[Nelimare]

Thanks!

Then go get started, there are some really cool and easy bow instructables if you don't want to buy one :)