# AAE KSL Adjustable Finger Spacer Question



## DBrewer (Jul 17, 2010)

I just got a KSL adj. finger spacer kit in the mail from LAS. It’s basically the soft rubber cover that you can put over top of the huge finger spacer. It’s nice, much more comfortable with the cover than without. My question is what is the flat black square piece of plastic used for? No directions. My initial guess would be some kind of shim, but it’s not pre-cut or anything. Weird. Anybody with any experience with this tab/spacer have any idea? I could call LAS or AAE, but figured someone here must know.


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## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

Okay, I struggled with this same question at first too. I think I just stared at that piece of flat plastic for about 20 minutes before the idea hit me. (Sure would have been nice if some instructions along with a few diagrams were included) So here's what I did...

I did use it to cut out a series of shims that I stacked on top of each other, then fitted the rubber band around them. The smart part of this design is that it allows you to shim the spacer in either direction as much or as little as you want. I found that about 5 layers of plastic above the spacer was perfect once I put the rubber band over it all. 

Of course, I tried to remove one of the rubber bands ( I bought two tabs at the same time ) and it broke on me, so I ended up using black electricians tape instead, and I taped one layer of shim at a time, wrapping the tape around and around the spacer so that each layer was secured with it's own wrap of tape. This worked pretty darn well. 

After I figured this system out, I absolutely LOVED this finger spacer system. Wish I'd had it years ago. A huge improvement over what we had before, and you can duplicate it identically for multiple tabs if you want.

Okay, that's the good...

The bad? The spacer comes with one screw. One. Seriously? There are two holes in the tab face and three on the spacer. I went straight out and bought two new 6mm screws so I could use two per spacer and really lock it in place. Okay, that was no big deal...

The bigger deal to me was difference in Cordovan leather thickness between the two tabs. Totally different thickness and material. I spoke with Dick Tone (who no longer runs the production unfortunately) and he said "it happens. It's tough to get runs of one kind and thickness of cordovan." So I had to go looking for another face so that my two tabs would shoot alike. 

I understand this is less of a problem on the KSL tabs because of their premium price. I was using the "Elite" tabs with the Cordovan faces. So buyer beware if you're ordering more than one, or ordering a backup for your current tab.

I'll try to post some pic's later of the spacers on my tabs to help out...

John


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## Jim C (Oct 15, 2002)

when we got those adjustable spacers for the old elite tabs (at the risk of getting JK upset again-these spacers were billed by LAS as fitting both the Cavalier elite and the new AAE/Cavalier/KL tab -because there is no threaded holes in the KSL tab, the new spacers DO NOT fit the KSL tab-rather they are designed to replicate the KSL spacer for the elite tab) we got None of the shims no the rubber with those spacers


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## DBrewer (Jul 17, 2010)

Thanks John & Jim. There's certainly some confusion out there with these things. The rubber sleeve fits well over the brass spacer and that's really what I was looking for, just something to keep it from digging into the web between my fingers. I've shot the Cavalier Elite's since the early 90's with a custom spacer but, I thought it was about time to try something new. It's taken a little getting used to the KSL, but I think I'll stick with it for a while. I just haven't figured out how to pull my arrows with the silly thing stuck on my hand. Thanks again.


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## Jim C (Oct 15, 2002)

DBrewer said:


> Thanks John & Jim. There's certainly some confusion out there with these things. The rubber sleeve fits well over the brass spacer and that's really what I was looking for, just something to keep it from digging into the web between my fingers. I've shot the Cavalier Elite's since the early 90's with a custom spacer but, I thought it was about time to try something new. It's taken a little getting used to the KSL, but I think I'll stick with it for a while. I just haven't figured out how to pull my arrows with the silly thing stuck on my hand. Thanks again.


I have a few, will probably modify it to use a piece of paracord like the elites I have been shooting for close to 20 years (yeah I threw that idiotic chain away on my first one-put some paracord on it and used a slider I bought at Wal Mart) several years later Dick Tone did the same thing!!


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## raisingcain (Sep 13, 2011)

Like Limbwalker pointed out, it is a shim.


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## raisingcain (Sep 13, 2011)

If the silicone wrap broke on you, call AAE 928-772-9887. If it is a manufacturing defect AAE will replace it. AAE guarantees all products 100%.


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## John Hall (Jan 10, 2013)

Old thread resurrection! I just received 2 new KSL cordorvan faces from LAS... drastic difference in thicknesses. So much that I actually ended up using the old, worn face behind the thinner new face in order to get similar thickness to the other. Meaning one was about half the thickness of the other! I think the double face is now a bit thicker but feels very nice. But now I'm worried about shot variability when alternating tabs. I guess I will have to see how it works out.

John


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## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

This is a real pet peeve of mine. Last two new Cav. Elite tabs I ordered had completely different Cordovan faces as well. Enough that the bow tuned differently from one to the next. So I called them and got a "okay" response, as if they didn't understand why that was a problem. I actually got the feeling that they had heard this complaint before, but there wasn't really anything they could do about it. 

Whichever...

So I got in touch with Matt and Gary Zumbo and ordered two Black Mamba Cordovan faces to fit to my Cavalier tabs. Just had to punch out some holes and trim them and viola'! Two nice, identically thick and smooth tab faces right out of the box. 

From now on, I'll be getting my Cordovan faces from the Zumbos.

John


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## John Hall (Jan 10, 2013)

Oh man... that sounds like the way to go! Can you PM me their contact info or do you just buy them off LAS?

John


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## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

John, you can order from LAS, or contact Matt or Gary directly through here.


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## FlyingWatchmake (Apr 15, 2012)

Some information on the cordovan too... There are a total of 2 tanneries in the world that produce cordovan... I order from the tannery in Chicago (to be sent to Australia) to experiment with watch straps, and conveniently make some replacement tab faces as well ;-) 

The price of the cordovan is such that for straps/tabs, the pieces are the lowest end of the run, mainly due to the overall size of the piece (in this case called a "chip") and as such the thickness can vary between 2 tabs cut side by side... 

As a rough example, if AAE are paying what I believe they are for the chips, and pricing the tab faces accordingly, to use the fully graded and consistent pieces a tab face would be upwards of US$50-60.. Maybe even near $100... 

Hope someone finds this helpful  

Tom


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