# Low--LOW--brace height



## guyver (Jan 3, 2012)

I don't believe you will harm the bow with too low a brace height, the bow should actually be under less stress with a lower brace. More likely to harm yourself (whack your arm).

With adjustable limbs, you can play with tiller to produce a more quite and more efficient shot when running low brace. I was playing with some border hex 6 limbs, trying to obtain a very low brace for some speed v. Brace height v. Arrow weight data, and could see a huge difference both in sound and speed (chronograph) once I adjusted tiller just a bit.


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## williamskg6 (Dec 21, 2008)

Noise and lots (and lots) of vibration...


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## chrstphr (Nov 23, 2005)

you want a brace height where the arrow will leave the string in the center of the shot. 

A low low brace height will have the arrow leaving the string on the curve of the string oscillation. It will not shoot as forgiving, will have more vibration and disruption of the forward momentum and the arrow cast will not be an energy efficient out of the bow. 


most manufacturers will give a brace height range that will give you arrow cast near the center of the oscillation. 


Chris


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## Hank D Thoreau (Dec 9, 2008)

Vertical stability. Ever see a longbow flip over? Some limbs, like the Border HEX series, are designed for low brace heights. Take the bow and pull down on the nocking point and see how much the limbs move.


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## Bigjono (Apr 21, 2009)

chrstphr said:


> you want a brace height where the arrow will leave the string in the center of the shot.
> 
> A low low brace height will have the arrow leaving the string on the curve of the string oscillation. It will not shoot as forgiving, will have more vibration and disruption of the forward momentum and the arrow cast will not be an energy efficient out of the bow.
> 
> ...


And that's why Olympic archers avoid deep hook "curves" I would guess.


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## kakend (Oct 30, 2007)

I have found the noise to be curable with tiller adjustment, and I would also think you could change the oscillation with the "timing" of the limbs. I have a 68" bow braced at 6 3/4" and it is fairly quiet.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=4561551736244&set=vb.1815100055&type=2&theater
Here is a link to me shooting a couple with a low BH

Kasey


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## HikerDave (Jan 1, 2011)

massman said:


> So, other than noise, what is the physical detriment to the bow if you run a VERY LOW brace height.
> 
> Lets say 6--6 1/2" on a 68" bow? Is there any advantage in the transfering of energy to the arrow with such a low brace height? Presuming the arrow would stay on the string for a longer period of time. Would the bow become so critical to shoot that it would be more of a negative than positive effect?
> 
> ...


I get a double dose of low brace height because I'm shooting a Hoyt Formula HPX with Border Hex6 limbs. I've settled on a brace height of 6 1/2 inches, because I get slightly better vertical groups at the lower brace height than at a higher brace height.

My bow doesn't have a lot of noise or vibration and is as quiet as any other bow on the line.

The disadvantage of going any lower is that the string will hit my wrist on the follow-through almost every single time -- there isn't a lot of clearance with that low brace height.


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## chrstphr (Nov 23, 2005)

HikerDave said:


> I get a double dose of low brace height because I'm shooting a Hoyt Formula HPX with Border Hex6 limbs. I've settled on a brace height of 6 1/2 inches, because I get slightly better vertical groups at the lower brace height than at a higher brace height.
> 
> My bow doesn't have a lot of noise or vibration and is as quiet as any other bow on the line.
> 
> The disadvantage of going any lower is that the string will hit my wrist on the follow-through almost every single time -- there isn't a lot of clearance with that low brace height.


If the bow is quiet and has little vibration, then the arrow may well be leaving the string at the right place in the shot based on the riser and limb combo you are shooting and your release. I believe Borders recommends a lower brace height to begin with. 

Chris


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## chrstphr (Nov 23, 2005)

kakend said:


> I have found the noise to be curable with tiller adjustment, and I would also think you could change the oscillation with the "timing" of the limbs. I have a 68" bow braced at 6 3/4" and it is fairly quiet.
> 
> https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=4561551736244&set=vb.1815100055&type=2&theater
> Here is a link to me shooting a couple with a low BH
> ...


Your bow also has limb savers and string silencers on it. Not a fair test for a low brace height being quiet on the bow. Why did you put the string silencers on the bow? to make the bow more quiet? Most Olympic style recurve shooters are not using string silencers as they slow the string too much. 

Chris


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## DruFire (Jan 10, 2013)

With the borders hex limbs, Sid has said that you can go as low brace height as your form will allow. But at some point you will start smacking your wrist.

Back to the OPs question, depending on your limb specs, lowering your brace height might weaken your arrows. Although some will disagree with that statement. From my personal testing, fast limbs(ie:borders)+ longer power stroke(lower brace height)=needing stiffer arrows.
As always, depending on your equipment YMMV.

I personally have a 68" bow and use 7 1/4" BH. And it's as quiet as "borders" get.


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## Bob Furman (May 16, 2012)

well, it would really suck to get smacked in your wrist and then have it recoil back into your face..


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## HikerDave (Jan 1, 2011)

chrstphr said:


> If the bow is quiet and has little vibration, then the arrow may well be leaving the string at the right place in the shot based on the riser and limb combo you are shooting and your release. I believe Borders recommends a lower brace height to begin with.
> 
> Chris


I think that I recall that Border's (Sid Sr.) recommendation for the HPX was around 7 inches for a 70 inch bow. He also said that with the low brace height on HPX I would likely need "full stabilization".


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