# Trimming a finger tab



## Flehrad (Oct 27, 2009)

Yes, minimum material to cover your fingers without excess material hindering your release.

Get some talc/baby powder and in dry weather conditions, dust your tab surface lightly. Shoot a few ends, dust again, shoot, but be careful to not touch the tab surface more than you need to besides putting your fingers onto the string. 

After you shoot a few cycles, you should notice that there will be patches where the talc is undisturbed and do not have the ///// lines from your serving on it. These patches are the unnecessary bits. I normally leave like a 5mm or 1/8th margin of that around the edge line past where the /// ends, and trim accordingly.


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## Chupacabras (Feb 10, 2006)

Thanks for the advice on the powder. Better to cut twice than to much the first time


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## gairsz (Mar 6, 2008)

Here is a link to leather trimming instructions.

http://www.blackmambaarchery.com/Directions.pdf


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## DWAA Archer (Oct 14, 2011)

gairsz said:


> Here is a link to leather trimming instructions.
> 
> http://www.blackmambaarchery.com/Directions.pdf


Why can't more archery equipment manufactures produce helpful guides like this so their customers can get the best out of their products!!

Thanks gairsz for putting that link up.

Good job


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## howardyudoing (Feb 22, 2011)

Cause Black Mamba is awesome. I use their venom tab and it works well.


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## gairsz (Mar 6, 2008)

Thank you for the support. We are just trying to help. 

Gary


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## bartpcb (Aug 26, 2012)

Thanks for the link: The information supplied was more than adequate.


gairsz said:


> Here is a link to leather trimming instructions.
> 
> http://www.blackmambaarchery.com/Directions.pdf


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## atjurhs (Oct 19, 2011)

I replace the back piece of leather (not the Cordovan) in my AAE tab with a piece that is longer on the bottom so that as my fingers wrap around the string the bottom of my third finger is well covered, without it the string would rub on it which was annoying


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## Zbone (Aug 4, 2012)

Thanx for sharing.


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## cttrailrider (Jun 10, 2008)

I use a Bateman 3 under tab. I trim off part of the top corner, as I use my index finger to touch a tooth, one of my anchors.
These Bateman tabs are great, I have over 150,000 shots with my current tab, and expect to get at least anouther 150,000 shots.
Randy


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## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

Chupacabras said:


> Do you trim your finger tab and if so what is the desired result you are looking for?


Shortest leather I can get while still protecting my fingers. And yes, I've cut several tabs too short and had to start over. Everyone is different and carries the tab in their fingers different. So you can't gauge length by, say, the length of their fingers as a guide. Some put the tab in their palm, and some wear it out on their fingers.

I'm also trimming so that there is no contact with the arrow. This is KEY.


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## savagelh (May 6, 2011)

This was helpful. I have a black widow 3under tab and there is a flap of soft leather at the top that rests under the nock point on the string. What is this for and do you guys keep it on or trim it?


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## SARBoy (Feb 9, 2020)

I know this is a couple of years old but it’s a great bit of info, thanks.


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## bruce_m (Jan 23, 2012)

Trim a little, shoot a bunch, look at the marks on the tab as it shouldn't take too long to make finger marks. Trim .. repeat is my technique.

Sometimes it takes a few sessions of practice to get it right. But hey... what's the hurry can't add it back if you cut it too short.


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## mgwelder (May 4, 2014)

https://youtu.be/ERNNZacMOIk
Jake kaminski explains how and why on trimming the tab.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk


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## woof156 (Apr 3, 2018)

I trimmed my tab a bit at a time till it felt right- it isn't rocket science unless you get too anxious and trim to much

here is another video that helps explain the process. Note in all videos you may or may not want the same amount of finger showing after you trim the tab-- go slow and see how it feels before cutting more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERNNZacMOIk

Oops second post of the Kaminski tab trimming video-- OK you can watch it twice


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## rhallett (Nov 28, 2012)

I am breaking in a new tab now and will trim it soon. It is actually pretty close already but there is a bit os leather on the upper finger that sometimes interferes with getting a solid anchor and it might cause a release issue as well. My tab is relatively inexpensive though, if I were trimming an ellison tab or a aae I would probably be a bit more hesitant...


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