# Nock Set Height????



## Mr. Roboto (Jul 13, 2012)

Okay, about 10 years ago I took a class on how to shoot a bow. The class taught us to put the nock set, 1/8" above the perpendicular line to the bottom of the arrow rest. So I have been doing that ever since. So this past weekend my serving broke so now I have to reserve it and put on some new nock sets (I use the tie the thread approach). I was talking to one of the guys on the range, and he said that 1/8 inch number is only for compounds. He said recurves typically run between 1/2 to 1 inch and that barebow shooters tend to be more on the high side.

I have heard other people here make comments about 5/8 and 3/4 inch on their setups.

Any suggestions as to a good place to put them? I use two sets above and below the nock. I shoot 3 under. I primarily shoot under the NFAA Traditional rules that prohibit string walking. But I am thinking about switching to Barebow next year so I can learn how string walking work. Does the placement need to change if one is using a string walking technique versus the NFAA fixed anchor and finger on the nock shooting requirement?

Pete


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## zonic (Aug 12, 2013)

I'd agree with the guy on the range. 1/8" is typical for compound. I shoot 3-under and my top nock point is 1/2" above the perpendicular line of the [padded] arrow shelf. But I think this is fairly low for a trad bow. You can start at 1/2" (unlikely it'd go lower) and the then bareshaft tune plus watch for flething contact on the shelf and adjust the nock set higher until it's in the right place. If you tie the nock locators using a nail knot, you can twist them up and down the serving to fine tune.


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## Thin Man (Feb 18, 2012)

Zonic has you rolling on this one. 

The general goal of the nock location is to obtain the straightest flight without up-and-down wagging (porpoising), diving, or rising flight. 

You can establish this with fletched arrows. On a new bow, I'll take small strips of masking or painters tape (cut about 1" by 1/8") to wrap around the serving as temporary locators. Start high - as in one inch above center. Shoot a few, observe flight, take notes. Then take that strip off and put a new one on at 7/8". Shoot a few, observe, take notes. Repeat this down the ladder at 6/8, 5/8, 4/8, 3/8, 2/8, 1/8, 0. 

Now you've covered the extremes and observed all of the possibilities. Somewhere in there (from your notes) you will have observed the most straight and non-porpoising flight. Place a temp strip back at that location, confirm, and then live with that temp strip for several days or weeks (simply replace if it loosens up - mine seem to last quite a while) until you have concluded that this is the best location. Then you can place a permanent nock locator, tied or crimp-on, into that location and forget about it. 

This entire process can be easily performed in a single session with the bow. You can re-experiment as needed over several weeks as you get used to shooting a particular nock location and want to test the locations slightly above or below that one to hone in. 

All suggestions are equally valid and invalid (that is to politely say - find out for yourself if you can), for all archers differ in their technique and setups, such as individual finger pressures in the draw hand, draw arm alignment, nature of glove or tab, shelf or elevated rest, etc. And, alas, a massively mis-spined shaft may elude perfection during the nock search ... but the process should at least help even this situation a bit.

If this process drives you nuts, go with Zonic's recommendation of 4/8" and live with it for a while. Or 5/8". Later on, when your flight patterns are consistent in observation, you can run the nock spectrum again and possibly nail the best location.

Hope this helps. Good luck.


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## Easykeeper (Jan 2, 2003)

I shoot split finger and my nock usually ends up 1/2"-5/8" above the string end of a perpendicular line from the string to the shelf or rest. The _bottom_ of my nock point in the range of 1/8"-3/8" or so above the top of the nock _when the arrow is perpendicular with the string and resting on the shelf or rest._ I'm not home or I'd measure it. When I shoot three under I have to raise it up further than for split.

The way people describe their nock position can be misleading, 1/8" above level, 1/8" above the nock, ect. If they say 5/8" high, is that 5/8" above perpendicular to the shelf, 5/8" above the nock...? A bow square should be standard equipment on your bench so you know where you end up and can replicate it. Any place is a starting place, bare shaft tuning will get in the right spot...http://www.acsbows.com/bareshaftplaning.html

Even with a compound I always positioned the arrow perpendicular to the string when resting on the rest (in the elevated position if the wheelie bow has a fall away rest). _The nock was then positioned 1/8" above the top edge of the nock, when the arrow was perpendicular to the string._ Tuning usually brought it down to where the arrow held almost exactly perpendicular to the string at brace.


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## Mr. Roboto (Jul 13, 2012)

Thanks everyone. I did use a bow square to set it, and I used 1/2 inch for today's shooting.

Now the interesting thing I noticed that I needed to aim on the 6 line at 3 o'clock to get to the center of the target. So I don't know if the higher nock set position needs me to reduce the tension in the cushion plunger, of if it is due to a new serving and that the release is slightly different because of it.

This time, I just tied the nock sets in, instead of gluing them in.


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## zonic (Aug 12, 2013)

Hi Mr. Roboto,

Just curious - did you shoot any bare shafts today?


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## Corene1 (Apr 27, 2014)

I am so glad you started this thread as I am starting to set up a bow for string walking, it is completely new to me also, mostly for indoor shooting. My standard nocking point for 3 under NFAA type set up is 5/8ths high with the bow square setting on the rest so that would be right at 1/2 inch high of the arrow centerline. I shoot 1/16 inch positive tiller, the measurement at the top of the limb pocket to the string is 1/16 more than the measurement at the bottom of the limb pocket to the string. I have heard that some people will actually use reverse tiller when setting up a bow for string walking. The bow I am setting up has the same nock height but has zero tiller and seems to have a very clean arrow at 20 yards. My tab is 3/4 inch below the nock. I will be doing the bare shaft testing and some fine tuning tomorrow but so far things are looking OK.


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## Mr. Roboto (Jul 13, 2012)

No I didn't do any bare shaft tuning. I really should get something put together to shoot through paper to see what the fletching does. This whole tuning thing is new to me. I have just learned where the arrow goes and aim someplace else to get the arrow to hit where I want it to go.

Corene1 - my bow has no adjustments other then adjusting the plunger tension. Its just a riser and bolt on limbs. None of this ILF stuff.

Now in the FITA forums, there are several people that make comments about having to have different setups for NFAA Trad rules and WA/FITA Barebow rules. So I am wondering if string walking needs different setups to work well than with a bow (of equal poundage) set up for NFAA style of shooting. I am wondering if the setups are different enough, if it would be better to have a string walking bow, and a NFAA Trad style bow and pick the bow based on the tournament. There are a lot of highly experienced people here that could answer that one.

Pete


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## Arron (Nov 18, 2012)

I have found that typically my nock point runs higher if I employee string-walking or shoot with a fixed crawl. For string-walking I would tune for my middle distance and make adjustments for my left and rights as I deviate from my middle tune. Something that I am finding works better for me is shooting with a fixed Crawl. Get a good tune at the distance you want your fixed crawl at then have small gaps to deal with for further or closer distances. The one plus is you always shoot from the same crawl and the same tune instead of deviating up and down the string changing your tuning.
I do think there is an art to string-walking and you just need to play around with it (tiller, nock point). You can ask and some will say even tiller, some will say negative tiller and some will say positive tiller same goes for your nock point height. The best way is just to play with it and find what works for you.


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## Mr. Roboto (Jul 13, 2012)

Arron - so I take it that it is normal to see your arrows hitting left and right to change as one walks the string?


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## Fury90flier (Jun 27, 2012)

paper tuning a recurve--don't bother. What distance- 6', 15'? Each distance will have a different "paper" tune...and if you change your hook, grip, release, follow through- you will get a different paper tune. Unless you're very good and very consistent-- paper tuning doesn't work so well on a recurve....way too much paradox.

just get a few fletched arrows and a couple bare shafts and fling them at 20...you don't need to do anything else. Takes about 10/15 minutes.


As to nock height...it's what ever it takes to get bs and fletched to hit on the same plane.



I just got my Sage tuned a bit better. I have no idea what arrows the guy was using or style shooting he was using but that nock height was about 1/2" up...and in no way shape or form would bare shaft tune. Dropped the nock down closer to 1/8" and now BS and Fletched are much closer-- arrow flight is sweet...sucked before.


Have you set center shot so the point of your arrow is just to the left of the string for a RH shooter?


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