Tag Archives: advice

Sep 21 2017

Money saving tip

Here is a quick money saving idea for my archery friends out there.

A couple of weeks ago I posted how a local craft store “Hobbycraft” was selling plastic poster tubes at half price and how these tubes can be used as inexpensive arrow tubes.

The only thing to remember is that the tubes are made of quite thin plastic so can be easily damaged when dropping arrows into them.

top of the tube

top of the tube

I cut couple of pieces of foam.

thick foam piece for bottom of the tube

thick foam piece for bottom of the tube

I then add a piece of thick foam in the bottom and top of the tube. You can use an old off cut from camping mat roll.

Marking the foam

Marking the foam

This foam then protects the inside of the tube from the arrow points piercing the end.

foam fitted into the tube

foam fitted into the tube

I’ve included a few photos to give you an idea of what I’ve used.

Thanks for reading.

Jul 19 2017

Do I still love archery? Maybe, maybe not so much right now.

This is something I’ve been thinking about a lot over recent months. I’m sat here trying to writing up a couple of shoot reports, along with some notes on future articles and one thing struck me. I don’t have the same drive as I had 12 months ago.

Don’t get me wrong, I like seeing people, catching up with friends, being sociable and meeting new people. Shooting with friends is very relaxing and enjoyable, with the recent shoot at Forest of Arden with Roger and Julie proving this. Added to this are the number of conversations I’ve had at recent shoots with archers, which start with “Are you Rob?”, “I read your blog” which is amazing. Likewise having the opportunity of being in a team setting one of the 3D championships courses was great, if a lot of hard work and we’ve had some very positive feedback from archers who shot the course.

But I feel I’ve seen, and in some ways been the target of some of the darker side of the hobby, the politics, arguments, power games some might call it. True these happen within all clubs or organisations where people interact. But I think it has affected me and my enthusiasm for the hobby.

I think it struck me first last September at the NFAS championships. There I saw some people being very vocal in complaining at having their arrows checked by marshals at Administration on arrival. (Arrows have to be checked to ensure they have name and shooting order on to comply with the shooting and safety rules of the society. This can be easily done with a piece of tape or Sharpie pen.) Yet there were some who complained and weren’t always very polite about it. I think I took this to heart. I couldn’t understand why people were complaining about something that is and always has been a rule for all shoot nots just champs. Everyone marshalling the courses, checking arrows, doing the admin etc. is a volunteer. So why have a go at the volunteers because you haven’t followed the rules?

Then later in the year as many of the regular readers know Sharon and I had our membership renewal for our old club blocked. This left a very bad taste in my mouth and something I still think of now. To be honest I’m not sure if I ever really got over it or the way it was handled. I wonder if people realise the impact such actions have?

I know this kind of behaviour and actions is not just affecting me, as I know others who have had similar experiences in recent months.

So now I find I have less enthusiasm and find it hard to make time to practise. This time last year I’d be shooting 2-3 times a week, 120 plus arrows a night, and again at the woods on Saturday and a competition Sunday. Yes in the last 2 months I’ve practised 2-3 times, tops.

I think some of the problem with me feeling like this is I don’t get to shoot that much now, either as a competitor or simply at a wood with friends. So the relaxing chilled element of the field archery where you are shooting in a wood and seeing the seasons change has been lost.

Yet as I write this I think of all the people I’ve been fortunate enough to meet through archery. Especially those who have introduced themselves by saying they have read this blog. For a few that is how they heard about field archery. I have to say I’m amazed that one small blog in the UK can have such an impact.

By the way if you do read this blog and bump into me on a shoot then be warned I will ask you what you find useful. It is something I always ask as I try to write what I hope people will find interesting and useful to know.

It’s interesting to hear the responses, as time and again it seems to be you want more write ups on shoots you’ve either attended or are thinking of going to in the future. I know one person at Hawk shoot commented on how they’d read previous shoot reports to get an idea of what to expect.

I am always amazed that anyone reads these rambling of mine. What is even more amazing from my perspective is what one archer I met at the Druids shoot recently said the blog had been recommended to them!

I still feel uneasy about my hobby. I know I’m not the only one who has experienced the darker side of the hobby as a few of you have reached out to me in the past.

So what now? Well, I’m still here a little more jaded and a lot less energetic.

Those who know me, know that I will still help with coaching, arrow selection etc I’m just a bit quieter now and less likely to volunteer or comment on Facebook, web-boards etc.

Sorry if this sounds bit of a downer article, but I just wanted to share my thoughts and in some way explain why my writing on this site has been less frequent.

Thanks to all of you and thanks for reading.

Micropore Tape - how useful
May 15 2017

9 uses of Micropore tape for archers

Micropore Tape - how useful

Micropore Tape – how useful can it be?

Okay so some of you may be wondering what I am talking about? Microporous tape, isn’t that the stuff you use to tape up bandages? Well yes it is and that is what it is normally used for but it can be incredibly useful for archers and worth some space in a pocket or your quiver.

Granted it’s not quite at the level of duct tape but here are 9 examples of how I have used in the past.

Temporary fixes – equipment can fail from time to time, no matter how well you look after it. A friend when shooting at the national championships had the serving unravel on her longbow. She tried tying it but this didn’t work so at a coffee stop we added a small piece tape to secure the serving and all was well for the rest of the day.

Temporary nocking point – I have used tape time and time again when setting up beginners bows, or trying to fine tune a suitable nocking point on a new string.

Complying with the rules – I was at one shoot last year, with an archer shooting in a compound class. They had been setting up their bow the day before and fitted a spirit level bubble for checking they were shooting it level. These aren’t allowed in the competition rules so we stuck a piece of tape over the bubble to hide it for the day, rather than trying to dismantle the mounting unit.

Preventing carbon splinters – I think this is potentially the most useful of the non-normal uses for the tape and is good for all archers to know whether they shoot carbon arrows or not. When carbon arrows break it can result in very sharp splinters (splinters that aren’t picked up in x-rays and can be very hard to extract).I find it is amazing how few people realise the potential issues of getting these in your skin.

Broken Carbon arrow wrapped in tape close up

Broken Carbon arrow wrapped in tape close up

If I find a broken carbon arrow I will wrap tape round the end and down the shaft if required, so protecting myself from any splinters, before putting in my quiver for disposal later.

Broken Carbon arrow wrapped in tape

Broken Carbon arrow wrapped in tape

Protect your bow from scratches – I use a piece of tape to cover my wedding ring so it doesn’t scratch the handle of the bow. This has kind of become a bit of a ritual of mine when getting ready to go out shooting.

Saving your marriage – What? Okay so I need to explain this one in more detail. In cold weather my wedding ring can be a little lose on my finger  and I’ve nearly lost it in the past when out in the snow, so I wrap a piece of tape over it to keep it secured.

wedding ring

wedding ring

Protecting your fellow archers’ modesty – last year when attending a shoot Sharon had what could be described as a wardrobe malfunction. Whilst stepping over a fallen tree across the path, her trousers ripped. To save her modesty a few pieces or tape were used to secure the trousers in place. Oh course she finished the shoot and you can read about it here.

Impromptu arm sleeve – on a cold and rainy day an archer wore a coat over his normal shooting gear. Problem was his bow string kept catching on his coat. Couple of strips of tape helped hold it out of the way.

First aid – well it was what it was designed for after all and it does well at holding plasters on or securing a bandage.

So I’d say carrying a roll of Micropore tape might just prove very useful. Though I doubt the Mythbusters TV series will dedicate a program to investigating its powers. Thanks for reading