The Glove, part 2

      Continuing on with some thoughts on the shooting glove and it's connection to how we shoot.

     Hill shot the stiff glove...as we think of it today, but how stiff was it actually?  Just stiff enough to keep the leather stalls from developing grooves that would affect his release and accuracy?  Probably.   Depending on the leather tannage and thickness, a glove finger stall can develop a small ridge or roll on the leading edge of the finger joint area.  This little roll can affect the string coming off the finger smoothly.  This is not to be confused with a smooth bend in the finger stall.  Keeping the softer leathers soft and pliable by oiling and using talcum powder prevents the small, rolled ridge in the finger stall.  If the leather is a stiffer leather to start with, the roll ridge is harder to prevent, hence the need for a stiffener insert in the leather.

     The other reason for a stiff insert in the finger stalls, is to prevent the finger from curling back too far when gripping the string, or taking too much of a hook, and also to help spread out finger pressure that may arise from finger tip inconsistencies.  If the finger doesn't bend to far back, then the fingertip will poke or jab more firmly into the anchor point along the face as it is sticking out more perpendicular to the rest of the hand.  Some shooters like the feeling of a very deep hook, with fingertips pointing rearward and that lets them have better control of the string. They may even shoot bare-fingered in this regard.  Others need more help to get a good release.

       If the glove is too stiff, then we have the sensation of losing control of the string and that isn't good either.  I think that's why a lot of shooters dislike the standard Hill style stiff glove...the glove is "too" stiff and never is broken in properly by shooting.  You have to make it work by pre-bending the stalls to fit the way the string lays across your finger joints.  My finger joints do not align well.  My middle finger first joint is 1/2" longer than my index finger and  1/4" longer than my ring finger.  Bending my fingers to grip the string, the string aligns with the first joints of my index and ring finger and about 1/4" rearward of the middle finger first joint.  The stiff insert glove helps smooth out the string pressure on my mis-aligned finger joints. In my case, the middle finger stall bend is not at the first joint like my other fingers, but rather where the string lays across my finger behind the joint.

      This is where the softer gloves (or even a tab) can be a problem for someone like me as I can't grip the string with it in the first joint of each finger and also keep a relaxed hand.  My fingers don't work that way and my releases are horrible. I need the insert.  But do I need a stiff glove?  Not necessarily.  That's where the design of the Schulz American Leathers Big Shot and my later version Big Shot Crossover come into play.

     One of the reasons why a stiff Hill glove feels stiff and unbending is because of the single top seam and how it lays over the top of the knuckle.  This sewed leather spine minimizes finger bend, keeping the finger straighter through the first joint, regardless of how stiff the insert is.  The Big Shot design uses a double seam stall, which gives the finger more opportunity to flex.  The more the finger can flex, the more control we have of the string because the back of the hand will be more relaxed. Therein is the difficulty of using and/or getting to like the stiffer glove styles.  How to achieve control of the finger in a glove that isn't allowing the finger to bend much.  I think this is what Tom Schulz was referring to when saying to me that this type of glove gave the best release...it had an insert to smooth out finger pressure, and wasn't too stiff to prevent a good grip of the string for better control.

     I use both a Hill style glove and the Big Shot Crossover style, but I've modified both kinds to fit me.  I will go into those modifications and how to achieve them in another post, but suffice it to say that it is this customizing to our specific finger idiosyncrasies and release styles that makes or breaks how well we shoot with these stiffer gloves...or why we might hold fast to a softer glove.   I believe by seeing the different glove styles that Hill used, and seeing his modifications, and looking at various stiff gloves of good longbow shooters including John Schulz, that the connection of our fingers to the string is a very personal one and an area that we can each customize if needed to get the best release results.  A good release, one that happens without thinking too much, is the result of good, slick finger protection that allows a clean release of the string under any conditions we find ourselves shooting.  A good release helps us to...

    Shoot Straight