Non leather tab

[JimForTheWin]

Hi folks. Can someone point me in the direction of a tab that contains no leather components?

I was asked about this earlier today, for fellow shooter who is a vegetarian. He's currently using a very cheap and cheerful synthetic, but he'd like something a bit more robust and "fancy", but still without needing to buy half a cow/horse.

Any ideas?

 

[TomvanHalen]

You can get a material called Oberon from Arrowhead UK to use as a tab material (I do, it's very good and remarkably cheap). This still leaves you with where to get the tab body from though; I personally don't know of a "fancy" tab that comes without leather. Perhaps take the leather backing from one as a spare for your own and just pass the body along?

 

[TomvanHalen]

Saying that, it looks like JVD distribution do the parts for the Arizona KSL Gold tab individually as spares, though not all of them are in stock. Perhaps you could get a shop to order them?

 

[JimForTheWin]

Intriguing, thanks very much for the tip.

Looks like this Oberon stuff is the only really suitable material, and ordering an almost complete list of spares might be the way to go.

 

[geoffretired]

I remember discussing tab materials many years ago. The requirements are that it flexes easily; does not go out of shape; does not create wrinkles in front of the string;hard wearing; keeps the fingers away from the string and any friction- generated heat.
Leather, of certain types, is a clear choice; no surprises there.
Is it possible that there are other synthetics around that we never consider as they don't resemble leather?
I used a material once as an arrow puller. It came in a sheet about 2mm thick. Strangely ,it also made an excellent tab facing.

 

[TomvanHalen]

There are other things to consider too; you want characteristics that allow the string to be gripped securely during the anchor, but on release you want as little friction as possible as the string moves past. Leather achieves this by having a surface that isn't especially grippy in itself, but because of the way it compresses under load it creates a little shelf of sorts for the string to sit in. You want a material that mimics this. Many synthetics are less than suitable because they are either too soft and grippy or too hard and slick. Oberon works, and seems to have a very specific "release angle" as they say in the blurb, it's either gripping or it isn't, there's little in between. I imagine thin neoprene would do a similar job.

 

[geoffretired]

Yes indeed, I forgot to mention that. Not too grippy and not too slippy, I feel. Some materials can make it feel as if the string is always sliding out of your grip and needs extra effort to hold it back. Once the fingers start to relax, the differences in friction between one material and another is not so obvious, I find.

 

[mk1]

Oberon is fantastic stuff - you can also get tabs with felt backing and also a tab face that is made from an amber coloured rubbery stuff is available too if you are really adverse to leather arriving in the post - sorry haven't got a catalogue to hand at the mo

 

[madmac]

I use vulcolan its a light brown semi transparent plastic on my soma I havent had to replace for a couple of years and no major wear with oberon backing. Targetcraft used to sell it.

 

[geoffretired]

Madmac, that sounds like the stuff I was talking about; it was good as an arrow puller,too when still on the sheet,heehee

 

[Murray]

My wife has shot Vulcolan for years. Goes brittle after a couple of seasons, but then you'd most likely want to change your leather tab face in that time frame too, so no real issue. It's slick, consistent and isn't affected by wet weather.

Perris sells sheets of the stuff for around a fiver - do a searh on their website.

 

[Timid Toad]

Yes I use vulcolan too. Love it. Only had to replace a sheet once in 5 years. I found Oberon wears very badly with some serving materials but makes good backing. If the poundage of the bow is heavy, the Oberon will compress quite a lot so double up the layers if necessary.