String Tie on nocks, think I made a mistake.

geoffk

New member
I tried to tie on a nock last night, I started with some serving material my shop gave me.
This was OK till I tied the reef knot, I felt it was quite big, and trimmed the excess off quite close, and the knot came un-done before I glued it. Should I have melted the ends instead of trimming?

Then I tried nocks with normal cotton. Just kept on going till it was bulked up like nocks I have seen.

At this point I think I made the mistake, I saw somewhere that someone used fletching glue to stick the ends / final knot down, and I ended up smothering the entire nock in the fletching glue.... This glue, even this morning is still slightly rubbery, will this affect the release as it wont slip off the tab so easily?
Probably should have used super-glue, as I have plenty... oh well.

Please help!
 

EJH

New member
Hi Geoff
I use serving thread as a nocking point but whip it on (go back to your days as a boy scout). I use super glue to seal the nocking point. Hope this helps. E
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
With tied on nocks, I use as little thread as possible so the nock point isn't too proud of the string. But, use too little and there isn't enough material to keep itself in place. Super glue is good to soak into the thread and bond with the serving, but I'm told to keep it away from the bow string material.
 

Gedski

New member
just a simple whipping does the trick and i find super glue difficult to get a smooth finish and if its not, it can damage face of tab, so i use a two part Araldite which spreads much easier and you wont stick yourself to the string. this can be shaped to a perfectly smooth 'blob'. obviously it doesn't dry as fast as super glue, but its ok if left a couple of hours and lasts longer than SG
 

coriorda

New member
Knocking Knot

For the best Knot i've found - see Simon Needhams Book "art of Repetition" Page 146. Simple and doesnt leave a massive knot. - I find Cotton easier and less fiddly than Floss.

Cheers
 
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TJ Mason

Soaring
Supporter
Fonz Awardee
American Shoot
I get best results by using braided nylon serving material, and waxing it before tying it on. The wax makes the thread easier to handle and makes it stay in place while tying.
 

Trunkles

The American
American Shoot
I get best results by using braided nylon serving material, and waxing it before tying it on.
I watched one of our county coaches and he waxed the current serving, tied on braided nylon serving pulling really hard and burnt the ends to fix
 

M-R-C

New member
I use tie on nocks have for about four years and have not had any problems at all, here is what I do:

Real of about 2ft (60cm) i.e. more than required, I use a regular 2D braided serving, I think it is BCY who do a nock tying thread I have some but find it a bit bulky so use regular serving material.

Select the position required, tie a half knot at that height, first nock is usually above the arrow, bring the lose ends to the other side of the string and tie another half knot, bring the lose ends back to the original side of the string and tie another half knot, working up, after you have repeated this to form about four to five wraps around the string (i.e. 8-10 half knots at opposite sides of the string) I then tie a full knot at the top of the string, and put on a dab of liquid (not gel) super glue on the knot and let it soak being careful to avoid the main serving / string. Then trim the lose ends. Then check the nock height is correct and tie on another below the arrow nock.

I have tried both floss and cotton and they are not as hardwaring as serving. Floss tends to move and cotton wares (in my experience).

If you need to remove the tied on nock carefully (I use a scalple or craft knife) and cut off the glued knot being careful to keep the blade parallel to the bow string to reduce the chance of damaging the serving / string. Then unravel the tied on thread.
 

geoffk

New member
Real of about 2ft (60cm) i.e. more than required, I use a regular 2D braided serving, I think it is BCY who do a nock tying thread I have some but find it a bit bulky so use regular serving material.

Select the position required, tie a half knot at that height, first nock is usually above the arrow, bring the lose ends to the other side of the string and tie another half knot, bring the lose ends back to the original side of the string and tie another half knot, working up, after you have repeated this to form about four to five wraps around the string (i.e. 8-10 half knots at opposite sides of the string) I then tie a full knot at the top of the string, and put on a dab of liquid (not gel) super glue on the knot and let it soak being careful to avoid the main serving / string.
This is exactly what I did, but I trimmed BEFORE I glued, no wonder it went wrong!
I will have another go at this on another string.

Questions:

Do I want to scrap the nocks covered in fletching glue? Or will they be OK? (I may have glued the nock to the string... dont know...)

Do you tie nocks on a strung bow, or with the string loose?
 

Trunkles

The American
American Shoot
Do you tie nocks on a strung bow,
Strung - how else do you know where to put them

EDIT - I also use just a nock on the string rather than having a full arrow flapping about to get the right distance apart
 

steve58

New member
Another variation! I use dental floss, but have started waxing it to fix it as the superglue formed a hard sharp lump and chewed up a favourite tab. I just heat up a lump of beeswax a little with a lighter and apply it all over the nocking point. I think doing this may let the wax lemt into the serving a little and help bond the nocking point on firmly. So far so good.
 

grimsby archer

New member
I think it is BCY who do a nock tying thread I have some but find it a bit bulky so use regular serving material.
Yes, I "discovered" BCY Nock thread at the weekend when I begged some thread to fix a nocking point from string maestro "The Meggy"
Specialist "nocking point" thread? What serious overkill. Especially as it comes in 75 yard reels. How many nocking points do you get out of a 75 yard reel?

Thing is, it was heaps better than the standard nylon soft-twist serving thread I am used to. It holds the knots much better.
I had to pre-wax my soft-twist to prevent the knots coming undone whilst I was tying (tie-ing?) them.
 

Sea of vapours

New member
Yes, I "discovered" BCY Nock thread at the weekend when I begged some thread to fix a nocking point from string maestro "The Meggy"
Specialist "nocking point" thread? What serious overkill. Especially as it comes in 75 yard reels. How many nocking points do you get out of a 75 yard reel?

Thing is, it was heaps better than the standard nylon soft-twist serving thread I am used to. It holds the knots much better.
I had to pre-wax my soft-twist to prevent the knots coming undone whilst I was tying (tie-ing?) them.
This stuff is very good. I've never had a nock come undone or move using it (but then, I've only made half a dozen or so....) - much easier than using normal serving material, imho. It's thick enough and strong enough to pull really tight, so long as you use long pieces in order to get a good grip on it (even so, 75 yards /is/ a little excessive).
 

geoffk

New member
Here is a picture of my first tie on nock, as described in the first post: (Taken on a phone camera, good picture for a phone!)




The glue seems to have settled down after a day, so its not so rubbery, hopefully it wont stick to my tab on release....
Looking at the picture, maybe I got glue all over the string...
 

M-R-C

New member
Hi Geoff,

I saw the photo of the nock you posted, it looks OK to me, i.e. will be OK to shoot. However if it were me I would remove and re-tie / practice etc. until you get something you intend to stick with.

I have only ever tied on nocks (and taken them off) with the bow strung, though a slip up with the craft knife taking them off could be spectacular! :eek:)

This is exactly what I did, but I trimmed BEFORE I glued, no wonder it went wrong!
I will have another go at this on another string.

Questions:

Do I want to scrap the nocks covered in fletching glue? Or will they be OK? (I may have glued the nock to the string... dont know...)

Do you tie nocks on a strung bow, or with the string loose?
 

arutha

New member
I used to use "Fly-Tyer's floss" with a dab of s/glue. It was fine for a while but the glue eventually wore off causing the nocking point to fray.

I then discovered Beiter nocking points and used my "fly-tying " skills again to whip-finish a new serving. I think they are great. To each his own.
 

Nick Forster

Member
Ironman
A word of warning

I have used the same serving as I serve my strings with for the knocking points until very resently, with very little bother. Then about a month ago I was shooting in a tounament and my groups went slowly to pot, I traced the fault to the nocking points had wound up the string raising my nocking hight by 6 mm ( my arrows were getting lower al the time as well) I have now reserved my string and fitted a beiter nocking point, so far so good.
Cheers Nick:fita:
 

little_curious

New member
Here is a picture of my first tie on nock, as described in the first post: (Taken on a phone camera, good picture for a phone!)

The glue seems to have settled down after a day, so its not so rubbery, hopefully it wont stick to my tab on release....
Looking at the picture, maybe I got glue all over the string...
Looks nice indeed.

Nobody using paper nock points?
IMO making is easier and durability is comparable.:raspberry
 

Nightimer

New member
I mark my nocking point with a height gauge.
I then clamp a small pair of haemostats on the string at that point.
Get a peice of serving thread and start a the edge of the clamp and do under and over knots around the string about four or five wraps.
Tie reef knot TIGHT (wrap allen keys around ends of serving to get good pull).
Cut and burn ends CAREFULLY!!
My clamp is slightly wider than a Gnock so I can use it as a measure for the second wrap.
Do NOT use superglue as it attacks ANY serving or thread and turns it into rubbish.
I use clear nail varnish just on the knot(it is MUCH kinder than superglue).
Job done.
 
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