What brace height should a recurve have?

Start in the middle of the manufacturer's range — typically seven to nine inches depending on bow length — then find the quietest, tightest-grouping setting by twisting the string in 1/8 inch increments. There is no universal number; the sweet spot is specific to the bow, string and arrow.

How do I make my recurve quieter?

Shoot a heavier arrow (9–11 grains per pound absorbs more energy), find the bow's quiet brace height, fit beaver-fur or wool string silencers a third of the way from each tip, pad the shelf and strike plate, and remove every source of rattle from the quiver and hardware.

Can I put a Fast Flight string on an old recurve?

Only if the bow is rated for low-stretch material. Older limbs designed for Dacron can suffer tip damage or catastrophic failure with Fast Flight. If the bow is unmarked or pre-1990s, assume Dacron unless the manufacturer confirms otherwise.

What is tiller and does it matter?

Tiller is the difference between the string-to-limb measurements at the top and bottom limbs. Most split-finger shooters run about an eighth of an inch of positive tiller on the top limb. It matters for a smooth draw and consistent nock travel, but on a one-piece bow it is fixed — tune the nocking point instead.

Traditional archery · Skill

Tuning and silencing a traditional bow

A quiet bow is a lethal bow. Everything here is measurable, repeatable, and takes one afternoon.

Traditional arrows travel slowly enough that an alert deer can hear the shot and drop below the arrow before it arrives. Noise reduction is therefore not a comfort item; it is an ethical part of the setup.

Tuning and silencing overlap: a bow at its correct brace height with a properly seated nocking point is already quieter, and silencers finish the job.

Brace height: 7–9" typical
Nocking point: 1/8–1/4" above square
Adjust in: 1/8" steps
Goal: Dead, thumpless shot

Set brace height by ear

Brace height is the distance from the string to the deepest part of the grip. Every bow has a sweet spot inside its manufacturer's range where it goes quiet and groups tighten.

1Measure the current brace height with a bow square and write it down.
2Shoot three arrows and listen — note the noise and the group.
3Twist the string to raise brace height by 1/8 inch (adding twists shortens the string and raises brace) and shoot again.
4Continue in 1/8 inch steps across the manufacturer's range, recording noise and group each time.
5Settle on the quietest setting that also groups well, and record it so you can rebuild a new string to match.

The rest of the tune

Jackmalott / CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Nocking point

1/8–1/4" above square

Set with a bow square and brass nock or served thread. Too low and the arrow porpoises nock-high; too high and it kicks nock-low. Fix this before touching spine.

Tiller

Usually 1/8–3/16" positive

Measure from the string to the base of each limb where it meets the riser. Most three-finger-under-the-nock shooters run the top limb slightly greater. Change it only on bows with adjustable limb bolts, and one turn at a time.

String material

Fast Flight vs Dacron

Low-stretch strings are faster and quieter but only belong on bows rated for them — fitting one to an older bow can destroy the limb tips. Dacron is slower, stretchier and safe on everything.

String silencers

Beaver fur, wool puffs, cat whiskers

Place a pair roughly a third of the way from each limb tip and adjust position until the bow goes dead. Fur and wool outperform rubber in cold and are near-silent when brushed by branches.

Limb dampeners and shelf

Kill the buzz

A strip of adhesive fleece or moleskin on the shelf and strike plate stops the arrow rattling as it leaves. Limb-tip dampeners take out the residual hum on faster bows.

Everything else that rattles

Field check

Shake the bow with the quiver mounted and full. Loose arrows, a bouncing quiver hood or a bolt one turn short will make more noise than the shot. Fix them at home, not at eighteen yards.

Questions

Frequently asked

What brace height should a recurve have?: Start in the middle of the manufacturer's range — typically seven to nine inches depending on bow length — then find the quietest, tightest-grouping setting by twisting the string in 1/8 inch increments. There is no universal number; the sweet spot is specific to the bow, string and arrow.
How do I make my recurve quieter?: Shoot a heavier arrow (9–11 grains per pound absorbs more energy), find the bow's quiet brace height, fit beaver-fur or wool string silencers a third of the way from each tip, pad the shelf and strike plate, and remove every source of rattle from the quiver and hardware.
Can I put a Fast Flight string on an old recurve?: Only if the bow is rated for low-stretch material. Older limbs designed for Dacron can suffer tip damage or catastrophic failure with Fast Flight. If the bow is unmarked or pre-1990s, assume Dacron unless the manufacturer confirms otherwise.
What is tiller and does it matter?: Tiller is the difference between the string-to-limb measurements at the top and bottom limbs. Most split-finger shooters run about an eighth of an inch of positive tiller on the top limb. It matters for a smooth draw and consistent nock travel, but on a one-piece bow it is fixed — tune the nocking point instead.