Tips & FAQ's
At Lost Nation we're all about helping you have the best archery experience possible, what better way then to share a little of our knowledge. Don't see what you need? Drop us a line and we'll be sure to give you a hand info@lostnationarchery.com
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bows
Bow String Length
When measuring a string it is best to leave the string on the bow. Dacron® strings are prone to “shrinking” when off the bow. String length will usually be 3-4” less than AMO length on a longbow and 4” less than AMO length on a recurve.
how-to
Installing whisker string silencers
1. To install cat whiskers begin by laying the silencer along the bow string, with the center of the silencer at the spot in the string where you want the silencer to be. Normally this will be 1/4 to 1/3 of the distance from nock to nock.
2. Wrap a length of string material several times around the silencer and string. Tie it off and place a drop of instant glue on it. Make sure the knot is tight.
3. Pulling one end of the silencer, trim it with scissors, causing the strands to separate.
4. Repeat trimming on the opposite end of the silencer.
how-to
How to install fur string silencers
A. To install fur silencers begin by separating the strands of the bow string and pull 1/2” of silencer between the strings.
B. Wrap the long end around the string.
C and D. Continue wrapping until only 1/2” of silencer is left.
Separate the strands of the string and push the remaining 1/2” through. Pull or twist the string tight again and pull on each end of the silencer. This will remove any slack.
It is important to twist the silencer around a flemish twist string the same direction as the string is wound. When you twist the bow string to shorten it, the silencer should get tighter. If the silencer is wound backwards and the string stretches, the silencer will get loose when you twist the string to correct the brace height.
gear practice
Blunts and hunting
If possible, carry one or more blunt tipped arrows whenever you go hunting. Take advantage of all the “practice targets” in the woods, such as rotten stumps, mounds of dirt, and small game. More than once a deer hunter has connected with a squirrel and come home proud.
points
Installing arrow points
At Lost Nation Archery we clean the inside of all field points with the abrasive point cleaner and alcohol. Then we apply the field point with Gorilla Glue and make sure it is on straight. We spin test each arrow before sending it out.
arrows
Arrow Straightening
Shaft Straighteners - Your arrow has to be straight to fly well and wood doesn’t always come that way. When we make wood arrows at LNA, we spend three days making them straight. On the first day we roll each raw shaft across a table and find those warped spots. We use a combination of hand bending and tool straightening to tame the kinks in the wood. Then we let the shafts sit overnight. The next day we go over all the shafts again to see if any of them “remembered” the bends that we worked out of them on day 1. Shafts are straightened again and left overnight one more time. On day three the shafts had better be straight. Anything that isn’t straight is rejected. A crooked shaft makes a good flu-flu, but it will not work for target shooting or hunting.
arrows how-to
How to make wood arrows
We make all Lost Nation Archery arrows using the tan gasket and LNA Gasket Lacquer. The first step is to apply stain to the shaft using a soft cloth. Stain dries in two hours or less. Then we place a coat of gasket lacquer on the stained shaft to seal the shaft before applying the crest. After cresting we apply 2 to 3 coats of lacquer. A total of 4 coats produces a high gloss finish which lasts and takes only 20 minutes for a full dozen arrows. This finish will endure hundreds of 3D target shots. However, if you miss the target and hit a rock, the best of all finishes can’t help your arrow.
arrows
Which shafts should I buy?
This is a frequently asked question. If you are building your first set of arrows, we recommend you save the expense and buy factory spined shafts. It is easy to make mistakes when you are getting started and you can learn on the less expensive shafts. Factory spined shafts also make good flu flu’s or stump shooting arrows. If you are making arrows for hunting or competition, premium or tapered premium shafts are a must. In target competition the distance to the target will be 20 yards or more. For this type of shooting the properly tuned parallel (non-tapered) shaft will work fine. In a hunting situation where distance is unknown, and other things can happen to cause less than perfect shots, a tapered shaft is more forgiving. We recommend tapered cedars for your hunting arrows. You may fall so in love with tapered shafts you stop using parallel. We did!
arrows
What spine do I need?
There are several things to remember when selecting the proper arrow spine: longer arrows need to be stiffer, heavier points require stiffer arrows, and Fast Flight® type strings require stiffer arrows. As a rule of thumb, determine the draw weight of your bow, at your draw length. Measure your draw length and add 1” to get your preferred arrow length. Add 5 to your draw weight for every 1” over 28” or subtract 5 for every 1” under 28”. Now add 5 if you are shooting a Fast Flight® type string, such as DF97. Add another 5 if your point is 150 grains or more. The resulting number will be close to the best spine for your arrows. If your bow is cut to center or past center, as most recurves are, this number should work. If your bow is not cut to center, such as a self bow, you will need to subtract 5 or more.
gear
Glove or Tab? Which one do I get?
We recommend the simplest setup possible for a beginning archer. The No-Glove is often the easiest for young children. Gloves would be our second choice for ease of use. Tabs are very cost effective when several people share the same bow. Top level target archers use tabs.
