Since having seen my father experience the string to thumb interface and seen several horrific accidents doing the same thing I decided last year to make some finger guards for my Axiom.
I started out with wood but that was just too much a pain and not very durable so I went with Black pre-painted aluminum 3/4" angles from home depot. I got 8 foot of the stuff for $8 CAD (the angle was twisted so they knocked $5 off the price) and some extra strong outdoor double sided tape for another $8 CAD.
I rounded the corners and edges and here are the results. not quite finished as I need to fine sand and repaint.
I needed to file off about 1/16" from the angle leg that gets attaches to the crossbow so it would fit better.
Last edited by cadmaster on Mon Jan 25, 2016 9:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Great idea ...safe idea ! /you might have to go lower for the cocker. ..doodle doo.
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Great idea. As a Medical First Responder I witnessed many amputations and severe trauma to digits(fingers) and extremities. Saving just one is worth it's weight in gold. Nice job
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Thanks Folks! After seeing my Dad hurt from 1/2 second of not thinking and seeing some our members with extreme thumb damage I figured a little extra safety was appropriate. I was all ready paranoid but after that one member who wrecked his thumb last fall I wanted to add guards so I never (hopefully) experience that. I have done enough damage to my hands from just normal every days things and I did not want to do any more (fingers crossed, but not on the bow).
BTW I just assembled my bow to check to see if there was any contact at all and there is no interference what so ever with the cocker hooks regardless of hooks up or hooks down. As you pull the string back, the pully end (plastic side) looks to brush the angle maybe but there seems to no functional impairment as I was able to cock and decock the bow normally and the string/hooks did not move when the cocker got to the angles or when the hooks passed the angles. Seems to be just about zero clearance, but they do clear.
Looks like that'll work, my stepdad was shooting my old vortex and barely hit his thumb and it was sore for weeks. He was lucky enough that he didn't hit it solid.
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They look great...As mentioned, perhaps consider dropping 1/16-1/8 for a bit additional clearance while allowing for the thickness of a strip camo tape should you wish to add it... Again, Great job!
Gene
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On second thought I would actually flip them over. The flat section protecting the fingers on all the stocks that have them come directly off the stock. That will give you more clearance and put them where they are designed to be.
I originally did have the angles that way, but I found that with my very large hands it was very uncomfortable. I needed the guards to protect those long fingers, but do not want to impair my ability to use the crossbow. I could easily palm a basketball in the old days.