• Registered: 2011-06-13
  • Posts: 11

Topic: Amgakji and heavier draw weights

I am on my third generation thumb ring and believe it is as good as it will get for me.I have also grown some callouses  on my thumb.Even so,with my 55# draw weight I find that after shooting 15-20 arrows in succession my thumb starts telling me that it has had enough for the time being.I recently discovered that by applying a piece of !" wide fabric medical adhesive tape to my thumb under the thumb ring I can comfortably shoot 50 or more  arrows(or until my arms get tired).The tape is placed about 1/4" before the thumbs midpoint and extends to the thumbs tip.It has enough friction that it prevents the thumb ring from shifting at all even with sweaty hands.
I had been thinking about fabricating a sugakji until i tried this.

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  • Registered: 2011-04-13
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Re: Amgakji and heavier draw weights

Usually a thick piece of leather underneath the thumb ring will do wonders.  I have a leather thumb sock that works very well with an oversized thumb ring.

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  • Registered: 2011-08-31
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Re: Amgakji and heavier draw weights

I have a sugakji and an amgakji and both are good. Although the sugakji is pain free compared to the amgakji which needs getting used to, while I feel almost no pressure (comparitively), it's great. They are both different and have their own points... I suggest you try the sugakji if you can get your hands on one. I know bluelake has them on hand and can ship

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  • Registered: 2011-08-31
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Re: Amgakji and heavier draw weights

I still have to adjust the size on my sugakji.. Sure it felt fine before I shot with it, and it just kills me at my thumbjoint after shooting in succession, I need to get the dremel on it again. I just don't have any guidance as to the correct fitment and I'm learning how to do all of this from book, dvd, and forum.
So I actually bought a "thumbring glove" which is made by greatree and isn't a thumbring at all, but a glove which covers the thumb, forefinger, and middle fingers, and has an extra piece of leather sewn on over the thumbpad. You guys could probably make this at home.

This works much easier, but after a session of shooting, this made my thumb pad black and blue. So I'm switching back and forth between the ring and the glove. I think the ring needs to get smoothed out even more inside, so I will try that with the dremel. If I shoot one arrow every minute or two it would be fine, and I think that is more the korean style as you shoot in a row once you are on the line.

I'm very busy so whenever I get to the range the monster in me comes out and I try to shoot a thousand arrows before I have to leave, to get in every last drop, and so, my thumb suffers. I wasn't used to it at first, as I come from a compound bow background and the release takes all the brunt of the string pinch.

I should take it easy next time and see how it goes. I'm sure it will get even better as it has already gotten a little easier than the first time I tried, my thumb itself feels more rock solid in the bent position. Just your thumbs need to get used to the pressure like anything that is a new muscle memory. I am also realizing that its not the draw that bothers me, its how much your thumb can handle! I'm thinking I could have gone down in draw weight, and still had a powerful bow after seeing what these bows can do. Just keep practicing and it should be better.

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  • Registered: 2011-10-02
  • Posts: 24

Re: Amgakji and heavier draw weights

Trident wrote:

.. sugakji and an amgakji and both are good. They are both different and have their own points

I have no problem with the Amgakiji but how does the Sugakji work?? I tried one which I just bought when I was in Korea but on tying it was a surprise as it flew out with the arrow smile  obviously too large, I have fixed that with some leather addition. I was told that the index finger is held over the horn and not the thumb. Is that correct? Any more tips before I try again?

In any case for speed shooting, that is arrows per minute, and confort , I much prefer the thin leather thumb ring. It fits tightly on the thumb and does not nove so you do not have to slightly reajust after every arrow as you do with the hard rings.

I really find it very hard, as regards the historic past, to believe in the military use of the rigid or hard thumb ring ( be it horn, jade-stone,  or metal - or cossing cultures the massive Japanese Yugake) or at least that it would be in general use by the common soldier-archer, be he mounted or on foot, as it would make dificult, unconfotable if not imposible the use of alternative weapons, be it sword, lance or mace ( just imagine using any of the last with the Sugakji!)

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  • Registered: 2011-08-31
  • Posts: 150
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Re: Amgakji and heavier draw weights

Not sure how that worked I'm sure blue lake can chime in. They probably made do with what the had those were the good old days..

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  • Registered: 2010-10-15
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Re: Amgakji and heavier draw weights

Tawfiq Ibrahim wrote:
Trident wrote:

.. sugakji and an amgakji and both are good. They are both different and have their own points

I have no problem with the Amgakiji but how does the Sugakji work?? I tried one which I just bought when I was in Korea but on tying it was a surprise as it flew out with the arrow smile  obviously too large, I have fixed that with some leather addition. I was told that the index finger is held over the horn and not the thumb. Is that correct? Any more tips before I try again?

In any case for speed shooting, that is arrows per minute, and confort , I much prefer the thin leather thumb ring. It fits tightly on the thumb and does not nove so you do not have to slightly reajust after every arrow as you do with the hard rings.

I really find it very hard, as regards the historic past, to believe in the military use of the rigid or hard thumb ring ( be it horn, jade-stone,  or metal - or cossing cultures the massive Japanese Yugake) or at least that it would be in general use by the common soldier-archer, be he mounted or on foot, as it would make dificult, unconfotable if not imposible the use of alternative weapons, be it sword, lance or mace ( just imagine using any of the last with the Sugakji!)

Tawfiq,

Yes, the finger fits over the horn of the sugakji.  I used to shoot with one, but I never really felt that comfortable with it, so I returned to my amgakji.

Historically, many archers used no gakji at all; that way, they didn't have to worry about it getting lost in battle.  Kuksulwon does not allow its members to use a gakji; they must shoot bows with a bare thumb--some of them have bows over 60#.

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  • Registered: 2011-10-02
  • Posts: 24

Re: Amgakji and heavier draw weights

Thanks, I will keep trying a bit more with the sugakji just to get an idea as to how differently it functions.

The Kuksulwon archers should have some very hardened thumbs.!!

Obviously starting at an early age helps a lot and even though the bare thumb may seem painful to us today it seems obvious when looking at the large nocks of old arrows that the strings made of natural filaments were very much thicker than the ones we use modernly with artificial fibers. This much larger circumference would therefore distribute the pressure more evenly on the thumb. A couple of years ago I tried to imitate this by wrapping three turns of a soft leather strap in the place where the thumb goes on the string of a light 40# Chinese style bow and it was quite comfortable and fast to shoot, it still is. I have not tried it with higher draw weights as there is a clear down side to this, and it is that esthetically your thumb ends up looking not so nice at all and worst the ladies here will unabashedly tell you so sad

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  • Registered: 2011-04-13
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Re: Amgakji and heavier draw weights

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9sDljZiaeQ

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  • Registered: 2012-02-09
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Re: Amgakji and heavier draw weights

i ghave polymer rings, and glove, and 70# no problem
shot a 2 day tournament, with 34x3 arrows per day

but i trained 2 weeks to get my thumb used to the draw weight

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  • Registered: 2011-04-13
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Re: Amgakji and heavier draw weights

For the experts, would a Su Gakji more suitable for pulling very heavy draw weight and archers with very short thumbs?

I have very short thumbs and find it difficult to wrap the index and middle fingers around the thumb, without disturbing the nocked arrow.

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  • Registered: 2010-10-15
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Re: Amgakji and heavier draw weights

WarBow wrote:

For the experts, would a Su Gakji more suitable for pulling very heavy draw weight and archers with very short thumbs?

I have very short thumbs and find it difficult to wrap the index and middle fingers around the thumb, without disturbing the nocked arrow.

The sugakji works well with heavy draw weight bows, although light draw weight bows work well, too.  In your case, it might work a bit better, due to your thumb situation.

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  • Hannu
  • Hannu
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  • Registered: 2011-03-24
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Re: Amgakji and heavier draw weights

Where i can find amgakji that is made of steel?
I know Grózer sell some bronze, but that is not so good ring, i have tested one.

I have now destroy 3 rings, two made of plastic and one horn.  sad

Plastics i buy from ebay, i remember seller says they are made in Korea.
Horn was self finished from ebay.

Is my 70# turkish bow too heavy, i draw 29-30", so it is ~73# or something like that.

Edit: Just find some company, who sell billiard balls very cheap, 10 €.
So i must start making my rings.

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  • Registered: 2011-04-13
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Re: Amgakji and heavier draw weights

Hannu,

You may have already seen these videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfEK-8u3dso

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XP93A0UCUgQ

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  • Hannu
  • Hannu
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  • Registered: 2011-03-24
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Re: Amgakji and heavier draw weights

WarBow, thanks, yes i have seen, but must watch again. smile

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