The rest arm drops all the way to the riser shelf. Is that OK?

Yes. The rest was intentionally designed with maximum downward range of motion. I did not want the arm to hit a hard stopping point before the arrow naturally pushes it down, because that can cause rebound or bounce.

In normal use, the arm should not reach the shelf. If it does, it usually means the magnetic force is too weak, or something in your tune is creating excessive downward force on the arm. If you are worried about marking your riser, add a small piece of tape or Velcro where the arm contacts.

How do I tune the rest?

You do not tune the rest—you set up the rest.

You tune your bow and arrow system as you normally would: arrow spine, arrow length, point weight, bow tiller, brace height, and nocking point. Trying to “tune” the rest to compensate for a poorly matched bow/arrow setup will only lead to frustration.

Which magnetic strength is best?

There is no universal “best” magnetic strength. Barebow is not a cookie-cutter sport, and every setup is different.

The philosophy of this rest is simple: you want the strongest arm you can shoot without causing bounce or contact issues. That strength depends on many variables.

In testing, all mid-range magnetic strengths produced identical crawl reduction when properly tuned. Crawl advantage was only reduced with extremely strong magnetism outside the range most customers would ever order.

A stiffer arm will reveal tuning problems more clearly than a softer arm. Do not confuse that with a softer arm being “more forgiving.” A softer arm is often thrown out of the way more dramatically, which can reduce guidance.

  • Lighter magnetism: easier to tune, fewer contact issues, but less guidance
  • Stronger magnetism: more guidance and consistency, but requires better tuning

Can I replace the arm?

The stainless steel arm and iron magnetic pivot are braze welded together to create a one-piece arm design that is virtually indestructible. This eliminates small set screws used on many rests, which are notorious for loosening, stripping, and damaging the arm over time.

The arm should never need replacement. It is made of 2mm stainless steel and can withstand repeated bending up to 90 degrees without breaking.

The arm is removable, but it takes some effort. Removal can be accomplished by straightening the arm and pushing it through the bearing and module.

Can I use the rest for hunting?

Yes, absolutely. The rest was designed to be durable enough for hunting and to support hunting-weight arrows.

The stainless brackets can be sandblasted for a more matte finish and can even be darkened to a blackish-gray color with high heat. The brass will naturally darken over time.

If you are ordering for hunting, let me know at checkout so we can discuss your arrow weight and magnet choice. You do not want an action that is too light when hunting, since adrenaline and movement can lead to accidental drops.

For noise reduction, the arm can be covered with shrink wrap tubing, wrapped with floss, or treated similarly. Covering the magnetic housing with tape or Velcro is also a good precaution to help prevent dirt from entering.

Do I need to trim the wire?

Yes, in most cases. The arm is intentionally left long so it can be trimmed to fit your riser and plunger position exactly. The extra length also allows you to move the bracket slightly toward the archer if you want to weaken arm strength.

Once your final bracket position is found, trim the extra length with diagonal cutters and deburr the cut end with a file or sandpaper to prevent fletching tears.

Some setups experience no interference from a longer arm, but unless the extra length serves a specific purpose, it is better to trim it and eliminate unnecessary chances for contact.

What is your tiller recommendation?

For me, tiller is primarily about how the bow loads in your hand through the draw cycle. Although tiller is measured at brace, the draw cycle is what determines whether that value is correct.

A simple way to observe tiller behavior is to install a long stabilizer and watch the end during the draw or being aware of pressure changes in grip as you draw:

  • If the stabilizer end rises or grip pressure at throat increases, the top limb is too strong (negative tiller)
  • If the stabilizer end drops or grip pressure at heel increases, the bottom limb is too strong (positive tiller)

For stringwalking, even tiller is a strong starting point.

Remember the arrow sits above center. With zero crawl, you are pulling slightly above bow/string center, which creates a small net negative tiller effect. This tends to place midrange crawls near even tiller and longer crawls near slightly positive tiller.

  • If you shoot 3-under with no crawling, 1/8″ positive tiller is a great place to start.
  • Negative tiller is typically only necessary if you shoot an extremely long crawl.

Some archers coming from an Olympic background (split finger with heavy forward weights) may prefer the feel of negative tiller, but that may not be ideal for barebow.