How to Tie a Nocking Point

Things you’ll need:

1. Nocking point string that’s about 40 cm. Enough to tie two nocking points
2. T-gauge
3. A paint marker
4. An arrow
5. Lighter, preferably jet lighter
6. Pen-knife/Scissors

Things to do before tying a nocking point:

• Check your bow’s brace height and tiller according to the length of your bow
• Check centre shot to ensure it is at a correct position
• Note: The location of your nocking point changes after the adjustment   

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Step 1: Let’s Get Started!

• Clip the t-gauge onto your serving
• Rest the t-gauge on your arrow rest
• Lift the tip of the t-gauge lightly to ensure that rests lightly and not push down heavily

Step 2: Marking Where to Start Your Nocking Point

• Use a paint marker to mark the point lightly on the “1” of the “1/8” mark, just enough to indicate where to tie your nocking point (Chris’s quick tip: you can use a tape also)
• This is where you’ll start tying the bottom nocking point
• Do bare shaft tuning to determine the actual position of the nocking point. This position is just a gauge

Step 3: First Half of the Bottom Nocking Point

• Remove the t-gauge
  Tie a knot on the point you’ve marked. Ensure that one tail is much longer than the other
• Hold the short tail down with your left thumb as you loop the long tail over the short tail with your right hand
• This helps to tighten your knot as you do your first loop
• Tie the string towards your riser (forward loop). This direction ensures that your nocking point gets tighter every time when you release
• Use your left index finger to hold the nocking point every time you complete a loop. It helps to maintain the tension
• Loop a total of 5 times
• Then, release the short tail you’ve been holding

We have just completed the first half of your bottom nocking point!

Step 4: Second Half of the Bottom Nocking Point

• Do a 6th loop, this time using your left finger to lift up and create a big loop ( aka the “mountain”  ) while you maintain the tension
• Maintain tension by pulling the mountain with your left index finger
• Similarly, loop the same number of times as you did for the first half towards the riser. But this time, loop it within the “mountain”.
• Note: The loops does not have to be extremely tight as this step is simply a bridge for the final step
• Then, use your left thumb to hold the loops
• After completing the loops, use your right hand to collect the tails and hold it down tightly towards the right side of the serving with your right thumb 

Step 5: (Con’t) Second Half of the Bottom Nocking Point

• Since your left index finger has been holding on to the mountain, we will now use that finger to complete the second half of the nocking point
• Turn the mountain towards the riser to close the gaps. Notice the loops being added on the right side
• Use your right index finger to hold the completed loops when you release the mountain before the next loop
• Pull the longer tail gently as you close the gap for the final loop

Step 6: Tightening the Nocking Point

• Notice that both ends are situated right in the middle of the nocking point
• Tighten your nocking point by pulling the tails towards its respective directions
• Note: Do not pull it in the perpendicular direction of the string as it will create a gap in between your nocking point

Step 7: Complete the Nocking Point

• Cut the excess of the tails, leaving less than 0.5cm
• Grab the lighter to burn the tails. After which, use the bottom of the lighter to press down the burnt area immediately
• Be careful not to burn the entire nocking point/serving!

Congratulations! You’ve completed your bottom nocking point!

Step 8: Top Nocking Point

• Nock an arrow against the bottom nocking point to mark your top nocking point
• Remove your arrow after marking
• Use the leftover string to tie your second nocking point
• Repeat steps 3 to 7, except use the mirror image of finger placements this time round
• Important note: The direction of the long tail must be forward-looping as well

Step 9: Final Check

• Ensure that your nock fits nicely into your newly minted nocking points before you start shooting!
• Do not tolerate slight gaps as it can cause huge deviations in your grouping especially at longer distances.

Challenge of the Week!

Challenge yourself to tying both nocking points in 5 minutes once you’ve mastered the skill! It’s an important skill to have especially during competitions where time is a constraint during matches.