How to keep your thumb knuckle from raising up in the thumbhole....

[Mike White]

I've never heard of that. I'd be interested.

The Thumbs Up product used to be from a family owned business fairly close to where you live.

Somewhere along the way, it appears they sold the product to Ebonite.

[bowl1820]

A bowler I know has a piece glued into the bottom of his thumb hole. It is shaped like a door stop. The thicker end is at the bottom of the hole. I tried his ball and it does keep your thumb straight and relaxed. You cannot kink or over grip your thumb. I will ask him more about it, next Thursday, if anyone is interested.

The "Thumbs Up" has been around for years, I tried one along time ago. The only real problem with it was that it was made for round holes. It didn't fit properly in a oval hole and would be loose and shift around.

It's basically doing the same thing as you can do with Tiered Taping.

[zdawg]

I totally forgot until I saw that thumbs up product, but last year I came across a tiered taping article by Joe Slowinski:

http://www.itbca.bowlingknowledge.in...-swing-release

I highly recommend this if you want something to try and you use tape anyway, I use this taping method in all my balls and I think it has probably contributed a lot to me getting out of the bad gripping habit.

[zdawg]

I totally forgot until I saw that thumbs up product, but last year I came across a tiered taping article by Joe Slowinski:

http://www.itbca.bowlingknowledge.in...-swing-release

I highly recommend this if you want something to try and you use tape anyway, I use this taping method in all my balls and I think it has probably contributed a lot to me getting out of the bad gripping habit.

EDIT: I just noticed the last line of Bowl's post where he mentioned its the same thing as tiered taping But I still recommend giving it a try if you're struggling with gripping the ball

[rv driver]

I like that Thumbs Up appliance -- "Prosthetics for the digitally-challenged."

[rv driver]

EDIT: I just noticed the last line of Bowl's post where he mentioned its the same thing as tiered taping But I still recommend giving it a try if you're struggling with gripping the ball

I'm assuming it's glued in like a finger grip?

[zdawg]

I'm assuming it's glued in like a finger grip?

The taping method I'm talking about just uses regular tape, but you cut it into pieces and layer it differently to make it kind of a wedge like shape.

The product Bowl1820 is talking about, I'm assuming would have to be glued in, however I have no experience with it personally.

[bowl1820]

I'm assuming it's glued in like a finger grip?

While there are users that do glue them in, you don't have to (assuming it's the right size).


When you get the proper size, it's slightly bigger than the hole. You just shove it in place and it will stay in place. (Now of course with use it could loosen over time.)

That was the problem with using it in a oval hole, it didn't fill the hole fully and had room to wiggle around.

Another thing was depending on how long your thumb was and how deep the hole was, it could slide deeper in the hole and not support the thumb right. (Another reason some glue in place)

[rv driver]

While there are users that do glue them in, you don't have to (assuming it's the right size).


When you get the proper size, it's slightly bigger than the hole. You just shove it in place and it will stay in place. (Now of course with use it could loosen over time.)

That was the problem with using it in a oval hole, it didn't fill the hole fully and had room to wiggle around.

Another thing was depending on how long your thumb was and how deep the hole was, it could slide deeper in the hole and not support the thumb right. (Another reason some glue in place)

Is it a rigid plastic thing, or is it pliable -- more like rubber? Can't tell from the pic. I'm also assuming it'd work with a slug?

[bowl1820]

Is it a rigid plastic thing, or is it pliable -- more like rubber? Can't tell from the pic. I'm also assuming it'd work with a slug?

It's not rigid, it be kind of like a firm/hard finger insert.

I didn't really like it, it felt slick on my thumb , plus would slide down in the hole and I didn't want to glue it in place (I figured you'd destroy it trying get it back out if you glued it)

Here's mine, I still have it after all these years (Proshop gave it to me to test).


Here it is started into the hole of my thumb insert. (It fits better in it than in a milled oval hole)
you can see how the V notch is squeezed together, that's what hold's it in.