and the third is in the fleshy pad that protrudes between the two fingers (1)—the index and the thumb—at the very root of the grip.

A cut that appears on the thumb-knuckle arises from three causes:

1. squeezing the handle hard with the thumb (2) and index finger;
2. lifting the thumb-knuckle (3) while drawing the bowstring;
3. laying the thumb over the index finger during the draw. If the archer insists on clamping the two fingers together, let him relax their grip; and if he insists on keeping the thumb above the index, let him place it midway, as though he were forming the number thirty with his hand.

A wound that occurs at the second joint located at the base of the thumb is likewise produced by three factors:

1. a narrow handle coupled with a wide palm;
2. an improper hold;
3. the bayt al-isqāt on the bow standing higher than the bayt al-ramy (i.e., the off-side window protrudes above the shooting window).

If the injury is caused by a thin handle, remedy it in the manner described earlier. Should it stem from the bow’s bayt, bring that part close to a gentle fire and reshape it; if it owes to a flaw in the bow itself, do the same. When the trouble lies in the shape of the handle, the cure is simply to correct that defect.