I've been having some trouble with my thumb hanging up in the ball. It only seems to happen towards/during the 3 game of league, I'll start to hang up where the webbing meets the top of the thumb causing me to place my thumb only to the 2nd line not quite all the way in so I can still release the ball. Overall sizing of my thumb is fine, I'm just hanging at the top. Should I just pull the trigger and give the top a little more bevel or just use easy slide to combat the hang? Also, is it possible for a urethane thumb slug or thumb mold to naturally get tacky over time even after cleaning it out?

Hope I make some sense and Thanks in advance!!

I find slugs get slicker over time due to the natural oils in your skin. If you're hanging at the top, but don't want to bevel it with a sander, why not try a bevel knife to clear out what little piece of insert you're hanging on without creating a more rounded top with a sander.

Sounds like your span may be too long.  Your thumb socket should be directly over the top of the hole.  You shouldn't need much bevel at all, and if you think you do, you most likely have a span problem and possibly a pitch problem. 

It's possible, I recently changed thumb pitches in order to get a better grip & have a more relaxed feel of the ball. I originally had 1/8 right 1/8 reverse being left-handed and eventually went to 0 reverse 1/8 left which is where I'm at now...didn't adjust the finger pitches or span when I did this though. I plan on heading to the shop later to work things out.

I'd say a span adjustment and a bit of reverse pitch in your fingers is probably in order, I'll bet that will solve the problem.  I really wouldn't suggest adding reverse to the thumb though, that will just make you grip harder and compound the problem, especially if it's a span problem.  If a ball fits well you shouldn't need much if any reverse and little bevel (generally, not always, every hand is different).  Excessive beveling is usually required for spans that are too long.  Again, if your span is too long, adding reverse to the thumb will just compound the problem rather than fix it.  Span is probably the most important measurement to get right in a fit. 

Quote from: Gizmo823 on February 12, 2014, 01:02:10 PM

Sounds like your span may be too long.  Your thumb socket should be directly over the top of the hole.  You shouldn't need much bevel at all, and if you think you do, you most likely have a span problem and possibly a pitch problem. 

It's possible, I recently changed thumb pitches in order to get a better grip & have a more relaxed feel of the ball. I originally had 1/8 right 1/8 reverse being left-handed and eventually went to 0 reverse 1/8 left which is where I'm at now...didn't adjust the finger pitches or span when I did this though. I plan on heading to the shop later to work things out.

Yeah, having a slug is a good idea.  Sometimes the tacky shell of a bowling ball can grab you on the way out.  May not be a span or pitch problem at all. 

Regarding the bevel issue, if your ball fits right and your thumb exits the ball straight upon release, you shouldn't need any bevel anywhere to accommodate the knuckle clearing.  A proper fit will allow your thumb to come just as straight out of the ball as if you just put your thumb straight in and pull it straight back out.  If you can put your thumb straight in and pull it straight back out with no problems, it should come out of the ball just like that when you release it. 

At the risk of offending some folks: you can remove a small amount  from rear of thumb hole if the idea of front bevel is not attractive.   You have to have room for knuckle to clear the back of the thumbhole.  never did like much bevel myself, just made room in the back for thumb knuckle to clear easy.  leave the sides of your thumbhole alone.

If you don't have a thumbhole slug, the material in todays balls get just a bit tacky to thumb.

Last but not least, make your you're not letting you wrist break back a bit too soon if you're tiring as the night goes on

Justrico, didn't we have some disagreements in the past?    Used to really like the "arguments" we had back when.

 I always argued you had to fit the bowler and their release more than just what was "supposed to be".

Anytime you change pitches from your proper anatomical pitches one will often need to adjust bevel.

 One adds bevel to the thumbhole using the Mo Pinel bevel tips contained in our reference sections.

Bottom line bevel is different under the flat of the thumb and the corner of the thumb.

As stated by Just Rico you have added 3 factors of greater holding power or said as he did 3 notches of slower thumb release. 

The result is you have now lessened the separation of time between the release of your thumb and fingers.  The greater that separation the typically the greater hook.  Alla the no thumber(maximum time the ball spends on just the fingers!).

Great for creating area on league conditions!  Bon appetite.

Regards,

Luckylefty
PS what prompted the pitch changes?

Boy, I love it when LL starts his "baffle with BS" routine.  He's so  wound up in "leaves" instead of "trees" he can't see what he's stepping in.

Arguing all of these "fractions" and "degrees" sounds really good (Mo Pinelish)  but they are of no use fitting the ordinary bowler and even some of the Pros.  All of you who think that the Pros have to have an "exact" fit are thinking up the wrong tree.

Anybody making their living bowling can probably "throw" anything reasonable.  Their objective in a grip is that it don't injure their hand.

what??? LOL!