String Makers

[Bowhunter57]

#3293

Just curious what material you like to use,in constructing your Flemish Strings? Im contemplating ordering some material to get started in making them myself.

Thanks!

[Jeremy Holden]

#18562

I don’t make my own strings, yet. But it seems that B-50, B-55 and B-500 are the popular ones. I’ve read that the B-50 stretches, B-55 stretches less and the B-500 stretches even less. Let us know how the building goes.

-Jeremy

[Kent Hansen]

#18716

I’ve used B50 for the length of my thirty years making flemish strings…not enough stretch after the initial break in to worry about…any stretch is taken up by a twist or two. Not saying the other materials are not suitable…just saying you’ll have a great string with the 50 and you’ll have made it yourself! Next step…make your own bow! Have fun…

[Stephen Graf]

#20530

I have used B50, as well as fast flight. I prefer fast flight because it is more durable and not so stiff.

I like to see people starting to make their own strings. It is a pretty easy thing to do that saves money in the long run, and gives you a truly custom string for your bow.

Aside from string material, you need to think about serving material, nock sets, and silencers.

If you end up going with B50, then the $3.00 nylon serving is best because they last about the same amount of time. If you go with something more durable like fast flight, then I have found Brownell Halo serving to be very good.

As you start to make your string, one of the first important considerations should be how your arrow nock will fit. I suggest taking a bundle of your string material and serving it to test with your arrow. No need to cut any material, or waste anything. Just lap the string material back and forth till you get a reasonable number of strands, then quickly serve it with 15 or 20 wraps. Test your arrow, adjust strands, and repeat as necessary. I have found that the different brand arrow nocks (gold tip, carbon express, etc…) need different sized strings to fit correctly. So once you settle on an arrow, write down the string strands/serving combo and you are good to go.

For example, gold tip nocks work with 16 strands of fast flight and 0.024 Halo serving.

And then there are your silencers. I have found that scraps of wool yarn from my wife makes the best silencers. So I always ask for green or brown socks 😀 and use the leftovers for my bow. Acrylic yarn sucks. So don’t fool with it.

The problem with making your own strings is, your friends find out. So my advice is that you only make friends with people that drink the same beer you do. Otherwise, get used to drinking beer you don’t like 😯

Have fun!

[L82HUNT]

#23457

There are some good video’s on youtube and the DVD “Doing the Twist 2” is very good.

FastFlight type material is stronger, has less stretch and last longer then B50. Both Brownell and BCY make good material. I prefer Brownell, there customer service was better for me. If you can find it UltraCam is IMO the best material out there with XS2 a close second.

But there are many good ones out there and if you are just starting some D97 is a good material that you can get pretty cheap.

A place called Janns Netcraft is a fishing store but you can get rubber catwhiskers (used for making bass jigs)there for pennies a piece compared to a few dollars at a archery place.

[lyagooshka]

#24094

When I got my bow, the maker said he only uses fastflight strings and has never had a problem, just don’t dry-fire your bow (but that goes for any string). So far, I have not seen any issues. My recurve has B50, but that has no issues either and has held up just fine with regular waxing. If I had to choose, I would go with FF, just because of all the good things I’ve heard, but again, some bows can’t handle it, so be careful.

Alex

😀

[Mark Turton]

#24149

For what its worth Ive only been making strings for a couple of years but really enjoy the process, if you use fast flight lay in some padding in the loops I think its kinder on the bow.

On the subject of silencers I reasoned that synthetic wool would be less absorbent and more durable than real wool, Steve is absolutely right it did not work for me either, why I have never used real wool I can think but will give it a go.

Mark.

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