String Material Changes Coming

[LBR]

8190F, 8190 Universal, and to a lesser extent BCY-X will be affected.  The yarn supplier is discontinuing SK90 Dyneema in favor of SK99.  Rather than switch to a lower quality substitute, BCY is going to discontinue both 8190s and change the formula in BCY-X.  They are offering a new material called Mercury that is 100% SK 99 Dyneema.  I still have some tinkering to do, but preliminary results are good.  8190 should remain available until towards the end of the year.

[rraming]

Thanks Chad, nothing like telling a bunch of old guys who don't like change that change is coming- ha!

[David lozzano]

good info, thanks for sharing!

[stagetek]

I think my head is going to explode...but thanks for the info.

[LBR]

FWIW, BCY didn't have a choice in the matter.  Pain in the rear for string makers who get stocked up on a material, but that's the way it goes.  Other materials that use SK90 Dyneema, like Fury, will also have to change.

[luv2bowhunt]

So how does the SK99 compare to the SK90?

[M60gunner]

I hope the BCY X stays the same in regards to be heat resistant. The BCY X strings you made me have held up last summer in 100+ heat with no stretching. I keep the bows strung weeks at a time and check the brace before shooting. None of them have stretched more than a frog hair. Keep us posted please.

[Friend]

Thank you for the update.

[Jwilliam]

Great info as usual Chad.  

[LBR]

99 is a smaller diameter strand...tiny even.  I'm thinking around 28 strands will be equal to 20 of 8190, but I have to tinker some to see what I like.

BCY-X will still be blended with approximately the same amount of Vectran, so it's very low creep properties should remain the same, maybe slightly improve.

I'll post more when I have time to tinker more.  'Course a lot of it will be my opinion (how it feels, how easy or hard to work with, how it looks, etc.) but I'll do my best to keep my opinions and the facts separate.

Chad

[katman]

Thanks Chad, will be looking forward to your review.

[luv2bowhunt]

Yep, thanks Chad! Looking forward to your findings.

[huskyarcher]

Hate to hear that, i love BCY X, very easy to work with.

[LBR]

BCY-X will still be available, but it will change a little.  Probably a little smaller strand, but the characteristics should be the same or very close.

[Captain*Kirk]

Thanks for the update, Chad...

[DanielB89]

Do we know when the new batch of X will be ready?  

Will you be able to mix the old and new?  Say I run out of red and the new batch I get in is the smaller stuff, would you be able to mix the two(may have to add a few strands of the new stuff)?

[LBR]

Not sure when it will be ready, but it should be by the end of the year if not before.  Mercury was just introduced at Vegas last week (100% SK99 Dyneema).

Not likely you will be able to mix the new with the old.  The new will probably be a smaller diameter, and the rate of stretch/creep will be a little different

[monterey]

Is any of this related in any way to the new Majesty 777?

[LBR]

Not sure, but I doubt it.  I think Majesty uses another brand of HMPE, not Dyneema.  I'd have to dig to be sure.