Modern string material with similar thickness to Dacron?

[KevinK]

I just started making my own strings a few months ago using B55. It's worked well through winter and early spring. I like the thickness of the string and make all of my strings 14 strands (40-55 pound bows). The creep hasn't been that bad until lately. Since it has gotten hotter I've noticed the B55 strings seem to creep a lot more. Any recommendation on a modern string material similar in thickness to Dacron/B55 with less creep? I am not looking at gaining performance. I want something I won't have to re-learn how to work with and hope to get a similar thickness with the same amount or 1-2 strands more than I currently make. I would just like a little less creep during hotter months. Any suggestions? D97? I know FF plus and newer materials are really thing and require a lot of strands.

[Pine]

D97 is about the same .

[DanielB89]

D97, D10, Force 10(same as D10), 8125(I believe).

[LBR]

That's one of the big downfalls with polyester ("dacron").

Unfortunately, there's going to be a learning curve any time you swap materials.  Different rates of stretch/creep, may twist a little differently, etc.

450+ is about the same diameter as polyester, maybe a touch larger.  14 strands would be overkill though...10-12 with 4 extra strands in the loops will work nice.  Dynaflight '97 and 10 are slightly smaller.  12-14 strands with the loops padded to 18 is what I liked with those.  8125 is a bit smaller than '97...I used 14 strands with the loops padded to 18, winds up about the same as 12 strands of Dynaflight '97.

Take lots of notes.  Keep in mind these materials won't stretch anywhere near as much as dacron.  I can help with serving and string material if you need it.

Chad

[Dan Jones]

You might try some Brownell B50. It is about the same diameter, won't require re-learning how to work with, and in my experience,does not stretch anywhere near as much as B55. I know that BCY claims less stretch with B55, but that's most definitely not what I found.

[Mike Mecredy]

You can use the thinner materials and use even less strands, and get some great results.  If you like the strings thick you can build up the serving area with additional strands to get good nock fit and it's easy on you fingers.  You can do the same for your loops if you're wanting to make things easy on you string groves.  I used to be such a stickler to Dacron, (B-50 and B-55 are both Dacron but different manufacturers, B-55 is a bit thicker) and I couldn't be convinced that modern string material was any better, until I was convinced to give dyna Flight D-10 a try and I switch and never looked back.  D-97 is good as well as any of the other low stretch strings.  (also, the term "fast flight" loosely translates to any modern, non-Dacron, low stretch string material, these days)

[LBR]

B-50 and B-55 are both polyester, but B-55 is a higher grade of polyester.  Controlled tests and countless customers have proven it has less stretch and less creep than B-50, but as you have noticed it still stretches and creeps, especially in hot weather.  Polyester is also the only material with any degree of elasticity...unstring your bow, it's going to contract.  Re-string, it's going to stretch.

Mike is correct that "Fast Flight" is a generic term for pretty much any of the modern HMPE or HMPE/Vectran blends, but it's also the name of the very first HMPE bowstring material (invented by Ray Browne and Bob Destin of BCY, when they worked at Brownell).  Brownell still owns the name, and I think they still market "Fast Flight Plus".  BCY still offers the original material in their 652 Spectra, but cannot use the original name due to copyright law.

100% HMPE materials will also creep a little, especially in higher temps.  Nowhere near as much as polyester ("Dacron"), but some.  If you want the best stability, go with a blended material like 450+, 452X, or BCY-X.

[Dan Jones]

LBR:  Ive heard all about the "controlled tests and countless customers" etc. etc. and BCY's B55.  What matters to me is the results I got with my bow. Using the same stringboard, the same setting length, and the same string construction techniques, strings made from two separate dark brown spools of B55 (one supplied by BCY itself) consistently resulted in strings that braced the bow 1" lower than Brownell's B50.

[LBR]

I can't explain that Dan, but I do know it's contrary to my personal results, controlled test results, and countless customers who have done their own comparisons.

I don't blame you for trusting your own results, but one out of hundreds or thousands is an exception, not a rule.

[ron w]

B-55 stretches for more me also. Maybe I got a bad batch. I went back to B-50. I have been fooling around with D-97 and padding the loops, seems to work well.

[Dan Jones]

ron w: a spokesman for BCY said that I must have gotten a "bad spool" but a second spool produced the same results - more stretch than B50.

[LBR]

I'm not a spokesman.  I've been a customer of BCY's for the past 20 years or so, and used several pounds of B-55 over the years.  

Never heard anyone say that B-55 had more stretch vs. B-50 before.  BCY has sold over 2,000 pounds of B-55 just this year, and yours has been the only complaint.  To the contrary, gobs of customers have reported just the opposite.

If there was a legitimate problem, they tend to think there would be someone else noticing it.  They haven't become the #1 bowstring material manufacturer in the world by ignoring problems or customers.  

You neglected to mention that the owner talked to you himself, referred you to me to try and help, and even sent you a new spool for free.  Even though you told them you had always used B-50 and bought the ONE spool to try, they treated you like you were a million dollar customer.  Try spending less than $10 retail and see if you can talk to the owner of any other multi-million dollar company.  Instead of showing appreciation for or even mentioning their effort, you remark that they "claim" it has less stretch.  That's how BCY works, and one of the main reasons I'm a loyal customer.  

I don't know what the problem is, but the simple fact is B-55 is a higher grade of polyester.  The material itself has a little less stretch and creep vs. B-50--certainly not more.  The only other big variable is the build.  I know you said you have been building strings for a long time.  I've quit counting how many I've made at 10,000 years ago...and I'm still learning something new all the time.    

Finally, neither material will solve the O.P.'s problem, as any polyester material is going to stretch and creep, even moreso in warmer temps, so it's a moot point.

[LBR]

I should also note that BCY doesn't make "claims".  They do lots of testing on calibrated equipment designed to precisely measure characteristics such as stretch, creep, breaking strength, etc.  They also have the resources of fiber Giants like Sampson Rope and DSM at their disposal, along with their test equipment and scientists.  

I'm not saying you didn't get the results you claim, but I am certain it's not due to the material having more stretch.

[Dan Jones]

LBR: Since it is apparently inconceivable that there could be any other "big" variable than the "build," I apologize to you and BCY for my inability to make a suitable bowstring from their B55 material.

[LBR]

I Never said anything was "inconceiveable".  If there's another big variable to consider, please tell me what it is.  I love to learn new things about strings and string materials.  This one is certainly a mystery to me.

I've run into a few head-scratchers building strings before.  Most I figure out, some I can't.  Because I can't figure it out doesn't make it the string's fault.

Like I said, BCY has sold over 2,000 POUNDS of B-55 JUST THIS YEAR.  Less than 5 months.  That's an average of over 400 pounds a month. Yours has been the only complaint.  I personally have heard from gobs of people saying it stretches less than B-55, besides the testing done.  

Ok, one person felt like it stretches more because when they built a string and it came out longer.  About an inch if I recall correctly?  One person's experience with one 1/4# spool vs. over 2,000 pounds in the hands of countless others, and the one person's results contradict scientists and engineers who are trained to do accurate and specific tests.  Who is more likely to be overlooking something?

The fact you made it a point to question the honesty of myself and BCY (they "claimed") without bothering to mention they bent over backwards trying to help gives me the impression you are a bit biased against them as well.  

I'm biased for them--have no problem admitting that.  That doesn't affect the verifiable facts I gave.

The first comment I was going to let go, but you keep bringing it up.  I won't let it go unchallenged.  I'll simply present the facts and let them speak for themselves.

[Mark R]

Wait Dan you stated that the B55 braced the bow 1" lower than B50, does'nt that  mean B55 has less stretch? if both strings were made the same. May 26/ 9:56pm post.

[Mark R]

oops sorry wrong thought.

[frank bullitt]

My suggestion and Chad mentioned, 450 plus.

It is one of my favorite HP materials!