Don't miss the great article on string testing, new TBM

[Slim Buttes]

I'm just glad I'm not the only one who hasn't received my TBM.

[Tedd]

Joe/ Guru
Yes it would be in contact with the nock when during full forward travel...but after brace height the string is just along for the ride. the bow can't be "pushing" on a flexible string.

Right??
Tedd

[Jeff Strubberg]

Joe,

If that were the case, I doubt we would ever get an arrow off the string cleanly.  One of the big culprits in bad tuning is nocks that are too tight.  They hold on to the string too long and cause all kinds of havoc.

The arrow should leave the string as soon as it's own velocity exceeds that of the string.  

Tedd,

Can't be.  That energy already had the opportunity to transfer to the arrow.  Whether the string stretches as a result of energy left or not is irrelevant.  

Put another way, whether you stretch the string or pound the nocks with that energy, it still ain"t going into the arrow.

[Jason Jelinek]

Dacron does stretch during the draw, at least more than Fast Flight.  Why?  Because if I make a Dacron string and a Fast Flight string for a bow, the Dacron string will have a lower draw weight by a couple of pounds (same brace height, same bow).  I also noticed the same when making a linen string.  I believe (I haven't done any controlled testing) that it's the energy wasted in the Dacron string stretching that makes it slower than Fast Flight.

Jason

[Jeff Strubberg]

Should be easy enough to prove or disprove, Jason.

Build two strings that weigh exactly the same, one of dacron and one of fast flight.  I'm betting they shoot within one FPS of each other.

[O.L. Adcock]

Jeff, We've done just that and you are correct. Easy thing to do. One of the things that "bite" folks doing testing of any kind, is keeping all the variables constant except the one you are trying to test. When someone says "that can't matter that much", they are in trouble right there. Bet cha dollars to donuts the testers in this test did not take into account nock fit on the string. At 60+# bows at 28", we've seen 4-5 fps between a tight nock and same arrow with the nock loosened up. I've seen 10 fps on bows in the 40# range due to tight nocks. You'd think the FF would looser but not if the string maker used a thicker serving like many do. Would be interesting to find out. Seen a thick quill snagging a rug rest lose 4-5 fps, so many little details that can cause misleading conclusions....O.L.

[centaurshooter]

when i began to first test the speed of my trad bows back in 2000 i had a martin dreamcatcher with the stock dacron string.  it was funny, i could run it with a clicker and as the serving wore down to a proper nock fit the bow just kept getting faster.  almost 5 fps over a couple week period.  since that time, i've been a stickler for nock fit being correct.  that habu i've got had the most dreadful nock fit on that cable of a string to the point the nocks would pull off my arrows.  finally broke down and ordered the same string that came on the cx from rod.  gained over 10 fps right there.  wasnt' just the string material, as the nock fit was a major gain just due to the proper serving.

[Doug Campbell]

Anyone else read this thing? Bear in mind I'm just a simple country boy but I went back and reread this thing. Other than not using a shooting machine or some way to insure exact draw length he seemed to do a pretty thourough test.

OL, you guys published any of your findings?

[Allan Hundeby]

Wow!  I do a search for "brush buttons"... and I get this!

Fascinating stuff!

ttt