Fast Flite string on a '68 SK

[doug77]

I'm refinishing a '68 SK the has been very abused and wondering if anyone is using a FF string on your vintage bows. And if you are how are you building them or who are you getting them from.


doug77

[Horney Toad]

I wouldn't risk it myself. I've heard of people shearing the tips off their old bows with FF.

[zepnut]

Is it really worth it?

[Phil Magistro]

I haven't heard of anyone shearing the tip off their vintage bow using fastflight.  I have seen a bow split down along the nock cutouts but that was with a fastflight string that did not have padded loops and was wicked skinny.

For the past couple of years I've been using skinny fastflight strings with padded loops on a variety of older bows - Bears and Howatts primarily.  It dramatically improves the performance, keeps the bow quiet and I have not seen any indication of problems.  There are numerous others that have the same experience.  I use one on my 69 SK.  The tip overlays are, IMHO, capable of handling the strings I use.

I won't tell you you should use it but can only relay my very positive experiences.

[PAPALAPIN]

Don't like to disagree with Phil, but I have heard numerous reports of FF strings "Sawing of the tips of old classic bows".

If the bow was not designed specifically to be used with FF Strings, I would not do it.  A few feet per second is not worth turning your classic bow into firewood.

Phil...hope you never try that on one of your Howards.  Jack specifically said..."No FF Strings".

[Phil Magistro]

Hi Jack,  Never did that with the Howards because I wasn't using fastflight then.  I do have fastflight on some Howatts that are very close to the Howard bows.  And I do have one 1962 Howatt Hunter that had no tip overlays so I added some just to be sure, although I have a good friend that has shot fastflight on bows with no overlays and has never had a problem.  That material isn't nearly as much of a problem as some make it out to be - as long as the loops have additional strands woven in them.

There really is no problem if the loops of the fastflight are padded. Otherwise there could be problems but I've also heard of bow tips breaking using endless loop B50 with their skinny loops. On another forum this has been discussed as nauseum and there are many folks that use fastflight on old bows.  One in particular started using them on his 1960 Bear Kodiaks and is very pleased.  On the 1960, as well as many other Bears, the tip overlays are made from fiberglass and can easily handle fastflight.

[kuch]

I agree with phil . This has been brought up so many times.  I personally shoot skinny FF with padded loops on all bows AND always shoot 12 to 14 gpp arrows. I like the feel. I have seen B50 break/limb tip break . I believe a "light" arrow an B50 is more risky than what i shoot now. my opinion .

[cacciatore]

I a, with Chad,i am been using a skinny padded FF on my Bear 1982 limbs without any issues,but this is me

[doug77]

OK, so any one want to drop a name who can make me one.

Thanks

doug77

[Phil Magistro]

[kuch]

pm sent

[doug77]

Thanks to all for the advice.

For what I have in this bow and the condition it's in I have very little to loose.

doug77

[warpedarrow]

Awhile back I asked about the effect that the serving material used on the loops had on an older bow.  Might not have been on this forum but I don't think I ever received an answer where ever I asked.  I'm using nylon on my endless loop strings (B50), which is pretty weak stuff and wondering if the halo serving would cut into the bow. The nylon just doesn't last much time at all.  Anyone have experience with that?

[PAPALAPIN]

I guess experience speaks for itself... but I still won't use them.

I'm too old school.  don't use Flimish either.

[stagetek]

I agree with Phil. If you pad the loops you should be ok. But, it's still not something I will do. I just won't take the chance for a few feet per sec.

[oldbohntr]

I have shot at least 5000 shots from vintage bows with 450+ and ultra-cam strings......maybe twice that many!  I make my own and have NEVER had any bow show any signs of a problem.  But, I pad the loops properly and do not use it on any bow without tip overlays, paper micarta overlays, or with string nocks that are not shaped right(like the old Herters recurves.)  I would also not use them on a wood overlay, especially one that is filed very thin under the string loop. On such bows, I use a 12 strand B50 string, on weights all the way up to 65#.

Doug, if I owned your SK, I'd use a 6 strand ultra cam, padded to 14 in the loops....or else an 8 strand 450+, padded to 12. All the naysayers can quake at this if they want....I've seen the results.  And, regardless of what they all say: "it's not worth a few feet a second."  But, it's much more than that.  It makes a mediocre performer shoot much faster, where a good performer will not show all that much better speed. In almost every case, however, it makes a bow quieter, with less vibration.  Now, sometimes a recurve is noisier with no silencers, and guys jump on that.  But, I've proven to my own satisfaction, that even those bows will quiet down with less silencer mass than a B50 string would require.  

Also, if you are one of those especially cautious folks who use 16-18 strands of B50...you're sure to have a quiet setup.  But, believe me, you're giving up more than " a few feet per second".  I weigh all the strings that come in on the used bows I buy, and then weigh the ones I make for the bow. If you are using 16 strands and any kind of silencer at all, my string will have a mass weight of half of yours.  That difference means significant energy transfer to the arrow.  

In years of "flying under the radar" and talking with the other guys who were also trying it and laying low.......I've become frustrated.  We know it works. But, "conventional wisdom" warns of the danger.  I did finally see one bow damaged by a FF string last year.   A guy put one without padded loops on an old DH Hi-Speed w/o tip overlays.  Yeah, it cut into the limb and ruined the bow.  But, if he had put racing fuel into his wife's soccer-mom suv....he'd have ruined that, too.  

It's up to everyone to do their own thinking and make up their own mind.  PM me for a source of strings if you want, Doug.