Fast flight strings and backed hickory flatbow

[Brent Hill]

I'm building a hickory flat bow with a fiberglass backing and I was told that ff flight string would help eliminate handshock and the string wouldn't hurt the bow with tips covered with Micarta ?  This is my first homemade bow and any help would be appreciated. Thanks Bhill

[Jeremy]

I prefer the low-stretch strings for selfbows (FF, TS-1, D97, etc).  You can brace the bow low (like you should) and not get the annoying and painful wrist slap you get with dacron.  Linen strings don't stretch as much as dacron either, but more than FF.

As long as you're reinforcing the tips with a moderately dense material and shaping the nocks correctly it won't be a problem.

[Brent Hill]

Thanks for the info, now why do you have to brace self bows low ?  Is it to get as much speed out of the limbs ?  Does ts1 or other strings put more wear or abuse on these bows ?  I love ts1 on my curves and hope to use it on my flatbow.   Thanks Bhill