Strand Count and Spine

[Tilzbow]

A while back there was a 30+ page thread about using low strand count strings. I'm thinking about trying this but I have trouble with finding arrows with enough spine due to my long draw and some mentioned they had to go up in spine to compensate.

My question is for those who have tried 4 to 6 strand strings how much did this weaken your arrow spine and what did you do to compensate and maintain tune?

[Traxx]

Yeah,What Scott said!!!LOL
Lookin foreward to the replys to this question.

[Hot Hap]

ttt

[wtpops]

Im using a d97 6 strand, loops padded to 14 strands, 2 cat wiskers cut in half and the halfs tied on at 12" and 17" from tips on a 62" PSA V 53# @ 30" Black Widow. Just put this setup on about 300 arrows ago and it is the quietest the bow has ever been. Will be watching the thin string for durability as time goes on. if i have a problem i will go up to 8 strands.

The thin string has given me a jump in preformance but the main benafit is how quiet the bow is now.

As for spine, i am shooting the Carbon Express Maxima 350, 31 3/4" to back of point. With the stock string on the bow i had 250 grains up front (50 grain brass insert and 200 grain tip) with the thin string on the bow i had to drop to 175 grain tip for a total of 225 up front to regain tune. It will depend on the bow and how far if at all it is cut past center. With my Widow and ACS both cut 3/16 past center you can shoot a wide range of spine, with a bow not cut to center you may have to do more tuning than just droping point weight.

[Tilzbow]

TTT

[O.L. Adcock]

Tilzbow, build your side plate out, you can drop several spine groups with that one adjustment.
I went from a light string to a very light, it didn't change it much. If you go from an over built Dacron to a real light string of modern materials, it could be a lot. You won't know until you try. What draw weight and length are you shooting that needs so much spine?...O.L.

[Tilzbow]

O.L.,

I'm shooting an A&H ACS CX and a new Centaur carbon. Both bows are just under 50# at my 31.5" draw and I'm shooting a full length .340 spine  32 1/4" Gold Tip carbon arrow w/a 125 grain point. These tune and shoot perfect from both bows and I don't want to drop point weight since I'm on the light side already. I believe both bow's strings are 10 strand DF97 but I honestly haven't counted I just know they're thinner than my 14 strand DF97 on my other bow. Both bows are pretty quiet and shooting around 200 FPS at 9.5 gr/# already so I'm not sure why I feel the need to mess with the setups, just tinkering and looking for a bit more I guess....

I may just order 6 strand strings for each bow and give them a whirl or I may keep shooting the setups I've got.

[idahobeartrax]

I have not had the opportunity to try a low strand count string on my 70@29 Widow. Are any manufacturers producing these strings, or am I going to have to build my own? I used to make my own dacron flemish strings, but I have not invested in any FF or other 'modern' string material.

Of more concern, I would like to try a low strand count string on my wife's bow to boost performance on elk. She shoots a 26" draw on a 48@28" Morrison (her xmas present; her other longbow just did not provide needed penetration) and I need to maximize penetration performance? So, is a low strand count string the answer? And, if so, where can I order low strand count strings?


FYI. If anyone gets to the point of needing some 90+ spine port orford cedar shafts, I have 3 dozen ACME shafts available for trade or sale (high quality heavy shafts that are really hard to find!). I don't have much use for them ever since my shoulder demanded that I sell my 82@29 Widow. Would trade for 'modern' string material, or ABS Safari shafts, or...?

[Bjorn]

I don't think it is telling tales out of school to say that Bob Morrison is one of the fine folks who has been contributing his findings to the 'skinny string thread' somewhere in the earlier pages.
I don't know the threadcount in your wife's current string but is she is like everyone else she will get a benefit from the skinny string. My son draws about 23" and shoots a 50@28 ACX. We cut a full inch off his wood arrows to tune them for his new 4 strand string.
Chad at recurves.com has been making our skinny strings.

[O.L. Adcock]

Yes sir, the string would help but is only 1 piece of the puzzle. Arrow weight, good BH, high FOC, all would help a lot on the elk...O.L.