Bowstring Fiber

[Rob DiStefano]

I have gone back to Dacron bowstrings.  Nothing at all against HMPE flavors, particularly after around 45 years of their use in all manner of trad bows.  I'd spun up and twisted up hundreds of those low stretch fiber strings over the years, and swore by each as the best thing since sliced bread and apple pie.

Maybe it's just me getting older, but with the last 4 or 5 longbows, both Hill AFL and R/D styles, I find the stretch of a B55 to be a bit more "forgiving", adding a bit more consistent "stability" to the shot sequence and performance.  I haven't done the chrony work, but I'm sure there is lost arrow speed as compared to the D'02 and Dynaflight strings I'd made and shot before switching.  No big deal at typical bowhunting distances.

It can be good to go back to basics and make comparisons.  Sometimes the basics, and older technologies, might just be a good thing.  Won't know unless we try.

 

     

[Roy from Pa]

Yup Rob you hain't no spring chicken no more:)

Me neither:)

 

[Pat B]

I've always used B-50 or B-55 on all my bows. I have a few bows others have given me with FF type strings that are good shooting bows but I don't like the skinniness of the strings. I've never been a speed demon so never got caught up in the FF string movement. If you know the trajectory of your arrows a few FPS doesn't matter.

[Rob DiStefano]

I actually like thicker bowstrings, and 14 to 16 strands of B55 is just the ticket for me.

[Silent footed]

Guys, this is related to what I'm reading. Can any of you point me to information explaining/ contrasting the differences between each string material, or possibly explain these differences to me? I am only familiar with b-50, b-55, lol and sinew, and vegetable fiber...

[Rob DiStefano]

Guys, this is related to what I'm reading. Can any of you point me to information explaining/ contrasting the differences between each string material, or possibly explain these differences to me? I am only familiar with b-50, b-55, lol and sinew, and vegetable fiber...

Brand name "Dacron" is polyester fiber, sold these dayze as B50, B55, etc.  Most any bow can work with Dacron bowstrings.

HMPE (High Modulus PolyEthylene) is very low stretch string fiber that requires the limb tips of bows be "beefed up" to handle the shock/stress of these kind strings.  LOTS of different trade names for these kind of strings, too numerous to list, but the first brand name was "Fast Flight".

Dacron bowstrings will have low tensile strength be strand versus HMPE strings that will have 3 or 4 times the strength of Dacron strings.  Dacron fiber strands are thicker than HMPE strands.  Dacron strings are heavier in weight than HMPE. 

So in essence, HMPE strings are lighter, thinner, stronger, and with noticeable less stretch than Dacron strings.

[George Tsoukalas]

My family will never accuse me of being the first embrace change.

Well, someone once sent me one of those multi letter strings, alphabet strings you mentioned, Rob.
I decided  to use it at a stave's first stringing. It's easier to string to 3 or 4 inches.

Sure enough it split a nock 8 inches down and I don't use inlaid tips.

Over 30 years of bow making and i never had that happen.

I agree with you. I only use B 50.

Jawge

[bigbadjon]

I've always felt like tip reinforcments and padded loops always added enough weight to the tips to nullify most of the speed gains. Polyester endless strings have always performed for me. That said I do prefer BCY X for its longevity.

[Silent footed]

Thanks for that Rob. I'm guessing that it's the hmpe strings I was wondering about on that other thread about the montana longbow? They will work on it,  right?

Is d97/dynaflight also a hmpe material?

Thanks,

[Rob DiStefano]

Thanks for that Rob. I'm guessing that it's the hmpe strings I was wondering about on that other thread about the montana longbow? They will work on it,  right?

The Bear Montana will accept any HMPE bowstrings.

Is d97/dynaflight also a hmpe material?

Yes. 

Thanks,

Yer most welcome.

................................

[Silent footed]

You guys are awesome. Sorry to go off topic. But thanks for the information.

[Silent footed]

But to get back on topic. I have been at this seriously since I was a teenager. I have never been brave enough to try a fast flight on any of my past bows (mostly used customs or fancier production bows). But I have never had any complaints about b-50, ever... It has served me just fine. I picked up a montana to toy around with having only heavy spine arrows made up currently, and I'm thinking of trying a fast flight string and woody weights rather than buying and staining a special set of shafts for this bow. Maybe I can make it shoot the same arrows.   Seems worth a try, at least; and I am a little curious about fast flight material too.  Scratching an itch, I guess.

[Rob DiStefano]

Back in the 1950s I remember that the only "modern" bowstring fiber was Browning B36, a "Dacron" polyester fiber that happily replaced linen bowstrings.  The number "36" represents the tensile strength per strand, 36 pounds.  A few years pass and Browning ups the tensile strength and then B42 comes on the market.  Years later is the emergence of their B50, which was THE staple bowstring fiber until Kevlar came along - and boy did that stuff kill more bows that it was worth and become the sole bowstring fiber to avoid at all costs.  Enter then Browning's polypropylene "Fast Flight" and then THAT was the string fiber to use as long as the bow limb tips were reinforced.  Suffice to say, initially FF killed some bows, too, but that was the fault of the bow's owner by using that fiber on a bow that had weak limb tips, and was not the string fiber's fault.  Much later on BCY entered the bowstring fiber market with B500 and then what's become pretty much the staple today for all polyester bowstrings, B55.

Cruising around the web for Dacron (polyester) string fibers and I can find Browning B50 and BCY B55, and one more - Flex Archery "Dacrogen" which is touted as a 100% polyester (Dacron) and "safe for all bows".  Sold on a spool that's got about 273 yards versus the 1450 yards for B50 or B55, and a price tag that's 30% higher.  Hmm, thank you, but I'll pass and stick with B55.

So it's fair to say that any bowstring fiber other than the three above will be HMPE polypropylene based, which includes SO many brand model names such as Fast Flight, Dynaflight 97, D'02, 452x, 8125, Fury, Mercury, Force 10, X99, 454, 652, Xcel, Majesty, ASB, Majesty Pro, Majesty 777, and more.

[bigbadjon]

I'm more of a serving snob. I hope I never have to use monofilament serving again.

[Rob DiStefano]

Mono serving was the cat's meow back in the later 60's and 70's, but not for hunting bows.  Since it first came out a few decades or so ago, BCY Halo is my fave serving.

[bigbadjon]

Agreed. Are you still using endless strings? I am pretty sure I learned to make them from a video you made.

[Rob DiStefano]

Yep, I make strings both ways, spinning or twisting.   

[Ray Lyon]

I’m shooting endless Dacron on my new aluminum A riser Bear Takedown.  So QUIET to start with before adding silencers.  Fast flight style sounds like.22 firing comparatively

[bigbadjon]

I wonder if that is because dacron is heavier than hmpe and absorbs more vibration.

[Rob DiStefano]

I wonder if that is because dacron is heavier than hmpe and absorbs more vibration.

I think it's a combination of both stretch and mass weight.