D97 8 strand limit

[Pack]

I have been shooting an 8 strand D97 on my 47# Mohawk for months now with great results.  The bow is quieter and I have seen no appreciable creep after the first couple weeks.  I just recieved a 55# Mohawk for an upcoming elk hunt.  My question is has anyone found a limit as far as draw weight with an 8 strand D97?  I am sure it is not unsafe, I am just wondering about creep and whether I should go to 10 strands.

[RUTANDSTRUT]

I BEEN SHOOTING SBD FLEMISH STRINGS WITH PADDED LOOPS MADE WITH BCY D10.  PIERRE RECOMMENDS THESE SPECS FOR HIS SKINNY STRINGS:
UP TO 53# 6 STRAND
54#-63#   8 STRAND
64# AND OVER  10 STRAND
I DONT KNOW EXACTLY HOW HE CAME UP WITH THESE SPECS BUT I HOPE IT HELPS

[Rob DiStefano]

i use 8 strands of d'02 (this is the same as d'97, but with less wax, for better use with endless strings) on my 55# mohawk t/d.  works flawlessly and it helped kill three hogs.     :D      

i've spun up 4 and 6 strand strings for the same bow, but i prefer 8 strands - a little more beef, a tad more durable and still plenty quiet and fast.

8 strands of d'97 is plenty for up to 65# bows (or more!), no sweat.

[JRY309]

I have been shooting 8 strands D97 on my Thunder Mt Coyote 58#@28 for over a year with no problem.

[Ragnarok Forge]

Shooting an 8 strand fast flight on a 55lb bow for a year and love it.  Easily stong enough for the bow.

[Greg Skinner]

I use 8 strand strings of DF97 on several different longbows ranging from 56# to 60#.  I've had no problem with creep or durability on any of them.

[SlowBowinMO]

We sell 8 strand D-97 (and now D-10) strings from SBD and they're rated for bows all the way to 60#, and that's playing it a bit on the safe side.  I wouldn't give it a second thought at 55#.  I personally shoot an 8 strand D-97 SBD on my 57# Firefly with great results.

[excelpoint]

I also shoot a 8 strand SBD D97 on my 55# Firfly. Great string.

[TSP]

I've tried 6 and 8 strand 450+ and 10 strand D-97 on my 52# Super Shrew...and settled on the 10 strand D-97.  I use the same set-up on my 53# Widow MAII.  It works good, it's quiet, it fits the nocks better than the skinnies, wears very well and has some added insurance against rubbing  breakage.  The skinnier strings make me nervous, especially in string-eating brush, blowdowns and  rocks.

[Lee Robinson .]

Personally, I would NEVER use a 4 or 6 strand string. In fact, I prefer a 3 ply 9 strand string over a 2 ply 8 strand.

[Oliverstacy]

Here is a list I got from a fellow string maker...I try to follow this at all times but really don't like making 6 strand strings unless I absolutely have to.  I need to get a chart on 450+ strings and strand count...the 8-strand 450+ strings I build to Jason Kendall (Kanati Longbows) are for all this bows up to 60+ pounds.

30-40#=4 strands of 97 or 8125
40-50#=6 strands 97 or 8125
50-63#=8 strands of 97
50-57#=8 strands of 8125
63-75#= 10 strands 97
58-65#=10 strands of 8125


Josh

[LBR]

I go with the advice of a proven World Champion (Rod Jenkins), who is also an accomplished hunter.  Rod generally shoots bows in the low-mid 40's, and doesn't like to use less than 10 strands of 8125 (except on VERY light draw weights).  The smallest I use on a personal bow is 10 strands of Dynaflight '97, pulling around 65#.

What is that chart based on?

[Oliverstacy]

Originally posted by LBR:

What is that chart based on?

This was a list I was give from a fellow string builder as some friendly advise.

That being said most of my strings are 10 strands and above...I've built less than a dozen 8 strand strings if you don't include my 8 strand 450+ strings I've built for Jason Kendall.

Josh

[Lee Robinson .]

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THOSE THAT WANT SPEED READ THIS. You want to use OBJECTIVE MEASUREMENTS to obtain the facts. To obtain such, you need a chronograph and/or a grain scale.

When it comes to light weight tiny strings...IMHO...I think too many people are chasing speed and giving up good common sense. Measured with a chronograph an 8 strand string is at best 1 fps faster than a 12 strand string.

Weigh 4 strands of dynaflight97 or 450+ at your bow length. For 62" bows each strand weighs about 5 grains...and it takes 15 of string weight to obtain even 1 fps in a chronograph. I SUGGEST MORE PEOPLE ACTUALLY take their finished string off their bow and WEIGH AN 8 STRAND STRING THAT FITS YOUR BOW AND SEE THE ACTUAL DIFFERENCE IN OBJECTIVE NUMBERS...or shoot through a chronograph to get OBJECTIVE NUMBERS...rather than just assume of go on "it seems like..." statements or listening to reports by others that didn't get OBJECTIVE MEASUREMENTS.

A 9 strand 62" dynaflight string SERVED and WITH BOWSTRING SILIENCERS weighs 93 grains. This is including the serving, bow string wax and siliencers.

When maximizing performance...

1. It takes about 5 grains of arrow weight to = 1 fps. Of course to obtain that you have to give up mass and mommentum.

2. It takes about 15 grains of string weight to = 1 fps. To obtain this, your string simply isn't as strong or as durable.

3. Take about 30-50 grains off the tip mass from EACH END of some bows and it costs you NOTHING...and you will gain about 2 more fps or so. Nothhing to get excited about except that your bow will still be just as strong and also have less handshock since the energy won't be wasted on moving unnecessary limb mass.

If you want to optimize your performance, have the bowyer reduce the amount of limb tip mass out PAST the string groove where the weight doesn't do any good. Leave your bowstrings to 8 or 9 strands minimum and save yourself a $1000 bow should you nick it with a broadhead or cross a barbed wire fence, or you got a little sand on it, or you go through the brush and repeatedly unknowingly rub the string up against some bush or the lower tip gets in the mudd despite your efforts to wipe it off clean, or just slap your armguard 1 too many times.

I own a chronograph and my results were based upon actual measurements...and not just "it looks faster."

Even on my 4 YEAR OLD son's 16# bow (or whatever it is), I still used 9 strands of dynaflight because I don't want to be concerned about fraying the string or changing it after he drags the bow across the ground some days.

[ozy clint]

i use a 7 strand endless D97 on my 54# recurve.