waxing flemish strings

[Ron+dog]

do i wax a flemish string clear up to the tip loops ive always had loop strings that are served up there and am not quite sure

[JRY309]

Yes wax the whole string with a flemish twist.I wax the loop ends pretty good when I make them up.Then I add alittle wax when needed.

[Stan the bow man]

I WAS TOLD BY MIKE PALMER 20 YEARS AGO WAX IS FOR CARS! I NEVER WAX FLEMISH STRINGS.I KNOW SOME HEAT GUN THERE STRINGS TO GET THE WAX OUT.

[dan d]

Originally posted by Stan the bow man:
I WAS TOLD BY MIKE PALMER 20 YEARS AGO WAX IS FOR CARS! I NEVER WAX FLEMISH STRINGS.I KNOW SOME HEAT GUN THERE STRINGS TO GET THE WAX OUT.

Hmmm....... Now I'm confused, I wax my strings, shouldn't I
Dan

[LBR]

Wax is a lubricant.  If you want your strings to last longer, wax them--including the loops and center serving.  Rub it in by hand--using a piece of leather or a heat source can damage the string (and you might not notice).

Excess is not a problem--it will shoot out pretty quick.  Might leave a little on the ends of a recurve--wipes off easily enough.

Chad

[Ron+dog]

thanks guys wax makes sense to me i just wanted to make sure like i said ive never had a flemish before
stan : my question to you is how many strings do you go though in a year im not gonna tell you youre crazy but that doesent seem like a good idea to me

[boog21]

Bob Lee suggests soaking the ends of new strings in laquer thinner to remove the wax.  This softens the ends and makes them much quieter when they slap against limbs on a recurve.

I've heard others say you should wax all the way out to the loops to prolong the life of your string - less friction between the loops and the string nocks.  (Sounds reasonable to me.)

I've tried both ways and haven't noticed any difference in string life.  (My strings start wearing out at the nock point, not the loops).  I have noticed a difference in noise.  Strings waxed all the way out to the loops are louder when the string slaps against the limbs.  Also the wax can make an "unsticking" noise when you draw and the string pulls away from the limbs.  Neither of these is an issue if you're shooting a longbow.

I don't think you'll hurt your bow either way, so I'd do what feels most comfortable to you.

[Wannabe1]

I wax them all the way but, I predominately shoot longbows. Like boog21, mine wear out at the string nock and not the loops most of the time anyway.  

[frank bullitt]

Well, As much as I love and respect Bob and Rob Lee, never put a string in a solvent of any type!

I always wax the ends when building a Flemish string. For lubrication and mostly for construction! It helps hold the seperate bundles together while twisting!

If you need to remove excess wax, wipe off with a rag or paper towel.

[Van/TX]

Wax everything but the serving...Van

[Jmgcurve]

I'm with Van. I am still shooting strings that are years (?) old and have been waxing often.

[Buckwheaties]

Why not wax the serving also?

[Jmgcurve]

The wax gets on your glove/tab/fingers, and I do not like that "feel". Serving is too easy to replace and it wears in a specific spot rather quickly.

[Stan the bow man]

I DONT WAX MAY STRINGS THEY HAVE ENOUGHT ON THEM NEW. I REPLACE MY STRINGS EVERY YEAR.

[seabass]

i started using scorpion venom wax.has no smell and comes with the leather to rub it in.seems to work good so far.anybody else tried it?

[frank bullitt]

Actually, waxing the lower part of the serving is a good thing! Especially for the folks who contact their bow arm during the shot!

For the folks who don't wax, there is alot of friction going on in the fibers during a shot. Friction causes wear! Do you check the oil in your vehichle, or grease your bearings?  

[thunder1]

I was told by are local godfather (and shop owner) of archery years ago to wax anything that's not served. Both wheeled and none a like. Works fine for me.

[easyup]

Abrasion and friction shorten the life of all common string material and wax is a good way to extend the life.  If you wipe the wax in with a clean rag you can get dirt out of the string.  The new synthetic waxes like Scorpion are probably the best but a 2/3 bees wax to 1/3 toilet bowl wax mix works really well when used where the string is looking dry and costs next to nothing.

[B/W lvr]

I replace my strings every year just before hunting season as Widow suggests. I like making them and its good preventive maintenance. Frank