String strech

[Bow Bum]

Have an old Bear Kodiak with what I believe to be a B50 Dacron string? its about 4 years old.

It seems like it constantly stretches. Its twisted up like crazy, I bet 20 or more twists. The brace height will drop if left strung for a day or 2. I feel like i should give it another twist or 2 to keep the brace above 8", but really don't want to twist it more.

Is this just the B50, or maybe it was too long a string, and had too many twists in it?

Thanks,

Brian

[Hermon]

Is it a flemish spice string or an endless loop string?  If a flemish, maybe the splice is slipping?  All the strings I have ever had/made have stabilized after the first shooting session with them.  Gook luck.

[Rob DiStefano]

b50 (polyester, "dacron") + a springy twist = stretch.  

try b55 and up the strand count ...

... or get the limbs checked out for issues and if none then have the limb tips replaced and beefed up for an hmpe string (fastflight, d'97, etc.).

[KHALVERSON]

brian
in my experience
when i make a b-50 string it stretches for a couple days (break in period) than remains fairly
stable  may require a twist of two here and there
to maintain brace height
i use 16 strands for bows 50-55#s
maybe the strand count is too low
what poundage are you shooting
does your string want to knot up when twisting if so its time for a new one
kevin

[Bow Bum]

Not real sure, but I bet its a flemish. I know its the B50 material. Near the limb tips the string looks like there is loose ends sticking out. The string does not want to knot up, but I'm suprised it doesn't.

Thanks,

B

[hawk4570]

I have found if you leave b50 strung it will continue to stretch some. take it down a couple of days and it will go back some. Local bow shop told me they weighted a b50 string and it stretch a little after 2 weeks checking it each day.

[JRY309]

B50 does stretch but seems to stretch more if you have alot of twists in it.I like to spin up an endless B50 for a couple of older recurves I have,you wil get some stretch but it settles down and maintain brace height for me.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

Originally posted by KHALVERSON:
brian
in my experience
when i make a b-50 string it stretches for a couple days (break in period) than remains fairly
stable  may require a twist of two here and there
to maintain brace height
i use 16 strands for bows 50-55#s
maybe the strand count is too low
what poundage are you shooting
does your string want to knot up when twisting if so its time for a new one
kevin

+1  

[Steelhead]

I think you would want your B-50 string prestretched under high tension and at the proper length after the prestretching has been done.Then you wont end up with all the extra twists in the string thats end up like a slinky to maintain proper brace hieght.

B-50s gone stretch a bit.But if you wax the string and burnish it by rubbing a piece of leather up and down the string to build up some heat and or friction it should settle in relativly quick.I would keep the bow strung after doing this as well and shoot the string in to get rid of all the elasticicity or creep you can.

It should stabilize if its a properly made string and not continue to stretch day after day and make for a better shooting bow overall.

I have no problem with 12 strand b-50 strings that are made to fit my bows and prefer them over higher strand counts personally.The bow shoots nicer for me.My bows are around 50 to 55#s at 30".

[hvyhitter]

Ive been making and shooting 15 strand B50 strings for years. Its usually well stretched by the time I get the bow retuned. Over the course of a year I may have to add a twist or two but its rare. I do think that if its too long and over twisted, you have more material to stretch and spring. You may also be getting your slippage from broken strands under your serving.

[Bowwild]

If I doubted the integrity of the string I would get it off the bow in a hurry. Strings are pretty cheap and many of the string dealers ship very quickly.  I keep mine labeled because some are for FF and some aren't.

[Bald Spot]

try a string from Bearbowman.  He pre-stretches them and all of the strings I've got from him have been very stable as long as they are the right length.

[LBR]

It takes a huge amount of twist to get a "spring" effect--so much that if you get it, you definately need a new string that is the proper length.

Dacron stretches, period.  That is one of the main reasons I prefer FF type materials, and don't like low strand count strings in any material.  I don't like the stretch.

Flemish may stretch a tad more, but properly made the difference is minimal.  I can stretch ANY string (endless or flemish, any material) on my stretching jig.  Even stretching a string under approximately 300# of tension (which I do) won't fix everything, especially with dacron, because it retracts when the pressure is let off.

I'm switching over to B-55 because it has a little less stretch/creep, but it's still not in the same class as 8125 or Dynaflight '97.

How much stretch you get depends on a lot of variables:  draw weight, draw length, strand count, temperature (you get considerably more in hot weather), how much you shoot, etc. etc. etc.  As noted, you can up the strand count for less stretch.  I'd leave my bow strung if possible for the least variation.

Chad