B50...B55...B500. What's the difference?

[David Mitchell]

The question in the title says what I'd like to know from folks who have experience with all three.  Thanks.  

[LBR]

Not a lot.  B-55 has slightly less stretch/creep, but it's no comparison to FF type materials.  It's still dacron, still safe for any bow.  B-50 and B-500 are very similar--B-50 is just Brownell and B-500 is BCY.  I used B-500 for years, after using B-50 for a while.  Now I use B-55 for my dacron material.

Chad

[Brianlocal3]

Chad,
Do you think fast flight helps eliminate handshock /vibration or not?  Also, does Dacron ever stop stretching or does it just stretch less over time?

[Bud B.]

Originally posted by Brianlocal3:
Chad,
Do you think fast flight helps eliminate handshock /vibration or not?  Also, does Dacron ever stop stretching or does it just stretch less over time?

I know you asked Chad, but I find that I get the best and quickest "stretch-in" results if I make my string and twist it to a higher brace than normal on the bow for which it is intended and then press the limbs to force a stretch. THis is after I heat the string through friction by wrapping a small piece of scrap leather around it and rub the string briskly. I can get a B55 string broken in in minutes after hand stretching. Rarely do I need to adjust unless I change arrow setups. After stretching I apply center serving, and puffs if necessary.

I prefer B55 over any type FF I've tried, but I'll admit that I have only tried about three different FF strings for three different bows and have always went back to B55 on all three. I personally think it's quieter and produces less hand shock for me. Many others have had better results with FF.

[LBR]

Chad,
Do you think fast flight helps eliminate handshock /vibration or not?

Definately.  You still need proper tuning, nock fit, brace height, etc. but it sure helps.  I look at it like this:  stretch a rubber band tight, and a piece of twine, and have someone pluck them.  The rubber band is much more elastic and will vibrate a lot more--dacron is much more elastic than FF.

 

Also, does Dacron ever stop stretching or does it just stretch less over time?

Depends.  If you use enough strands and/or the temps don't get too high, it will stretch a lot less and may settle in completely.

On a heavier draw weight, and/or lower strand count, and/or in higher temps, it stretches a lot more.  B-55 does seem to stretch less over time than B-500 or B-50.  I can stretch a dacron string several inches on my jig--some of it contracts when the tension is removed.

I pre-stretch all my strings on a jig under around 300# of tension...but all the materials have some degree of elasticity.

[StickBowManMI]

Very informative tread. Great job guys!

[Brianlocal3]

Thank you bid and chad

[AngelDeVille]

Thanks for the question and answers, I am getting ready to order some B-50 and was wondering if I should get B-55 instead. Now I just need to figure out what 2 colors to get and what serving goes with it.

[Bud B.]

B55 can be frustrsting. Some colors are "thicker" than others and some colors don't go well together because of that. I wrote BCY about this and the response was that the dye in the material causes some colors to be "thicker". I had a spool of yellow that did not go well with the brown. But forest green and brown go great together. The yellow and the bright green go well together.

Maybe someone can jump in with that info. Not sure if B50 has the same issue.

  http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=111770;p=1

As for the old thread, Ray offered to replace the yellow but I just adjusted the length of the two bundles before the second loop twist and it all worked out. I found a way to make it work, but bought the brighter green and the yellow and bright green match up very well.

Chad's advice helped also.

[LBR]

I've had that happen with all 3 dacron materials, and once in a blue moon with FF type materials (to a lesser degree).  It's not always the same colors either.  Usually not a big problem to deal with, but if it is and you are using BCY (B-500 or B-55), they will replace the spool if you contact them.

I like 62XS or Halo for serving.  They come in different sizes so you can get a proper nock fit without having to jump through any hoops.

Chad

[David Mitchell]

Guys, thanks for the helpful discussion.  Chad, I hoped you would hop on this thread and share your insights.  

Bud, interesting issue regarding varying thickness of strings of different colors.  Can't say I ever noticed it with my B50 but hadn't really paid much attention--I will next time I make a string.