String teaches old dog a new trick.

[Straitshot]

Don’t tell me you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

Here is my story. Not long ago I purchased a new-to-me one piece recurve. The bow had the reputation of being a quality bow and excellent shooter. The quality is there but I have struggled with getting the bow to shoot for me. I have done everything I thought to do to get the bow shooting for me. I really like the bow, it’s design, the way it handles, how smooth it draws, great grip, but I just haven’t been able to get it to shoot where I look consistently.

OK, I know you all are thinking, it is the shooter, and I suppose to a large degree you are correct but not always. I shoot my other bows much better than this one and there really is no reason in my mind that should be the case.

Just out of the blue I decided I would change the string from the skinny new low stretch kind to a 16 strand Dacron string. I had already tried everything else and to my amazement the bow tamed down and now shoots were I look consistently. I mean very noticeably. I thought it was supposed to be the other way. Yes, the arrow speed has slowed slightly but the groups have tightened up greatly and the bow seems to be more forgiving on little release imperfections.

[katman]

First thought is the new string changed your tune. If its working go with it.

[Terry Green]

Weird stuff happens....I have a bow that shoots FASTER with B50 than Fast Flight!!!!!!!!!!!!  Go Figure    

[forestdweller]

I have had the same experiences with skinny strings, I hate them. B50/B55 is plenty fast, easier on my fingers, and lower pitched than the fast flight materials.

[kat]

I had a similar experience. When I switched from a FF string to a B-55 string it was like flicking a switch. I have to agree with katman. It must have changed the tune and started shooting much better groups. I would also add that 95% of the time it works just the opposite way for me.

[Bladepeek]

I buy all of the above with one exception. I agree for some shooters and some bows, fast flight or Dacron will outperform the other. Its when I hear "Dacron is easier on my fingers" that I start scratching my head. The string is (should be) served to fit your nocks. The serving will be the same overall thickness regardless of which type string is used. Even if you shoot bare-fingered, how can one be easier on the fingers than the other?

[forestdweller]

Originally posted by Bladepeek:
I buy all of the above with one exception. I agree for some shooters and some bows, fast flight or Dacron will outperform the other. Its when I hear "Dacron is easier on my fingers" that I start scratching my head. The string is (should be) served to fit your nocks. The serving will be the same overall thickness regardless of which type string is used. Even if you shoot bare-fingered, how can one be easier on the fingers than the other?

What gives fast flight better performance over say B50 or B55 is the fact that it's around half the diameter of a dacron strand yet has twice the strength of a dacron strand which means you end up with a much lighter and thinner string using fast flight.

This means a fast flight string that has the same number of strands as the equivalent dacron string is going to be around twice as thin as the equivalent B50 or B55 string which means it will feel harder on the fingers.

We could use a much bigger string serving but in my experience it does not feel the same as just using a thicker string.

I feel like with a thicker string it's easier on the fingers and much easier to get a cleaner release since it does not dig into your fingers as much.

As an extreme example imagine trying to release a fishing line off your fingers vs a handle on a metal bucket if both had a 50 pound weight attached to them and you were holding them by your side.

The bucket with it's thick round handle would just want to slip out of your fingers whereas with the fishing line it would be the opposite.

[Danny Rowan]

I had a Schafer that was ff. Did not like the way it felt, had some shock. Put a B55 on it and BAM. Shot the way it was supposed to.

[Keith Zimmerman]

I agree with Bladepeek.  The string fits the nock.  1 lb of feathers weighs the same as 1 lb of lead.

[LBR]

There are lots more variables that just the string material.  How the string is made, how many strands (overall weight including serving, silencers, etc.), tuning, your release, nock fit, if the arrow is properly tuned for the set-up, brace height, etc. etc. etc.

Apples to apples (everything equally tuned, nocks fit correctly, brace set correctly for each one, arrow spine correct for each one, etc.--not just swap strings, set the brace the same, shoot the same arrow, etc.), a high performance material is going to have little to no elasticity.  That's the big difference.  On the shot, it will have less vibration.  Long-term it won't stretch/creep anywhere near as much, will last longer, will be more consistent.

I personally am not a fan of "skinny" strings, or fat strings either.  I've never owned or even shot a bow (that was built for them) a bow that didn't benefit in some way from a high performance string.  I don't know about speed...can't remember the last time I shot a bow through a chrony, or even where my chrony is.

   

As an extreme example imagine trying to release a fishing line off your fingers vs a handle on a metal bucket if both had a 50 pound weight attached to them and you were holding them by your side.  

Never understood why some folks say one material is harsher on their fingers than the other, at least when served correctly.  With the right serving, both with have the same size "handle".  Feels the same on my fingers.

[forestdweller]

Originally posted by LBR:
There are lots more variables that just the string material.  How the string is made, how many strands (overall weight including serving, silencers, etc.), tuning, your release, nock fit, if the arrow is properly tuned for the set-up, brace height, etc. etc. etc.

Apples to apples (everything equally tuned, nocks fit correctly, brace set correctly for each one, arrow spine correct for each one, etc.--not just swap strings, set the brace the same, shoot the same arrow, etc.), a high performance material is going to have little to no elasticity.  That's the big difference.  On the shot, it will have less vibration.  Long-term it won't stretch/creep anywhere near as much, will last longer, will be more consistent.

I personally am not a fan of "skinny" strings, or fat strings either.  I've never owned or even shot a bow (that was built for them) a bow that didn't benefit in some way from a high performance string.  I don't know about speed...can't remember the last time I shot a bow through a chrony, or even where my chrony is.

     

As an extreme example imagine trying to release a fishing line off your fingers vs a handle on a metal bucket if both had a 50 pound weight attached to them and you were holding them by your side.  

Never understood why some folks say one material is harsher on their fingers than the other, at least when served correctly.  With the right serving, both with have the same size "handle".  Feels the same on my fingers. [/b]

I suppose they both could feel the same with equivalent served servings.

I think the main issue is that most fast flight strings that are sold tend to be these skinny strings that are hard on the fingers.

Most of the ones that I have received (all but 1) have been so under served to the point where I had to build up the serving using tooth floss just to get proper nock fit.

All of them (besides the 1) have given my pretty bad joint pain due to how skinny and how harsh they were on my fingers.  

I think that a well build standard or thick fast flight string won't have the dig in your finger issue that the skinny strings have but I'd also be curious about the acoustic properties of the string since the Dacron strings I have used have have all been significantly lower in pitch, which makes for a quieter bow.

It's also interesting to note that most FITA Olympic style archers tend to use and favor a thick fast flight string over a skinny string.

There may be situations where the strings elastic carry through can effect the arrow speed and feel of the bow with a B50 to the positive.   I have a couple of bows that make very little difference which string is on it, but stability, durability and nock fit is a big deal for me with any bowstring.

[LBR]

...I'd also be curious about the acoustic properties of the string since the Dacron strings I have used have have all been significantly lower in pitch, which makes for a quieter bow.  

Different pitch, not necessarily quieter.  I've gotten gobs of comments on how quiet my bow was, with high performance strings.  Tuning, silencer placement, arrow weight, nock fit, release, etc. all play a part.  With the lack of stretch, the vibration is dampened much quicker so the noise doesn't last as long vs. the "twang" of Dacron.

   

It's also interesting to note that most FITA Olympic style archers tend to use and favor a thick fast flight string over a skinny string.  

Brady Ellison, and I think the rest of the current U.S. Olympic Archery team (I'd have to ask...I asked the coach specifically about Brady) uses a 16 strand 8125 string.  That's not exactly a thick string.  Certainly not skinny, about the same size as a 12-14 strand Dynaflight '97 string which is what I used to shoot.

I have no idea what elasticity could do to benefit a shot, but I'm open to suggestions.

[forestdweller]

Originally posted by LBR:
 

...I'd also be curious about the acoustic properties of the string since the Dacron strings I have used have have all been significantly lower in pitch, which makes for a quieter bow.  

Different pitch, not necessarily quieter.  I've gotten gobs of comments on how quiet my bow was, with high performance strings.  Tuning, silencer placement, arrow weight, nock fit, release, etc. all play a part.  With the lack of stretch, the vibration is dampened much quicker so the noise doesn't last as long vs. the "twang" of Dacron.

   

It's also interesting to note that most FITA Olympic style archers tend to use and favor a thick fast flight string over a skinny string.  

Brady Ellison, and I think the rest of the current U.S. Olympic Archery team (I'd have to ask...I asked the coach specifically about Brady) uses a 16 strand 8125 string.  That's not exactly a thick string.  Certainly not skinny, about the same size as a 12-14 strand Dynaflight '97 string which is what I used to shoot.

I have no idea what elasticity could do to benefit a shot, but I'm open to suggestions. [/b]

I think that a string test is in order.

For me personally I shoot all of my bows naked (no silencers or any other attachments) so I'm relying on bow material, string material, and the other things you mentioned to achieve a quiet set up.

Maybe the material itself is the reason why it feels easier on my fingers (Dacron that is).

I have no clue other than for me personally I have had nothing but bad experiences with the skinny endless loop fast flight strings that I received.

I'm definitely going to give a thicker fast flight string a try in the future though.

[longbow fanatic 1]

Great point. I certainly try different strings when I'm tuning my bows. As you've shown, strings can make a big difference. So can different tabs or gloves. I was tuning my ILF bow today. Out of three tabs, only one tab would tune the arrows correctly. Same bow, same string, same arrows and different tabs.

[Dan Jones]

After resisting the urge to try a fastflight string for a long time, I finally succumbed last year and bought a spool of BCY D97. It was miserable stuff to work with. It came slathered in very sticky wax, which BCY said was perhaps due to it being an "extra wax special order"(?), but I eventually made a string for my longbow with it.  I used the D97 string interchangeably with a B50 string for several weeks. The only real difference in performance that I could see was that the D97 was much, much noisier. My nice, quiet longbow developed an annoying "TWANG."

I'll stick with Brownell 50.

[LBR]

Like I said before, lots of variables to consider.  I lost count of the comments I got about how quiet my longbow was with Dynaflight '97, pulling [email protected] and shooting arrows that were less than 10 gpp.

[Red Beastmaster]

I let my bows decide what string they like.

[flyguysc]

I switched because the new LB I have had a B string supplied. I have quiet a few D style LB's and every one has a skinny SBD string on them. Anyway I decided to shoot the B50 while waiting on a new FF string that I ordered for the new bow. To my pleasant surprise the B50 performed better than expected. Kinda feels like it rolls of my fingers which effects my arrow flight a bit and causes me to think that I need to tune the wobble out when actually it's me not the string.I did buy two  B50 strings from Linda Brackenbury and she seems to build a pretty nice string. The bow is 45.LBS @26.5 dl lb so It"s not a barn burner but she sips my 526 gr Woodies.

[Hermon]

Originally posted by Red Beastmaster:
I let my bows decide what string they like.

X2