Problem with my first string

[ehartunian]

Hello everyone- so I just finished my first Flemish string for a recurve. Everything worked out well except my back twist. I think i didn’t put enough back twist in before I finished the second loop, so now when the bow is strung, about a third of the string doesn’t mesh well together. Is that an unsafe string to use?
Thanks, Eric

[stevem]

My two cents-  if the string looks like two cords instead of one, it is cosmetic and not  a safety issue. 

[DCANAPP]

It will work but it will bug you to look at to much. Make another with about 26 back twists.
 A failure is unlikely. My hands are a bit old and I limit the amount of crafting but like fletching arrows making strings are a satisfying skill to enjoy.

[McDave]

Since the second loop is the last thing you do, other than twist the string as a whole for correct length, couldn't you just untwist the second loop, untwist the two bundles back to the first loop, and then remake the string from there using more backtwists?  I've done this before when the string turned out longer than I wanted, and then remade the string a little shorter, and it turned out fine.  I won't say it was fun, but no worse than stripping off worn fletching from an arrow and then refletching it.

I agree with the comment above about cabling really being nothing more than a cosmetic issue.  I had been making strings for about 20 years before I ever heard about backtwisting, but, as someone else mentioned, it's the kind of thing that might bug you every time you look at the string, as opposed to feeling great every time you look at it after you repair it.

[ehartunian]

Since the second loop is the last thing you do, other than twist the string as a whole for correct length, couldn't you just untwist the second loop, untwist the two bundles back to the first loop, and then remake the string from there using more backtwists?  I've done this before when the string turned out longer than I wanted, and then remade the string a little shorter, and it turned out fine.  I won't say it was fun, but no worse than stripping off worn fletching from an arrow and then refletching it.

I agree with the comment above about cabling really being nothing more than a cosmetic issue.  I had been making strings for about 20 years before I ever heard about backtwisting, but, as someone else mentioned, it's the kind of thing that might bug you every time you look at the string, as opposed to feeling great every time you look at it after you repair it.

Great point- I didn’t think about that. At this point, I have the bow braced so it can stretch. The two bundles that didn’t mesh together are well above where the top of the serving will be (I haven’t served it yet)- so I don’t think it will matter for this string. I’m chalking this up as a learning experience! I’ve been involved with archery for almost 25yrs and I can’t believe I waited this long to make a string…
Best,
Eric

[McDave]

You state, “The two bundles that didn’t mesh together are well above where the top of the serving will be.”  After you make the final loop, backtwist or no backtwist, the part of the string right under the final loop will be more twisted than the rest of the string.  You can sort of backtwist each bundle a little even though the last loop has been completed to more evenly distribute these excessive twists through the whole string.  This will give a more uniform appearance to the string, and make any cabling less obvious.  You could probably still do this, unless you have already served the string, without untwisting the final loop.  Anyway, something to remember for next time.

[Roy from Pa]

After making your first loop, hook the loop over a nail and stretch the string out straight and start doing your back twist to one bundle then the other bundle, count the number of twists it takes to get them laying straight, then keep back twisting the same direction that many more times, then do the second loop.