Do Modern String Materials Causes Bows to Wear Out Quicker?

[ToxophilitePastor]

I was talking to a bow maker awhile back and he stated that he felt modern string material is harder on a bow over the long haul than Dacron. He felt that the performance enhancements were not enough to warrant bow wear and tear. Is this true?

[George D. Stout]

I was of the same opinion for years, but I am rethinking my stand on that.  There is no scientific study, or even casual data as to the effect of no stretch/low stretch strings on old bows.  It was just verbal taboo.

Right now I have a 450+ bowstring on a 1967 Shakespeare Necedah.  The string is as quiet as my old dacron was, and the bow is much more pleasant to shoot...little vibration on the shot itself.  To me, we have overstated ths situation.
Perhaps, the less vibration negates the other aspects like no creep, etc.  Only way to find out is to try.  That's why I'm trying it. 8^).  I've got probably a thousand shots or more now through the Shakespeare with no ill effect.  What I do have is a bow that gets a cleaner release, shoots a wider variety of spines, and is noticeably quicker to the target.  

What I did do was make sure the string notch was rounded well with no sharp edges to catch or be affected by the new strings.  I think that could be an issue more than anything.  For now, everything is working well wit no discernable wear to the string nock area or laminations.

Performance is a funny thing, and maybe what we get from the low stretch isn't as detrimental as we first thought.

[Bjorn]

I can echo what George is finding. I have a D97 string with padded loops on a 1959 Grizzly. That bow is a pleasure to shoot, and I can see no difference in wear. Not making any recommendations here, just stating my own experience.

[ToxophilitePastor]

I'm not sure I made myself clear. I am not saying "wear' as in showing wear. I am saying wear and tear on the bow in general. I think my friend was saying is that the service life of the bow would be shortened. Instead of having great old bows that shoot great in 30 years. We are going to have great old bows that are worn out in thirty years.

[George D. Stout]

I understood what you asked.  The problem is that is not proven, and can only be proven through experimentation, not conjecture.  The person telling you that can't be sure that is true, because there have been no definitive studies.  A bow will show some kind of wear prior to failing, under normal cicrumstances. It could be loosening of the tip overlays; visual wear of string against nock edges; increased noise over a period of time, etc.

If the no stretch commits more of it's energy to the arrow, and has less follow-up vibration into the limbs, then it seems to me it is a toss-up.
That's why I'm using it, to prove to myself that it either works or doesn't.  Years ago folks used linen strings, that had very little stretch/elongation and used them with good success.

A "bow maker's" guess is just that, we need experimentation.  There is no short quick answer Pastor....where is your faith?            

[ToxophilitePastor]

Your point is well made George, thanks. HMMMMMMMM, never thought about coupling faith with wear and tear on a bow.     However, the more I think about it, it does take quite a bit of faith every time you draw a bow. Especially when you just had a string let lose on you just a few weeks ago. I didn't even have time to duck. There were no injuries, but I did have to change my pants.

[Steve B.]

I think the performance enhancement comes from the string putting more energy into the arrow and less into the limbs.  If that is true maybe the newer strings are better for the bow, in the long run?

[Orion]

I tend to view it like you do Steve B.  Less vibration in the limbs, more energy into the arrow, etc. should lead toward longer life.  Most failures that I'm aware of have occured at the limb tips with the thin strings eventually breaking off the overlays and/or shearing off the tips.  Shouldn't be a problem as long as the loops are sufficiently padded.  But I agree, it's conjecture at this point.

[SpankyNeal]

Howard Hill shot linen strings, which i've been told have even less give to em than modern strings, on all bamboo bows with no glass for years. Remember these were not 50 pounders, we are talking around double that! Jay St. Charles told me regarding one of his yew selfbows that I enquired about, that if I wanted to use padded loop modern strings on it go right ahead, shouldn't hurt the bow at all. I personnaly shot a FF string on a Great Plains recurve that did not have reinforced tips, for 15 years with no signs of wear or damage at all, and it's still being shot with those strings today. I think that keeping the loops padded to an appropriate thickness, and using arrows of moderate to heavy weight are all you really need to be concerned with. If selfbows can take it, glass bows shouldn't even be a concern. JMHO.

Ken

[Bear]

Been shooting a 6 strand D97 (loops padded with extra 14 of dacron) on my 1965 Kodiak for a couple months now. Keeping regular tabs on the tips, overlays, etc. Only thing I can see different is that it now outperforms most brand new customs.  :D

[Bjorn]

Uh oh! Everyone is coming out of the closet now!
     

[Trooper]

Wow, just when I think I got this trad stuff figured out you guys hit me with something else to think about.

[SL]

I have a 50 lb shakespeare that Ive had a ts1 string on for three years now.I padded the loops with b50 and its 12 strands of ts1.The bow shoots better than ever.
SL

[LBR]

There is no scientific study, or even casual data as to the effect of no stretch/low stretch strings on old bows.  

Exactly.  One big thing that most folks notice right away is they get less shock--sometimes a LOT less--with "fast flight" type materials.  I can't see how that's worse on the bow vs. all that vibration at every shot.

The performance gain is no biggie to me.  I'd shoot Dynaflight '97 or 8125 if they were slower than dacron.  The big benefits, IMO, are reduced shock/vibration, reduced stretch/creep, and increased durability.

Chad

[James Wrenn]

I am also of the belief it might be better for the bow,It is just everytime a bow fails if it has ff people blame the string.Bows fail with other strings as well.

[AdamH]

I saw a Dynaflight 97 string go straight through the upper limb of an older Damon Howatt Recurve once, Ugly sight to say the least, of course the tips were not built for it, but have talked with a Very well Respected Bowyer & he says ANY L/B can handle FF strings if the loops are built "Right" regardless of the L/B's tips ...

[George D. Stout]

AdamH,  I don't doubt that may have happened.  With the older bows, you must check the string notch (nock) and make sure it is well rounded (no edges of lam protruding, etc).   I looked my old bows over for that, and the Shakespeare did have some sharp edged limb laminations right in the string notch.  I rounded that with a rolled piece of sandpaper so it wouldn't create an off center issue.  Using the padded tips on that works great.

If you have an uneven edge, you may have trouble with any string as well.  Some discretion needs to be used on all older bows, but it's pretty much a look and see deal.  One blown limb isn't a scientific study, maybe that limb would have broken with a dacron string....we don't know. That's why some of us boneheads like me have to give it a go to find out.

[Bear]

I'm also curious as to how well padded the loops were.

[elkslayer]

Well I am not even go to help answer but I have a Cascade Night Hawk and you void the lifetime warranty if you use FF string. You have to use Dacron only. There muse be something about it or bowyers would not tell you to not use it. I see that with less stretch it would put more pressure on the limbs after a shot because it is not absorbing the shock the limbs are. When material has the ability to stretch it will then absorb some of the shock when compressing back. I am not sure but my three cents...

[easyup]

I have an experiment going myself however I am very nervous as when I got my second hand Brack I called and was told that any excess energy that was not taken up by the arrow was transferred to the bow rather than the string and in Brackenbury's experience all of the tip failure they saw were from FF strings on bows not designed for FF.  Good luck all.