The skinny string thing

[barley40]

What started the skinny string? I know they are supposed to be faster quiter etc. but has anybody ever got too skinny and ruined a bow?

[JRY309]

With the newer and stronger low stretch strings you can get by with less strands and still have a string strong enough for your bow.They are quieter,probably alittle faster but I like that it is quieter.Never heard of a string breaking causing damage to a bow.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by barley40:
What started the skinny string? I know they are supposed to be faster quiter etc. but has anybody ever got too skinny and ruined a bow?

low strand count bowstrings ('skinny strings')  have been around since the advent of kevlar and hmpe string fibers, which was decades ago.  lotta folks knew of low strand count string advantages, but i think the thought of lots fewer strands concerned the majority of archers/bowhunters.

yes, you can go too low with strand counts.  the first issue will be excessive string stretch and creep.  and, it's surely possible to blow up a skinny string, and possibly the bow in the process.  my quite safe rule of thumb with dyneema fiber is 6 strands for 50# and under, 8 strands up to around 65#, 10 strands to 80#.

skinny strings MUST have padded loops!!!

[katman]

Pad the loops and shoot. Broke a six strand once, no ill effects on the bow.

[Bill Tell]

There is a thread on here that is very large and very cool all about skinny strings.  If you do a search you will be able to find it.  I shoot a 10 strand for my 53# recurve and will never shoot anything else again.

[Rob DiStefano]

know the tensile strength of the string fiber you'll be using for a low strand count string.  most hmpe fiber will have strand strength of a good 100#.  6 strands of that fiber in a bow string will be around the 600# tensile strength mark, or ten times the holding weight of a typical 60# @ 28" stick bow.

[bshunter]

i think there is still a lot of "tinkering" to do with the skinny strings, but right now I love them, i want to learn how to build my own.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by bshunter:
i think there is still a lot of "tinkering" to do with the skinny strings, ...

'a lot of tinkering to do'?  how so?

[bearbowman]

The only real problem with skinny strings is nailing the length. I have made hundreds of them and if you learn how much your string will settle after it is made you can measure with a tape measure your starting point for the second loop and get realy close on the length. Typically if I am making a 10 strand 8125 and I need it a 54 1/2 to a 54 3/4 string for a 58" Black Widow recurve I measure out and start 1 1/2 or 1 3/8 shorter than my desired length. After the string is done and put on a bow it will settle about 3/4" overnight. When it gets really hot outside the internal wax will melt ooze out and it will settle some more. Because the diameter of the string is so small 20 twists to shorten a skinny string does not do what 20 twists on a thicker 20 strand string will do. By nailing the length you leave yourself some twisting room for the summertime without having to put 30 or 40 twists in your string and making it look like a slinky.

[frank bullitt]

Bearbowman is right on the ratio of twist to length of smaller dia. strings! Take note when building, the measurement on your jig will be different

I started building small F.F. strings in the earlies '90s., but prefer alittle extra meat in my strings!

[30coupe]

Just for the record, fat strings will fail as well. I had a 14 strand B50 string let go right at the nock point on release. There was no harm to the bow, but it is kind of scary.

I have pretty much settled on eight strands of D97 for all of my FF bows. It simplifies serving, quiets the bow, and has less stretch/creep than six strands. You still have to shorten your string to avoid excessive twists, but once you figure out how much, they settle about as quickly as the fat ones.

[Rob DiStefano]

i use 8 strands of d'02 for endless strings on my 55# 'hawk.  

i have no significant stretch or creep problems since i spin *tight* on the one arm jig.

ditto's for the 6 strand d'02 strings spun for the 45# 'hawk.

twisting up a skinny would drive me crazier than i am already!