Less Accurate WIth Skinny Strings?

[BCD]

I seem to be more accurate with a 12 or 14 strand string (D97) than I am with an 8 strand string. I have experienced this with several bows now. Any idea why this would be?

Thanks

[Rob DiStefano]

you.

however, there is something to be said about heavier, thicker cords than skinny ones, when it comes to stability.

we are all "experiments of one" - if it works use it, if it doesn't, don't.  

for me, "works" and "consistency" go hand in hand.  

[BCD]

I agree it must be me, I'm just wondering if anyone else experienced the same thing and why

[Stumpkiller]

Skinny strings "unload" the bow faster so it reduces the effective spine of the arrow.  That might contribute.

[Jeff Strubberg]

Could be a couple things.  

A skinny string will dig into a glove or tab more than a fatter one.  You could be getting some release inconsistency from that.  

Could also be deflection, although that seems unlikely with a FF material.

have you shot a bow with both strings in a single practice session?

[Wickles]

I'm not sure but I thought skinny strings have thicker serving to fit arrow knocks. If so, the diameter of the string where you hold should be the same regardless.

[wtpops]

Have you retuned your bow with the thin string. I have had to retune every bow I have put a thiner string on

[3arrows]

x2 on retuned bow.

[Bjorn]

Yeah I retuned too. At least in my case the serving area is the same fat or skinny-it fits my existing nocks too.

[stujay]

Great question, I shoot with a skinny string and haven't been aware of any accuracy changes. I have noticed an increase of speed, on my set-up over 5fps. Also it seems to be quieter on my
64" Ilf longbow, #44 @28. 505 Gr 2016 arrow. 150 gr tip. 169fps.

[Friend]

If you have retuned your arrow and the issue still exists, then I would strongly consider going back to what works.

In my switching to skinnies, there was some minor retuning required and accuracy remained identical.

Many variables due to the equipment and especially the user drive what works great for one and not another. The bottom line is to identify the set-up that consistently places your arrow on the mark.

Best of luck!

I have been told by a famous longbow builder that a stout dacron string has the right amount of spring and stretch to enhance the forgiveness of a longbow. There may be other issues for sure, but my son has gone to dacron with his Robertson longbow and is more accurate than he was be before. He is getting four to five inch groups at 30 yards versus six to seven inch groups. For myself, the only thing that I have noticed, other than a bit less shock and vibration, is that I can shoot stiffer spines with fast flight strings than with dacron.

[Bjorn]

I had a well known builder of longbows and recurves tell me Dacron was more accurate and most accurate was an endless loop string made of dacron. Yeah right!

[Rob DiStefano]

oh the tales that be told of strings 'n' things.  

there is no right or wrong bowstring, only what works best for each of us, with proper testing.

[Beanbag]

I have a interesting tidbit about strings. I just picked up a 52# Raven on here a few weeks back. Got it in with a standard thick B50 and puffs. Tried some of my 5575 GT's with 175 up front, to see if they flew, so-so flight too stiff. I twisted up a 8 strand D10 with halo serving, no silencing. GT 5575  flew really weak. Tried some 7595 with 200 up front and they where close to darts.Put some cat whiskers on to quite it up and the 7595's where too stiff. Tried the 5575 and they where just about perfect. These are the same shafts that I use in my 56# TH. I think the accuracy has more to do with spining than anything else.Really amazed at the changes in flight with fairly small changes in equipment.Some times a little goes a long way. I set up another 8 strand  string to check and sure enough the 7595 flew like darts. Really crazy Just a thought Jim G

[BCD]

I re-tuned with the 8 strand strings and they typically require about a 1/4 inch higher brace height to fly well (in addition to larger cat whiskers), but I still definitely shoot better with the 12-14 strand D97 than the 8 strand even though I have killed deer with both. No more skinnies for me.

[Ragnarok Forge]

It seems we are running with a shoots better with thick string theme.  Just to throw a wrench in the works.  I shoot significantly better with a skinny string.  Smaller string, less friction against the glove or tab, etc... Not sure exactly why but the difference is noticeable.  The real key is working on your release so it is clean and as drag free as possible.  Once you get that part down, I doubt string thickness really matters.

I think perhaps the sharper snap of a modern stretch free string works better for those that need it to get their arrows to function, I have one bow that a fast flight did just that, and good thing as I had dozens of shafts that were just that little bit too stiff for the bow. On some bows I have seen more of a difference than others. John Schulz new what worked for his bows, for the bows he built for me, his advise was correct, no matter what Bjorn may think. For bows that were designed and tested with modern strings, putting a dacron on them can be disappointing in our experiences. I personally have a tougher time getting a good release on a smaller diameter serving area, I use only American Leathers gloves.

[Gordon Jabben]

Don't know why, but I just shoot better with a heavy dacron string.  I talked a friend into using a heavy string on his Hill style bow and he hated it.  I'll stick with what works but I think everyone should try both to see what works best for them.

[Swamp Yankee]

The serving area on a correctly made skinny string is padded to be the the same diameter as any other string; I doubt it has any effect on your release.  Skinny strings do, however, effectively increase the amount of energy available to the arrow; and with that sometimes could require retuning.  If you changed strings without retuning, that could be causing the loss of accuracy.  A skinny string, if anything, has more spring than an overbuilt 16 strand FF string and be more like dacron in that regard.