String makers - Anyone using the Yellow B55 from Kustom King?

[Bud B.]

I am no string making expert. Let me get that out there. But I bought a spool of the yellow with a spool of brown.  My previous two spools were brown and green. I have maybe 25 or so strings under my belt. The latter ones of green and brown were not too shabby.

I have noticed that with the yellow it feels and looks bulkier than the brown. Once I make my first loop the yellow is always about 1/2 inch shorter than the brown. I pull and even the strands as best I can but by the time the second loop is made the brown half is always longer than the yellow by enough to notice before twisting. I pull the looped string tight to start my final twists for the whole string and the brown is always more loose.

I comb out my strands during the process so they are all even and the strands are straight. The only thing I can attribute it to is the bulky yellow. I'll admit I am responsible for some of this through my learning curve, but before buying the yellow I was getting consistent and good results.

Anyone else have a similar experience?

[LBR]

It can happen with most any color or material.  Something about how the material goes through the heat treating and dying process.

There's a few ways to fix it.  Add an extra strand to the brown bundle; drop a strand from the yellow bundle;  twist the brown bundle a little tighter when making your loops;  or contact BCY and my bet it they will offer you a replacement spool (www.bcyfibers.com).

Chad

[frank bullitt]

Yeah, Chads, right and experienced!

The bonding process as they call it. Dacron seems worse than any. In the early '90s, bronze, and red seem to have these diameter issues. One color would "swallow up" the other, when twisted.

One of the big reasons I like building Fast Flight strings. Never any issues like that.

[A.S.]

Great post!!

LBR, I was just thinking of sending you a pm to ask the exact same question. I have bronze and green B55 that is the same way. It is absolutely horrible to work with! It feels more like hemp rope than bowstring material.

I think I will call BCY toomorrow and ask their opinion.

[Bud B.]

Originally posted by A.S.:
.... It feels more like hemp rope than bowstring material.

I think I will call BCY toomorrow and ask their opinion.

I think that nails it on the head. It just doesn't feel the same as my old brown, old green, or the newer spool of brown.

Thanks for the responses, I didn't think I was totally crazy.

[A.S.]

Heck Bud, I thought it was just me!!  

[LBR]

My experience with BCY has been great.  They are human like the rest of us, and sometimes there might be a spool slip through that shouldn't, but my bet is they will make it right.

I understand how you feel--first time or two I got ahold of some material like that, I kept trying to figure out what in the world I was doing wrong...finally figured it out though.

Chad

[Bud B.]

Is BCY a sponsor here or a tradgang poster?

[LBR]

I don't know if they are a sponsor, but they manufacture B-55.

Chad

[frank bullitt]

No.

One thing I've also noticed with the disfunctional spools, they wouldn't take wax! With dacron, wax seems to be more critical in the twisting-holding process, than in HMPE materials.

[Bud B.]

I found that if I make the string even with the one bundle being a little longer that I can rub wax into it briskly with a small piece of leather to generate heat and then forcefully stretch the string while it's warm. I can get a good looking flemish twist string. I work it until I feel good heat through the leather.

Me personally, I prefer the dacron strings. Most of my bows are not FF compatable.

I just sent an email to BCY with a link to this thread. I like the B55 it's just this spool is off kilter for some reason. I'll buy more but just scrutinize it before using.

[Orion]

Yep.  I have the same issue with red in D-97.  It's thicker than the black I put with it.  I usually do what Chad does, go with one less strand of red in my string, and maybe one more strand of black in the padded loop.

[LBR]

A side note, while I'm thinking of it.  

White, in any material, tends to be a little smaller in diameter--I think because it gets no dye.

Chad

[A.S.]

I just wanted to let everyone know that I called BCY today. I had been meaning to do it for quite a while...but it IS hunting season!    

I had troubles with metallic bronze and green B55. I had also just got a spool of tan D10. I made 5 strings with it this past week, and on every one of them, the tan gave me troubles. I had made about 6 other strings in the same week, and no other colors acted like the tan did.

Anyway, BCY was absolutely great. They worked with me, no questions asked, and sent me some new spools.

They did say that the metallic bronze in all the different materials will tend to be stiffer due to the dyes they have to use for the color.

My hats off to BCY...I will continue to use them for all my strings!

[bucksbuouy]

I have a store bought endless loop string in yellow and I hate it!!! It stretched very strangely and just does not seem right.

[frank bullitt]

Chad, I was told many years ago, that white was not the actual raw stage color. That it was dyed too.

Folks also stated, that white was stronger, because of no dying.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

OI have Green and Yelolow BCY B55.  I actually made a few strings tonight while perusing TG.

My green seems thick and the yellow seems soft and limber.  it seems as if the green is usually longer after I twist the first loop but it will be close enough after I stretch it tight.

I would buy more in a heart beat if finances allowed.

[LBR]

I can't remember if it was Ray at BCY or someone else who told me about the white...it was a long time ago...

I think at best it's bleached?  Generally the white is a tiny bit smaller in any of the BCY materials, at least the ones I've handled (B-500, B-55, 450+, Dynaflight '97).  You can strip the wax off of white and you don't get white wax--strip it off of any color, the wax will be that color.  I'll try to remember to ask again.

Never heard that white was stronger.  There's so many old wive's tales floating around this sport, especially with strings, it can be hard to keep up.

Chad

[Bud B.]

I got an email from Ray at BCY. He wanted me to send in a sample of the yellow. I sent a sample of the yellow and brown. There's a visible difference in the two other than the color. Texture and thickness are the two most prominent.

I'll let you all know what happens.

Thanks.