What string material do you like and why?

[mountain lion]

I build my own strings and I've always used b-50 or d-97, but I was wanting to try some of the other low stretch material and I wanted to see what your input was on the other string materials like 8190 and the ff plus and so on, and why you liked it. And also what kind of serving do you like, I've used d-1 and halo but was also thinking about trying a different serving to. Thanks again!

[Paul Shirek]

I have used 450+ and D97 as well as D10. I think the D10 is the most durable and somewhat quiet, However the 450+ is quieter yet and really nice. It doesn't seem to last as long though. I don't like D97 as it is hard and thus noisy as it hit's the limbs of my recurves...

[halfseminole]

Believe it or not, my horse bow wears served nylon brickline, and it still can throw cane arrows hard enough to shatter their tips if they hit something solid.  I want to make it a nylon string, but i have to make the ends specifically for the bow I have, so I've been reluctant to try.

[PEARL DRUMS]

D10, D97 and 452x are my faves. Anything except B-Stretchy works for me!

[Ifrit617]

I honestly like a fatter 14 strand b-50 string that has been well broken in. Might be a bit slower than the high performance string, but I have never needed a ton of speed.

Jon

[ishoot4thrills]

Currently I like D10. It has less creep than any material I've used so far, including D97. D10 has also been very durable and quiet for me as well. I hear they've stopped making it though. I like "Fast-Flite" serving on my strings. I think it's .026" diameter. What is comparable to D10 that's still being made?

[Green]

Another thumbs up for D10.  My bows are in the 50# range and I twist up 12 strand, padded to 18 in the loops with B50. One wrap of masking tape and served with .024 Halo fits my Bohning classic nocks perfectly.

[JamesKerr]

I actually really like an 8 strand fast flight plus string with B 50 padded loops. It makes a very fast and super quiet string.

[TC in Spfld]

Oliver Stacy D10, 12 strand, 14 loops and .024 Halo for the serving.  Josh Sowerby makes a great string.

[LBR]

8190 for me.  I still like Dynaflight '97, never had any real problems with it, but 8190 is better.

To put it in perspective, Dyneema (the brand name for the HMPE that these materials are made from) comes in different grades.

Original "Fast Flight" (invented by the founders of BCY) was SK65 Dyneema.  Dynaflight '97 and 8125 are SK75 Dyneema.  Dynaflight 10 (still available as FORCE 10 x-bow string material) is SK78 Dyneema.  8190 Universal is SK90 Dyneema.

I never had a problem getting Dynaflight '97 quiet.  Actually had lots of customers comment on how quiet it was on their bows.  How the string is made and how it's tuned can make a huge difference.

I don't choose 8190, or any other material, because it's a couple of fps faster.  I like it because it has less stretch and creep for stability, and it's more durable.

8190 is made from the highest grade Dyneema available, and is exclusive to BCY.

For serving I like Halo and 62XS. Very durable, comes in different sizes to fit different nocks.

[dhaverstick]

I still like B-50 or B-55. I've never noticed a performance loss due to using these materials and I think the strings are quieter.

I also like a lot of color choices when I go to make a string and it's hard for me to justify keeping 10 spools of material around at $30/spool when I can get B-50 for $8/spool.

Darren

[ALDO]

I have been using Ultra cam for a few years now and really like it.  Durable, quiet and I have been making 6 and 8 strand strings for my 50# Centaur.  Halo serving.  Just got a sample pack of Rhino to try while at Denton but have not had a chance to make a string yet.  
ALDO

[Onehair]

Darren do you see any difference between the B-50 and B-55. It's time to restock and I'm wanting to try the 55 if better. Thanks

[Kris]

D-97  It lends itself to making nice skinny strings and is super durable.  Very little creep.

Kris

[LBR]

B-55 has a bit less stretch and creep, and is a little stronger.  It's not in the same category as any of the HMPE materials, but it is an improvement over other polyester materials, while maintaining the properties that are popular with polyester/Dacron, including being safe for any bow.

[Onehair]

Thanks Chad

[dhaverstick]

Mike, there were a couple of reasons I started getting B-55. One was it came in about a zillion colors and the second one was it does not stretch as much as B-50.

For me, the one detriment that B-55 has over B-50 is that all my spools of B-55 are not waxed nearly as thoroughly as my spools of B-50. When you wind B-50 off a spool it is almost sticky. My B-55 is not that way.

Darren

[LittleBen]

BCY 8125 or 8125g .... it's fast and I find it very durable ... I think it's actually the fastest material BCY makes, and has extremely low creep .... basically irrelevant amounts of creep.
I think the original 8125 was replaced by the new 8190 after they introduced the 8125g w/8% goretex fiber.


With that said, I have only tried B-50 strings other than that. My guess is you'll find very very very little difference between the various FF ans FF+ type string materials (They're all basically just different blends of spectra and dyneema, which are both types of High Modulus Polyethylene)

[LBR]

Darren, if you order direct you can request extra wax.  Most complaints are just the opposite--too much wax.

Ben, 8190 isn't a replacement for 8125G, but rather an improved version.  8125G is SK75 Dyneema with GORE;  8190 is SK90 Dyneema.

The difference in the better materials isn't enormous, but it's there.  Dyneema is the top of the line HMPE, and the SK90 is their strongest and most durable and exclusive to BCY for string material.

The difference isn't huge, and depends on how you use it as to how much difference you'll notice...but it's there.

[Green]

Chad - just a "Thanks" for all the string material info you share with us.  It's always helpful.