String Making Material

[Eberbachl]

I'm interested to know what everyone uses to make their strings (or do you buy them pre-made/stock bow factory setup), including how many strands etc ......and why?

I use UltraCam, and almost exclusively make all of my strings and cables 14 strand. The UltraCam I've used seems to be very durable, has very little or no stretch, and is very strong. My thinner (read lighter) string also gives me higher arrow speeds.

What do you all use?

[Marcus]

On my Hoyt UltraTec right now I have D75 with 14 straind strings and cables. This is because D75 is stringer than Fastflight so I don't need as much. Erika has gone from 14 to 16 strands and is using Fastflight because it was far cheaper than anything else in store at the time.

I personally have no loyalty to any string material and will try anything out.

[marty]

On both my Ultratec and my Scepter I use BCY 452, 22 strands if a single color or 24 for two color strings. Cables are 18 strand (one color) or 20 strand (two color). The Scepter has Fury-X cams. For the CC+ on the Ultratec I've made a shoot through (using Merlin half moons) with a 24 strand short string.

Using 452 I have almost no initial stretch and no noticeable long term stretch.

For my recurve I use 8125 or ASB.

[Kuru]

Having just embarked on the string making saga I quite like the BCY 452 plus and the BCY formula 8125. Wasn't overly empressed with the brownell, seemed a bit to elastic. Would like to try the Angel ASB Dyneema when I can get my hands on a spool. The Angel ASB Dyneema is the best serving material I've tried

[dman]

I shoot a mathews Q2 the sting I use is the Z Twist stringthe main reasons being they look awesome (mine is red and white with a red riser on the bow). the peeps are easy to intall due to the lack of string rotation through the draw, the amout of strings I use would never justify the cost of a sting jig which would have to be specially made to suit a solo-cam aim string (90 1/4") and the Z Twist string is reliable (more so than any I have made) and also the fact I'm to slack (yes that is the real reason) 8)

[James Park]

I use standard PSE strings on my compounds. However, I always replace the centre serving immediately (some years ago in the Nationals target, using my then Super Star, I broke the National record at 90M, then had my serving slowly move up the string, and my score deteriorated accordingly - finished 6th). I serve the centre to suit large groove G nocks or pin nocks. I now trust my serving more than any of the manufacturers (and if it moves I can only blame myself). On my longbow I use fastflight.

[Pete]

I make my own strings for my recurve out of fastflight. Why? I went to the shop and asked for "string making stuff" and the guy in the shop gave me fastflight. It seems to do the job (ie not breaking... yet.).

[StevenB]

use 18 strand fastflite on my Yamaha Eolla

on my Deviator it came with BCY450 cables and string not sure how many strands

[Eberbachl]

Hey Jim, I've noticed that the standard string (yes, with new serving) on the Quantums seems to be fine, but how do you find the cable?

Many people are keeping the string, but replacing the cable...it seems to be extraordinarily thick, and I've seen more than one Quantums cable serving get sliced up on the edges of a sharp cam module because it was too thick. I don't know if this problem occurs on any other PSE's than the Quantum (I've seen it happen on three of them).....what do you think?

[mike]

I have never made a string or cable and wouldn't know how to!

The current strings on my bow were pinched from old high countries in Liegh's shop! The ones I had prior to that were made from bright blue fastflight and they looked cool. I also shot my best trial and tournament scores with those, so I will probably use fast flight again next time (which will be soon because I seem to need new strings every 9 months with the amount I shoot).

I cannot really be bothered with string making and am happy to leave it to the experts like Leigh!! :D I reckon as long as they fit and are not too heavy they will be fine.

[James Park]

Luke,
I was happy with the Quantum string's serving, but replaced it anyway (working on the principle that one National Championship lost due to serving moving was sufficient - simply do not trust factory serving any more).
I have been using standard factory cables on my Quantum, Xcellerator and Thunderbolt, and have had no problems at all. The only thing I have noticed is that where the cable goes over the shortest radius part of the cam the serving does move a bit (usually towards the end of the cable). I have had no trouble with wear at the cable slide.
Note that I do run quite a few twists in both my string and cable (because I want them to be nice and round). This does help with reducing wear as well.
I am also quite particular in changing my string and cable every Christmas, whether or not they are worn. This coincides with my once-per-year bow tuning session.

[DrRalph]

I'm making fastflight strings, 18 and 20 strands, for my SAMICK Agulla recurve. I started trying 16 and less, but it was nearly impossible to control, really whippy. The 18 and 20 strands, twisted about 12-16 times, is a little slower, but is smooth and very controllable. Once it is shot-in the fastflight settles to length great. I've also got a small reel of Angel Dyneema to experiment with.

DrR