String materials (again?)

[Strichev]

I figure this has been asked before (well, I know it has) but despite having read it all I decided to ask again. What material do you prefer? Most people seem to be using fast flight (fast flight plus?). What about D 97? How about natural materials like linen?

As an excuse for asking again I can say that I'm working on rather heavy yew bow that stretches B 50 like chewing gum. I can't even get anything resembling brace with dacron, it always just flattens itself against the bow. Getting my fingers stuck under it wasn't pleasant either.    Oh, did I mention that a dacron tillering string actually broke and almost sent me flying over the retention wall. Saved by grapevine.

[sleek]

You have to start recording yourself when you string it. I would guess your string just arent enough plys and you need a stringer.

[Strichev]

That string snapped because it was damaged and I overestimated the resilience of the fibers. The main problem seems to be the stretching. Now the rope of a string (it's intentionally overbuilt) that I made after that little accident seems to work fine, but I keep hearing that B 50 is stretchy and whatnot and that it's not good for the actual "shooting" string. 

Most people seem to go for fast flight but I wonder if there is something better. I've been considering getting some linen twine for greater authenticity as I'm not exactly at the stage where I'd be looking to get every m/s out of the bow, but an artificial material might be more robust. I'm just wondering what material from the bunch of ever changing commercially named brands people prefer and use.

Indeed, I need a stringer.

[Del the cat]

I'm currently using AstroFlite for my stings.
Del

[osage outlaw]

I use D97, Fast Flight, 8190, and 452X

[Marc St Louis]

I've used dacron on bows up to 110# @ 32" and they are okay once you get them stretched but you need at least 18 strands

[Ruddy Darter]

I use XS2 (Brownell and co.), 16 strands with two 6" length  strands added at each loop to thicken out and strenghen. I found it pretty good and comes out much the same thickness as f.f.

        Ruddy.

[loon]

I'm sold on the cheapest HMPE, which so far is D97 (though all I have so far is brown D10... foolishly spent extra for barely better), all the different ones I've seen in that web store are significantly more expensive and I don't buy that they're too much better, though I haven't tried them. The composite vectran/HMPE materials are apparently a little bit 'better performing' (so harder on the bow?) but also less durable, or at least more prone to fray.

Some people say the difference between dacron and D97 equals the difference between D97 and BCY-X or whatever. wat. I so don't believe this.

For Dacron I think you'd have to make a thick string with as little twisting as possible (without allowing for ballooning).

why not ask Joe Gibbs about his super thin hemp string in his 180lb bow, if I remember right.. O_o

[mikekeswick]

All these 'different' 'fastflight' strings use a material called dyneema. 'Fastflight' is just a marketing name. You have dyneema and dacron. B50 etc is dacron.
If you can't get your bow to brace height with dacron you simply need to shorten it more, there will come a point where the stretched string is the right length after stretching to brace your bow....but that is scary right!?! Once you get it braced you can pretty much get rid of the stretch by getting a piece of thick leather, folding it in half then rub the string like a madman until it is hot.
Natural materials like flax, hemp etc will work just fine IF you can source good enough quality raw materials. Most linen you can buy is pretty much junk for bowstrings (without having to massively overbuild them) because the fibers are all machine processed. This results in short fibers rather than long fibers. These short fibers need more twisting to make a string and aren't anywhere near as strong. I suspect that Joe's string is made from full length fibers off a homegrown plant.
I'll warn you now though....learning to make natural material strings is a long road of trial and error

[Lucasade]

I found a reel of superb linen, but it stretches like crazy when you pull 100 pounds with it - I had to move the bottom knot about an inch so far and it's only been up on the tree twice...

[loon]

And dyneema is a marketing name for HMPE - high [modulus of elasticity? ultra high molecular weight] or fancy polyethylene. Spectra's the other one. Spectra fishing line works, not sure if any cheaper.

Marketing names for marketing names...

[Green Mountain Man]

B-50/B-55 Dacron

I pretty much use on every stick an string
After i tie a string makesure my measurements right i hang my strings on nail with a 2lb weight on it for a day or two then find my brace height shoot alittle a check measurements till it has stop streching
Then i put on my serving or pad my loops

[Del the cat]

Yesterday I made the string for the 150# Yew Warbow.
12 strands of AstroFflite continuous loop string.
That's only 6 strands at the loop, I just lay 2 extra strands along the loop area as it is whipped.
No stretch no problems, the length is spot on because I used my long string and adjuster ring during tilling.
Works every time or your money back .
Del

[loon]

AstroFlight seems rather expensive...

I will continue with D-97 since it is the cheapest HMPE I know of, unless I find proof of significant differences with other HMPE materials.. or if fishing line/spiderwire of HMPE happens to be cheaper