Strings

[Yooper Bowyer]

Ok, the wax explains it.  My Dacron is very heavily waxed, but the FF is not.  Maybe wax will help, but I haven't had any issues so far.  What kind of wax works with synthetic strings?

I gave up on continuous loop because I had a hard time getting equal tension in the strands, and because Flemish Strings are less massive and more elegant IMO.

I've never been able to figure out how you can put a Flemish loop on each end of the string.  An eye splice yes, but that's different.

[PatM]

   Any wax will work but a slightly softened beeswax works very well.   A fresh beeswax candle is very good.

 Doing the second loop is very easy.  You just have to persevere and make sure you are twisting the right way each time.

 Not sure why a flemish  would be less massive, particularly  if you have a knot on one end.

[Allyn T]

Trade craft, when you say your reverse twist the main line with a drill are you twisting each ply separately and then using the drill to twist them together?

[PatM]

If you reverse twist two bundles and place them together they  naturally want to join together.  That's how rope was invented.

[Yooper Bowyer]

A Flemish string is less massive because doesn't need a double thick body.

To use a drill, twist individual bundles of strands together in one direction, and then twist all of the bundles together in the other direction.   This leads to 0 net twist and a very stable string. 

[PatM]

Not true.  Endless strings just have half thickness loops. 

[Allyn T]

Right right, the twist each bundle and then twist them together the opposite way that's what I was asking. It's hard to describe on here that's why I was trying to clarify what you were saying. So PatM when you make your 2 loops and then twist the main body are your bundles already twisted up or loose?

[Yooper Bowyer]

Allen, I think we're on the same page about twisting.

Pat, if the loops are half thickness, then they are to weak for safety.  I know this is an old controversy, but maybe I don't understand it all the way.

[Pat B]

A 14 strand continuous loop string has 7 strands in each loop where a Flemish twist string has 14 strands.

[Yooper Bowyer]

Which means the continuous loop string is half as strong.