Shrinkage?

[Andrew]

Does anyone else have issues with shrinkage or is it just me?

Suppose I should clarify. Has anyone experienced their string shrinking? Shooting my Satori this afternoon, and noticed I had a pretty bad wear spot on the upper portion of the string, I think it has been hitting my clicker. A little annoying but no big deal since I had an identical string on my old bow that I could throw on until I could order a replacement string. The old bow has been unstrung for over a year. When I went to replace with with the old string, I could not get my bow set to the correct brace height which is around 8". Shortest brace height i could get was 8.5"(recommended brace height for the 62" satori is 7.5-8.5") The string was to short and could not be untwisted to get the the correct brace height before becoming completly untwisted.

Is it normal for unstrung strings to shrink to this degree? Will is slowly stretch back out if I string it on a bow and leave it/ shoot it for awhile?

 

[GCTerpfan]

I have never heard of a string shrinking.

I am curious though. How is your string contacting your clicker?

 

[gcr0003]

Unless the string is made of sinew or something I’m also unsure how it could shrink.
If it’s Dacron b-55 polyester it is not likely to retain much if any water and doesn’t have the properties of shrinking, it will stretch over time. If it’s a HMPE fast flight string it should have 0 water retention and 0 shrinkage, and very minimal if any stretch.

Can you tell us more about the string you’re using?

 

[BTaylor]

Yeah that's a new one on me.

 

[Andrew]

Yeah I'm confused as well. Both strings are suppose to be identical. Both 58.5" 8125 flemish strings. The damaged one i can easly get braced correctly the one from my old bow can't get any less than a 8.5" brace height before it is completly unwound.

Im worried I'll have issues with the new string I ordered at the same specs. Bow is a 17" satori with long limbs making it a 62" bow. I should be ok with a string length of 58.5" correct?

 

[Andrew]

I have never heard of a string shrinking.

I am curious though. How is your string contacting your clicker?

I'm assuming I had the clicker mounted to high up on the limb and the string was contacting the metal click during the shot.

 

[Halfstep]

If a string is overly twisted it can recoil a little when not under tension. Then when put under tension, it can take a little time for the string to uncoil.

You can install the string and let it sit for an hour or so and that should be plenty of time for the string to uncoil.

You can also measure the string while under tension from end to end and see if it is in spec.

 

[gcr0003]

Have you put a tape to both strings and confirmed their true length instead of their sold length?

 

[Hunt1997]

I have an old bear bow that I thought I had a string problem, but there was a slight twist in the bow itself which made it seem that the string was too short.

 

[Iron_llama]

I thought strings generally stretch; shrinkage is a new one on me.

Do you leave your bow strung and braced? Any chance you're putting twists into it when you brace and unbrace it?

 

[Andrew]

Have you put a tape to both strings and confirmed their true length instead of their sold length?

So just strung them both up across a 2x4. Old string is measuring 59” the damaged string that was on the bow and able to get the correct brace height is measuring 60”. Keep in mind that both were ordered the exact same at 58.5”

I’m thinking I need to call Americas best and change my order to 59” or maybe even 59.5” what do y’all think?

 

[Iron_llama]

I’m thinking I need to call Americas best and change my order to 59” or maybe even 59.5” what do y’all think?

Very, very short learning curve to making Flemish twist strings. Get a quarter-spool or two of string material and some center serving and you can experiment with whatever string length you want. There is some technique to it but much less than you would think.

 

[gcr0003]

So just strung them both up across a 2x4. Old string is measuring 59” the damaged string that was on the bow and able to get the correct brace height is measuring 60”. Keep in mind that both were ordered the exact same at 58.5”

I’m thinking I need to call Americas best and change my order to 59” or maybe even 59.5” what do y’all think?

That’s seems like a decent amount of stretch. It could have been that they were a little different in length. Regardless, if the 60” post stretch length gives you your desired brace height maybe try 59” and go from there. It could be that the damage done by the rubbing wear of the clicker contributed to the additional stretch.

There are other string materials that don’t stretch as much or come pre-stretched from the string maker so you don’t have to fight that as much. You might want to try a different brand and/or material. I would think that a touch long is ok because you can twist some of the length out of it whereas too short and you’re out of luck. You’re shooting a pretty common and popular bow, there should be some good info on correct string length for your bow.

I’ve had some homemade strings from a buddy that stretch a significant amount over the first day or so on the bow but after that didn’t stretch much, if at all.

 

[Halfstep]

So just strung them both up across a 2x4. Old string is measuring 59” the damaged string that was on the bow and able to get the correct brace height is measuring 60”. Keep in mind that both were ordered the exact same at 58.5”

I’m thinking I need to call Americas best and change my order to 59” or maybe even 59.5” what do y’all think?

Take the longer string and install it on the bow and set the brace to where you like by twisting/untwisting. Then take it off and measure it under tension. Then order your new string about 1/4" longer to give you some room.

 

[Andrew]

Called Americas Best and updated the string length to give me some more room. Currently at a 4 week lead time, so may have to make this into an oppurtunity to learn how to make strings.

 

[josh9284]

Yeah I'm confused as well. Both strings are suppose to be identical. Both 58.5" 8125 flemish strings. The damaged one i can easly get braced correctly the one from my old bow can't get any less than a 8.5" brace height before it is completly unwound.

Im worried I'll have issues with the new string I ordered at the same specs. Bow is a 17" satori with long limbs making it a 62" bow. I should be ok with a string length of 58.5" correct?

58"
General rule of thumb....3 inches for a long bow and 4 for a recurve