# Your Preferred Center Serving Material



## bobnikon (Jun 10, 2012)

Powergrip is very durable, but it is also very "rough". Maybe not the best word for it, but I find it abrades my finger tabs much more than halo. I typically use 62xs and been very happy with it. Not quite as slick as halo, but seems to last well, is easier to serve (doesn't separate as easily under the nock point, and I have a ton of it.


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## stick monkey (Mar 9, 2015)

I've questioned using monofilament. I know it is not durable. But I don't wear an armguard in years. Unless you're hitting your armguard would it last??? I've heard that nothing is as slick and comes off the fingers as nice as mono. Right now I'm using halo...but I'll always change if mono meets my demand.


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## grantmac (May 31, 2007)

I far prefer 62xs to Halo. More durable, easier to serve and I can't feel a difference beyond that.


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## >--gt--> (Jul 1, 2002)

There is still nothing better for recurve than Angel braided serving (of which Halo is a close-but-not-quite-there imitation, hence the name)


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## chrstphr (Nov 23, 2005)

I use Angel Dyneema with Angel Majesty serving. Holds up incredibly well. For 10,000 shots or more. 


Chris


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## granite14 (Nov 10, 2014)

I like 62xs for recurve. Halo would separate under the nock for me, no matter how hard I tried to wind it. 

I use mono on the finger compounds where I don't hit my arm.


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## jtremolo (Feb 11, 2009)

I use Angel Majesty serving, slick and very durable.


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## zal (May 1, 2007)

Original Angel Dyneema. Costly and tricky as what to work with, but lasts by far the longest of any I've tested, and stays completely round and smooth for the duration. Get it right and you will never need to re-serve.


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## MickeyBisco (Jul 14, 2012)

I use Halo .014 for my ends and center and love it.


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## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

Diamondback. Still my favorite. I've always found Halo and Angel to be too slick. And yes, there is such a thing as too slick.

Every single one of my PB scores have come while shooting Diamondback serving.


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## Viper1 (Aug 21, 2003)

Guys -

#4 Nylon.

Viper1 out.


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## tunedlow (Nov 7, 2012)

i like angel but had to use the power grip because 0.18 angel was too small and 0.21/ 0.24 was too big. power grip feels pretty coarse and takes a while to break in so large groove beiter nocks that i prefer using sit well on it. anyone know if there is angel majesty center serving between 0.18 and 0.21? lancaster doesnt seem to sell them.


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## Jim C (Oct 15, 2002)

>--gt--> said:


> There is still nothing better for recurve than Angel braided serving (of which Halo is a close-but-not-quite-there imitation, hence the name)


agreed-for my Crossbow servings AM lasts the longest. I mainly use HALO because for most of my students, the difference between Angel and HALO doesnt matter. HALO is also easier for me to obtain at a favorable cost and comes in more colors. I generally replace my archers' strings long before the center serving wears out 
Xbow strings are about the only strings I re-serve. I note that the black angel serving tends to leave interesting marks on archers chins but that has nothing to do with its performance


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## Jim C (Oct 15, 2002)

limbwalker said:


> Diamondback. Still my favorite. I've always found Halo and Angel to be too slick. And yes, there is such a thing as too slick.
> 
> Every single one of my PB scores have come while shooting Diamondback serving.


I was either at an ATA or NFAA indoor and Butch told me he didn't use Halo for that same reason. So your experience is not isolated.


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## zal (May 1, 2007)

I agree with Halo being too slick, but I've found that the Dyneema, rather than Majestic one works pretty well. Personally I've always found diamondback too rough, so horses for courses. I've always had problems with Halo separating when I've used it. Back in the day I asked some Korean coaches what they use, and reply was simply 'Angel'.

I still have one string, made with 20 strands of Dyneema, with Dyneema serving I've kept specifically to test how long a string will last. I made it about 2005-2006, and have used it with my home training bow ever since. Around 2009-2010 I put at least 30,000 shots through it without any discerning effects (though it rarely went outside) and it probably has had at least 55,000 shots overall put through it, if not much more. I've not had to re-serve center serving, but I did fix top loop once around 2009 when I had new limbs with too rough edges.


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## midwayarcherywi (Sep 24, 2006)

tunedlow said:


> i like angel but had to use the power grip because 0.18 angel was too small and 0.21/ 0.24 was too big. power grip feels pretty coarse and takes a while to break in so large groove beiter nocks that i prefer using sit well on it. anyone know if there is angel majesty center serving between 0.18 and 0.21? lancaster doesnt seem to sell them.


I am not aware of anything in-between. But.........if you use a colored version, say red, it is nominally thicker than black, so there is a defacto in-between. I prefer using Majesty on my center serving


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## poobear (May 14, 2008)

Brownell Crown. Very durable, crazy strong and easy on tabs

Sent from my SM-S820L using Tapatalk


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## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

Jim C said:


> I was either at an ATA or NFAA indoor and Butch told me he didn't use Halo for that same reason. So your experience is not isolated.


A lot of archers who struggle with getting through the clicker do so because the string is slipping through their tab as they are trying to break the clicker. But they don't realize it. A serving with a better grip can help this issue. For shooters who don't have this issue, they are fortunate and can afford to shoot a slicker serving. It's a problem that increases as the day goes on, which is why it often feels like your arrows are "growing" during the competition.


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## j.conner (Nov 12, 2009)

Brownell Crown.


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## zal (May 1, 2007)

tunedlow said:


> i like angel but had to use the power grip because 0.18 angel was too small and 0.21/ 0.24 was too big. power grip feels pretty coarse and takes a while to break in so large groove beiter nocks that i prefer using sit well on it. anyone know if there is angel majesty center serving between 0.18 and 0.21? lancaster doesnt seem to sell them.


0.21 Dyneema (often marketed as ASB braided, like GT mentioned) makes a slightly thinner string than Majesty which has the resin added. For me it makes a perfect fit for large beiter nocks while using 22 strands of Dyneema material.


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## Ar-Pe-Lo (Oct 16, 2011)

Angel Majesty serving for me.....my current string have more then 50.000 shots and still good.


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## caspian (Jan 13, 2009)

limbwalker said:


> Diamondback. Still my favorite. I've always found Halo and Angel to be too slick. And yes, there is such a thing as too slick.
> 
> Every single one of my PB scores have come while shooting Diamondback serving.


DB is my favourite for centre serving by far. it grips well, stays put, doesn't tear up tabs, and is well priced.



Viper1 said:


> Guys -
> 
> #4 Nylon.
> 
> Viper1 out.


too fat for #1 nocks. and if you backserve it with any more than 1 finger tension it breaks off trying to pull it through.


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## iArch (Apr 17, 2015)

I think I use Halo serving (not sure), and it only lasted for 17,500 shots...then started unraveling like this: http://eatsleeparchery.tumblr.com/image/149398779405
For reference, it was served in May and that image was taken last week. Doesn't seem too durable if I have to re-serve every 3 months.


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## zal (May 1, 2007)

iArch said:


> I think I use Halo serving (not sure), and it only lasted for 17,500 shots...then started unraveling like this: http://eatsleeparchery.tumblr.com/image/149398779405
> For reference, it was served in May and that image was taken last week. Doesn't seem too durable if I have to re-serve every 3 months.


Looks like extensive contact to arm guard to me.

Due to my hyper-extended elbow I always have strong contact, that is probably the primary reason why I use that ASB material. All others I've tried have started to fray quickly, "soft" materials like diamondback show wear in few weeks, harder stuff like Halo can stay put for few months, even Majesty shows wear, but for some reason or other, Dyneema for me just lasts ages and ages, and doesn't fray at all. You can see that there is contact, as it starts to deform after time, so there's almost like a dent in it after months of use.

I did try nylon back in the day. It lasted whole 2 hours. After two attempts I quickly knew it wasn't for me


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## SD40 (Dec 25, 2005)

Any of the above mentioned serving materials allow you to screw tied on nock points up and down the serving and also allow counting wraps for stringwalking?.
I have never used anything but mono and my supply is dwindling, not even sure its offered anymore?. Always mono fishline I guess.

All Good,
Don;


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## 5 Arrow (Nov 20, 2015)

Diamondback. I will have to give that a try. I use Halo because it is slick and never put the slick and growing arrows puzzle pieces together. Very interesting. My experience with a rough braided serving was not so good. One clip of the nose stung about normal, shooting through the end I thought I felt rain drops, clear sky, not likely a rain drop, so maybe some bird activity. Damn birds. No, wait a minute there appears to be red dots all over the face of my nice white riser. What gives? Red spots are blood spots. Whose blood? I am the only one in the immediate vicinity. Dang nose is bleeding from abrasion. Go get mirror. You have got to be kidding, one serving contact incident took off all that hide. Put bandage on nose, keep shooting. Make a note to reserve with some other serving. One that is more nose hide friendly.

Is Diamondback nose tweek friendly?


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## limbwalker (Sep 26, 2003)

I've not had an issue with it shooting Oly. style. Barebow, I have yet to find a truly nose-friendly serving, which is why I still shoot with a glove. Less nose/string contact than with a tab.


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## lksseven (Mar 21, 2010)

limbwalker said:


> I've not had an issue with it shooting Oly. style. Barebow, I have yet to find a truly nose-friendly serving, which is why I still shoot with a glove. Less nose/string contact than with a tab.


John, maybe you should go see a cosmetic surgeon about doing some work on that little Barbie button nose of yours, and get you back into a tab? :set1_draught2:

And - BONUS! - then you might get to use a kisser button for once!


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## GoldArcher403 (Jun 25, 2014)

Angel Majesty. Has never broken on me. Even after 2000+ shots its in great condition.


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## zal (May 1, 2007)

rjbishop said:


> Angel Majesty. Has never broken on me. Even after 2000+ shots its in great condition.


Sorry to hijack, but any serving should last 10 times that. Like I pointed out previously, I have strings with more than 55,000 shots through them. 2000 shots for a fully training professional is week and a half of shooting.

Back when I was trying to shoot properly, 45-50,000 shots in a year, I went through several years with two strings each year, plus couple of spares I never even put nocking points in.


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## GoldArcher403 (Jun 25, 2014)

zal said:


> Sorry to hijack, but any serving should last 10 times that. Like I pointed out previously, I have strings with more than 55,000 shots through them. 2000 shots for a fully training professional is week and a half of shooting.
> 
> Back when I was trying to shoot properly, 45-50,000 shots in a year, I went through several years with two strings each year, plus couple of spares I never even put nocking points in.


Study what I wrote a little harder. Even after 2000+ shots its * in great condition*. Meaning it still is working fine and I'm still putting more shots through it and it is yet to get damaged.


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## zal (May 1, 2007)

rjbishop said:


> Study what I wrote a little harder. Even after 2000+ shots its * in great condition*. Meaning it still is working fine and I'm still putting more shots through it and it is yet to get damaged.


I'm sticking with what I wrote. I have strings with much more than 20,000 shots put through without any discerning damage or even wear in servings.


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## 5 Arrow (Nov 20, 2015)

Center serving takes about 5 minutes to replace. My Halo served string has well over 20,000 arrows through it and looks like it was served yesterday. Much more important is the string condition right under the nock locator, you know right where an over used string necks and necks a little more, serving looks great, string appears thinner diameter in that location and nocks seem to fit a bit loose until the string finally breaks. I clocked a bit over 20,000 last year, not yet having reached the status of fully trained professional I set aside a half hour to make myself a new string.


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## Jim C (Oct 15, 2002)

5 Arrow said:


> Center serving takes about 5 minutes to replace. My Halo served string has well over 20,000 arrows through it and looks like it was served yesterday. Much more important is the string condition right under the nock locator, you know right where an over used string necks and necks a little more, serving looks great, string appears thinner diameter in that location and nocks seem to fit a bit loose until the string finally breaks. I clocked a bit over 20,000 last year, not yet having reached the status of fully trained professional I set aside a half hour to make myself a new string.


I do for my kids what I used to do as a ranked squash player. If you played five times a week-I restrung my racquets five times a year. sure strings will last 100,000 shots in some cases but given it costs me about 3 dollars or so for a string since I make them myself, I tend to give my students 3-4 strings a year since they shoot 3-4 times a week. the ones who shoot more-more strings.


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## Odieus (Feb 29, 2016)

Did we get that name of the material used for the 20k servings? May have missed it, want to be certain


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## airwolfipsc (Apr 2, 2008)

I use kevlar and replace string every week with brownell 4 serving coz its fun making it. Have to say its a lost art and kids should learn how to make it.


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## BobCo19-65 (Sep 4, 2009)

limbwalker said:


> Diamondback. Still my favorite. I've always found Halo and Angel to be too slick. And yes, there is such a thing as too slick.
> 
> Every single one of my PB scores have come while shooting Diamondback serving.


I've been a long time user of Angel Majesty center serving. The serving does hold up very well and does stay round. 

For the first time in a long while I picked up my bow without nocking an arrow to see alignment in the mirror. When I hooked the string and started drawing, my hand slid up the serving a little to my surprise. I went downstairs and reserved with diamondback .018 and everything was fine. I am wondering now how many times, I was putting an upward force on my arrows.


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## Jim C (Oct 15, 2002)

airwolfipsc said:


> I use kevlar and replace string every week with brownell 4 serving coz its fun making it. Have to say its a lost art and kids should learn how to make it.


LOL, Kevlar strings. I have some old ones Ann Hoyt gave me that I kept as collector items. I don' think any serious archer uses that crap anymore since it would break without any notice. I wish I could find the article gt wrote in AF about 18 or so years ago about strings and how in the jurassic area bowstrings would last a few shots and then break and the caveman would die and then came Kevlar strings and Darrell the archer would hope his sight marks were still good when he changed strings


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