# recurve string making



## bowkid64 (Sep 13, 2007)

the strings on my grizzly at 56 finish after streching at 52 1/2- 53, but i kinda like a higher brace height than most on the bottom loop i just make it big enough to fit the sting nocks and on the top just big enought to slide down the limb when its unstrung


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## baldyhunter (Jan 22, 2006)

Thanks for the reply. So I should be looking at around a 53" finished string? do you know if 452x is an ok string material for recurves? thanks again
Ken


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## Raider2000 (Oct 21, 2003)

The string material really depends on the bow.

Some recurves are fast flight compatible & you would be OK to use 452X or 8125 for string but others will not be FF compatible & would be better suited to stick with B50 or B500 because of it's stretching properties.

It'd be best to find this out from the manufacturer.

Usually the AMO standard for strings are 4" shorter than the bow length, for instance a 56" AMO recurve will normally take a 52" string but this is also adjustable depending on your brace height, do you have the string that came off the bow?
You can measure it & that will get you close enough to make the new one.


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## Eldermike (Mar 24, 2009)

If the limb tips are reinforced it might be ok, but B50/B500 is always ok. And if it's an older bow I would use B50 period. My opinion.


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## ravensgait (Sep 23, 2006)

Well the string length can be anywhere from 2 to 4 inches shorter than the bow length. Best way to do it is, if you have a string that fits then build one that length . Also the material you use depends on your bow, some are Dacron only( IE non fast flight) though most bows made in the last 20 or so years are built to take the stresses of the more modern string materials. 

Are you making a Continuous loop or a Flemish twist string? With both too many twist in the string is bad and with Flemish not enough twist in the string is really bad. Randy


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## baldyhunter (Jan 22, 2006)

The bow is a Browning Explorer 1. Does anyone know if that is fast flight compatable? I'm planning on making the string the same way I would a compound just obviously with larger end loops. Anyone have a recommendation on the number of twists I should be putting in it?
Thanks
Ken


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## baldyhunter (Jan 22, 2006)

I think this bow is pretty old so I'll be working with B-50 for the first time. I'll be a continuous loop string at a finished lenghth of about 52.5 inches. How many twists per inch is common on one of these strings???


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## ravensgait (Sep 23, 2006)

Nope it was not built for fast flight strings. It was likely built way before fast fight was invented. Nice bows though always liked the old browning recurves. Randy


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## Raider2000 (Oct 21, 2003)

baldyhunter said:


> I think this bow is pretty old so I'll be working with B-50 for the first time. I'll be a continuous loop string at a finished lenghth of about 52.5 inches. How many twists per inch is common on one of these strings???


I usually try for 3 twists per inch in my strings but I wouldn't go any more than 4.

Since this is your first time with making a string for your recurve I agree make it 52.5" with the loops made & get it about 2 twists per inch then string the bow & prestretch the string by having the risor in your lap & using the palms of your hands pressing against the limbs near the curve.

Check your brace height, & keep twisting your string till your brace height is really close to your target height or you've gone too far in twisting.
If you've got the string where you want it then serve the center, this will be the base string in which the ones after that will be patterned after.


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## Floxter (Sep 13, 2002)

I don't think you want to put 3-4 twists per inch in that string; that would amount to 156-208 twists in the string. Believe me it will kink up long before that. The number of twists can vary depending upon the brace height desired, but normally for an endless string you want no less than 10 total twists and no more than about 40. If you can't get the desired brace height within those parameters you'll need a shorter or longer string. Learning to spin your own endless strings is a skill every archer should develop and will enable you to get much better strings than anything you might buy commercially. Good Luck.


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## baldyhunter (Jan 22, 2006)

Thanks everyone for your help. I just ordered the B-50 so I'll probably be starting on Monday and I'm trying to learn as much as I can before then.


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## SteveB (Dec 18, 2003)

Endless strings are fine with as little as 1 twist in 4 inches.


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## baldyhunter (Jan 22, 2006)

What materials are prefered for the end loops and center servings? I usually use halo for end and end loops and 62XS for center. Are these materials suitable? I've heard some people that shoot fingers prefer Halo on the center as well.


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## Floxter (Sep 13, 2002)

I use BCY 62 for my center serving, but primarily because I have a lot of it to use up. Halo is also fine for finger shooters. Either one will serve you well. I've used both Halo and BCY 3D for end servings.


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## baldyhunter (Jan 22, 2006)

Thanks again for the help. The only thing that I'm really unsure about is the end loop sizes. I believe the bottom is usually smaller that the top. Is this correct? Is there anyone out there with an older one like this that can give me some advice reguarding end loop size?


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## Floxter (Sep 13, 2002)

It's not so much a matter of the bottom loop being smaller than the top loop as it is a matter of the top loop being larger than the bottom. This is so that the top loop can slide down the limb when stringing and unstringing the bow. Typically most of my recurves use about 1" loops on the bottom and 1 1/2" on the top. I like my bottom loop fairly tight so that it doesn't slide off when the bow is unstrung. But the size of the loops are not in any way critical.


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## baldyhunter (Jan 22, 2006)

Thanks again. I really appreciate all the help. This info gives me a good starting point.


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## baldyhunter (Jan 22, 2006)

One more question. How long of a center serving is common and how do you all set up your center string (knocking point, cusion buttons etc.)?


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## SandSquid (Sep 2, 2008)

Personally I install the string, twist ur untwist to gfet the right brace height, then use a bow square to measure 1/16th to 1/8th of an inch up from perpendicular for my conk point. then I serve just enogh below to above to fit my split fingers pus 1" extra on each end... but most folks serve 7" to 9" which is a waste of serving material and a speed-suck on the string, IMO.


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## Floxter (Sep 13, 2002)

On most of my strings I make the center serving 7-8" long. Remember, the center serving is not just to protect your fingers, but also to protect and prevent wear on the string from your bow arm and its armguard. I use a couple turns of masking tape on the string as a temporary nocking point until I have the bow tuned. Then once my nocking point is established and any stretch has come out of the string I replace the masking tape with tied on nocksets above and below my arrow. You can use just about any material for a nockset; a piece of string, dental floss, sewing thread, serving material, etc. I use a series of half hitches, alternating front and back until I have the material built up to my liking. Then I burn off the tag ends and apply a drop of liquid super glue to keep it from unraveling. You'll pick up 2-3fps with tied a tied on nockset vs crimped on brass nocksets.


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## SandSquid (Sep 2, 2008)

Floxter said:


> Remember, the center serving is not just to protect your fingers, but also to protect and prevent wear on the string from your bow arm and its armguard.


Good form does the same thing :bartstush: ;-) :teeth:


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## baldyhunter (Jan 22, 2006)

Thanks guys. I'll let you know how it's going and maybe post some pics Monday.


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## TheAncientOne (Feb 14, 2007)

> Good form does the same thing


After 40 years, my form is what it is.

TAO


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## silhouette13 (Feb 26, 2007)

not sure why or when....but there is plenty of help saying amo is 4 in shorter than bowlenght. I mean plenty....amo std is 3" shorter. amo standards are online. not sure if there is a reason for this...perhaps made some bows faster...or more brace....but the basic info is not accurate.


http://www.outlab.it/doc/amostd.pdf 




Raider2000 said:


> The string material really depends on the bow.
> 
> Some recurves are fast flight compatible & you would be OK to use 452X or 8125 for string but others will not be FF compatible & would be better suited to stick with B50 or B500 because of it's stretching properties.
> 
> ...


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## sbing (Jun 21, 2020)

Hi,

I already made compound bow string but want to make a recurve endless string string for a friend (tag end). I know that the string material are different and that‘s not my question it’s about string making step.

My question is about the making step of a recurve string did I have to stretch the string a 300lbs like a compound string and make the serving under 100lb or it’s different?

Thank you


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## SteveB (Dec 18, 2003)

I stretch all at 300 and serve at 100. Eliminates just about all the break in time.


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## Bow Rider (Jan 16, 2015)

sbing said:


> Hi,
> 
> I already made compound bow string but want to make a recurve endless string string for a friend (tag end). I know that the string material are different and that‘s not my question it’s about string making step.
> 
> ...


You know this thread is 11 years old right? But I'll forgive that. If you are making a recurve string, better to serve the loops with serving thread. Tags end serving is fine for compound cam pegs, but might not hold up to recurve abuse on the loops. Never tried it so not sure, but nobody does tag-end serving for recurve end loops.


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