# One Strand of Bowstring Severed??? New String???



## ELKhuntR

I'm shooting a Bowtech Guardian and was at the local proshop paper tuning and shooting. The tech asked if he could burn my drop away cord ends for me since I hadn't shortened them yet. I said yes. Well he accidentally burned one strand of my string.

This was two weeks ago and I've been monitoring the string and shooting it. I'm shooting great out to 60 yards. Better than I have in a long time. 

I did order a Winner's choice however it doesn't have the string weights or anything and I don't want to mess up my shooting. It's shooting great, bullet holes and my broadheads are flying great.

Am I OK with that one strand severed? Or would you recommend I replace it immediately? I leave for my elk hunt in two weeks.


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## ELKhuntR

Read 22 times and no one has any advice????

any suggestions?


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## Jamesh76

I would definately replace it before I took off on an elk trip. 

If not, it is always a good idea to have a extra string and portable press to make sure you can fix any minor repairs on your bow when you are in a remote area.


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## Dead Center

I would change it out soon as possible and get your new one shot in.
There is no way I would take a chance especially going on an elk hunt. I would keep it as a back up string to take on your hunt.

Good Luck on the hunt.


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## Aim4gold

Would you leavon that trip with one bald tire? At least for the tire you have a jack and spare :wink:


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## critteracres2

If it was my bow it would be replaced. There are enough things to go wrong without inviting trouble.

You know that guy, Murphy? He rides around in my back seat!


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## ELKhuntR

I probably will change it but I have to admit I'm afraid too. I was shooting my broadheads last night at 70 yards and pounding them into the kill zone. 

And I've seen strings of guys in the woods that make me want to cry. Who knows when you count all the fray how many strings they're missing. I typically shoot a new bow every year so as long as my servings hold up and I wax my string, my strings always last throughout my seasons. So, wasn't sure. 

thanks for the advice though!


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## Ar smith

i cant remember the web page but someone posted a similar ? a while back.archery strings are built using a safety factor-i dont remember the details but a string on a 70 lb. bow is stretched at 200-300 lbs and have a break strength of 400-500 lbs if i remember.so as you can see the odds of the stress of your 70 lb limbs dont come close the breaking area of a well made string.i personally have shot a factory string for a year with a broken strand,it never gave me any worries.


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## petev

Just because the draw weight of the bow is 70 lbs doesn't mean that is the tension in the string. The draw direction is not prallel to the string. The string has to have higher tension to have a draw force of 70 lbs since only a portion of the string tension is in the direction of the draw. The exact portion is the cosine of the angle between the string and the direction of draw.

~petev


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## bobbyg

If I was out on a hunting trip I would just cut the strand and continue to hunt and wouldn't give it another thought. the load on a string is no where near breaking strength. if you doubt what I say, then take this as fact. I have taken a 452X made string 24 strand that I made and wanted to see what it takes to break it. Now I mean a complete failure, string snaps in two pieces. I loaded the string to 1850 lbs and waited, what happened was I could hear pinging from strands giving to the load. After 15 minutes into the test the string was still holding, 45 minutes and the string was still holding but badly damaged.

Test #2 involed making it fail, new string and I cut 1 strand and did the same test. Same results the string held but badly damaged, put the string back on and cut 2 more strands this time it flat out failed and broke. So the next time you think you are in extreme danger with a string that has a sinlge broken string think again. 

This test is with new strings not old shot out strings that are failing due to fatigue.


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## reylamb

I would have it replaced. My question would be why isn't the shop replacing it, or are they?


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## DOUGIN

had the same thing happen a while back, had just bought my bow. my brother was there and about craped a kitten, we left that shop and immeditly ordered a new string. why risk a dream hunt? as far as the shop replaceing the string, dident he just dammage the first one? again why risk it.


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## NEVADAPRO

I think most string makers will tell you that you can make a 452x string with 24, 22, 20 and I have heard of 18 strand strings! Yours is most likely 20-22 strands and one strand will not make a difference!!

If you are one that has bad luck and just KNOWS something will happen, then by all means change it out!! But I would leave it and take the new string and a portable press on the hunt!! If your string is 22 strands, it doesn't know that it isn't a 21 strand string!! LOL!!! It will hold up just fine!! Unless you do something like the shop tech did and CAUSE another strand to break, there is NO reason for there to be another strand break!!


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## dillio67

*String*

If you know how a string is built...the number of strands does not matter.A string is wound between two pegs as one continous loop.Cutting that one strand breaks the loop and the string looses all stability.Can it stay together... yes, but slowly and SHURELY it will start to creep....hopefully not on your trip!
Get two strings one on your bow and a backup...throw the other out.


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## Kstigall

dillio67 said:


> If you know how a string is built...the number of strands does not matter.A string is wound between two pegs as one continous loop.Cutting that one strand breaks the loop and the string looses all stability.Can it stay together... yes, but slowly and SHURELY it will start to creep....hopefully not on your trip!
> Get two strings one on your bow and a backup...throw the other out.


I know how strings are made because I've made them.

I wouldn't hesitate to shooting a 1,000 shots with one strand broke. I've done it. Most of us have shot a string with a broke strand. I believe with all the serving that is on a string for a compound that it's unlikely a single broke strand is going to cause failure or even a problem. I'd watch for peep rotation as that would probably be the first sign that a string is losing it's stability. I would think the shop would replace your string.

I also wouldn't hesitate to immediately replace the string with a brand new well made string. Good strings don't take long to settle. Measure your old strings length while it's being stretched. Take precise measurements of your nock and peep height. Twist or untwist your new string to this precise length of your old string. The shop should install and set the peep for no charge.


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