# Center serving moved



## nuts&bolts (Mar 25, 2005)

Mike83350 said:


> Does anyone know what would cause center serving to move under normal use? Is there any way to prevent it?


Try this. Levi Morgan has a very different method to install a center serving.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reoWKsUTNFs





He runs the serving thread through the center of the bowstring (if you have two colors, separate the two colors). Then, he calls the short side of the serving thread, the "LEAD LINE", and he calls the long side of the serving thread below the bowstring, the "LONG LINE". So, he unwinds the bowstring, to get tension back on the bowstring. He lays the LEAD LINE down horizontal, next to the bowstring. Now, he does one wrap "over top" with the long line, around the bowstring and the horizontal LEAD LINE. Levi is going to inter-weave the lead line in and out, with the long line. PUrpose of weaving the LEAD LINE in and out, with the LONG LINE, is to prevent the center serving from moving. Running the serving thread FIRST, in between the two halves of the bowstring (between the two colors) is your anchor. Weaving the LEAD LINE in between every 10 wraps of the LONG LINE, prevents serving separation. So, Levi goes OVER TOP of the LEAD LINE, for 10 wraps, with the LONG line. AFter you have 10 wraps of the LONG line over top of the lead line and the bowstring, now Levi stands the LEAD LINE straight up. While holding the lead line straight up, do ONE wrap of the long line, around the bowstring only. Now, take the LEAD LINE and lay the LEAD LINE back down on top of the bowstring (LEAD line is now horizontal again). So, do another 10 wraps over top of the lead line and the bowstring, with the LONG LINE. You have your first inter-weave. The first 10 wraps are now connected to the second section of 10 over wraps. When you reach 10 wraps on section 2, stand the LEAD LINE straight up again. Wrap the long line around the bowstring only. Lay down the LEAD LINE horizontal and do another 10 over-wraps. So, what to do, when you reach the end of the center serving? When Levi gets to within 1/4-inch of the total length of center serving he wants, he pulls out the LEAD LINE and leaves it out (standing straight up). Now Levi backserves. He makes a big loop around the bowstring (like a rainbow) and holds the loop with his left hand. Then Levi wraps inside the big loop (rainbow hoop held with his left hand). Right hand is wrapping the bowstring, and the wraps are building back towards the beginning of the center serving. Levi does 10 wraps underneath the big loop held with his left hand. Levi takes the lead line and lays it horizontal, back over the top of the beginning of the center serving. Now, Levi takes the leg of the loop, closest to the beginning of the center serving, and wraps over top of the lead line...building the center serving from where the LEAD LINE is sticking out. Wrapping the center serving near the LEAD line, is also removing the back serve wraps at the other end. 10 wraps, and you now have no more hoop. You end up with a loop at the end of the center serving. Now, you pull on the end of the serving thread (LONG LINE), to close the loop at the end of the center serving. You end up with the LEAD line sticking out of the center serving, and you end up with the LONG line sticking out of the center serving. Levi uses a Bic lighter to cut the LEAD line and the LONG line, leaving a short stub. Then, he carefully burns down the stubs. Since flame burns UP, if you stick the stubs straight up vertically, you can burn down the stubs, and smoosh the molten ball.


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## lees (Feb 10, 2017)

Mike83350 said:


> Does anyone know what would cause center serving to move under normal use? Is there any way to prevent it?


Yes.

Step 1 of the fix is to use a quality, strong gripping serving that stays round like Angel Majesty; BCY Powergrip is also reportedly a good serving to use for this though I haven't yet tried it on my strings. Separation is only partly the serving slipping on the string underneath, but also the serving itself flatting every time the string is bent when shooting. Don't use a twisted pair type serving or a mediocre braided serving like Halo etc. that's prone to flattening - only use a high quality braided blend with a resin in it like AM.

Step 2 is to apply the serving to the string ONLY with it off the bow and on a stretching jig at at least 300lbs of tension (I prefer 350lbs). String clamps to prevent rotation is pretty much mandatory also. The serving should go on fairly tight with a lot of tension on the serving jig. Be careful though, because blended serving like AM doesn't have as much breaking strength as a full Dyneema/Spectra serving - part of it is just nylon yarn which isn't terribly strong. But it still has to go on carefully as much tension as possible without deforming it.

So, unfortunately, just good basic serving best practice with a quality serving is the only way to mitigate this problem. Yeah it requires a stretcher and yeah an expensive serving like AM, but the results are a very durable center serving that gives little to no trouble....

lee.


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