# Ordering String- How many strands?



## Huntinsker (Feb 9, 2012)

14 would be plenty. You'd be good with 12 really.


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## Viper1 (Aug 21, 2003)

Hawk - 

Are you using Fast Flight or a "FF" type string.

For D97, 14 is appropriate. 
For Fast Flight 14 - 16 is appropriate.

Viper1 out.


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## LBR (Jan 1, 2004)

I haven't used the FastFlight brand--is it still made? 

If you are using the term generically, it depends on which particular material. For a 30# bow, 8 strands of 450+, 10 strands of Dynaflight '97, 12 strands of 8125, or 18 strands of 8190 or BCY-X. These would work fine on a 40# bow as well. Some go with less, but I haven't seen any real benefits from it. Going with much more can result in more noise, more vibration, reduced performance, etc.


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## bearbowcoastie (Apr 18, 2011)

Fairly new to all this string talk....can you guys explain the benefits and disadvantages in more or less strands, FastFlight over other brand/types. I have always shot compound and just ordered new cables and strings from guys on here but seems like there is more thought that goes into it with trad shooters


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## Viper1 (Aug 21, 2003)

bbc - 

A thinner string (fewer strands) will have less weight, resulting a somewhat faster shot.
Since it have increased stretch on shock, it "may" be a little quieter.
They "may" require padded loops and servings for safety and proper nock fit The latter can also be accomplished by using a thicker serving material. 
So, what's not to like?

Basically, stability. Given the increased stretch on shock and potential for increased creep over time, you'll never see a skinny string on an Olympic recurve.
You probably wouldn't go "skinny" or below the manufacturer's recommendations on your compound either, right?

Now for the reality part: for a "trad" shooter hoping for a paper plate sized group under 25 yds, none of this will matter one darn bit. 
Ditto for a lot of the things you hear being talked about on "trad" Internet forums. 

Use a string within recommended specs (material and strand count for you bow/weight)., get acceptable nock fit and have a nice day! 

Viper1 out.


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## LBR (Jan 1, 2004)

My opinion is, I'm looking for a happy medium. I want stable, quiet, and durable. If I can pick up a little performance along the way, I'm fine with that, but it's not my main goal. 

With too few strands, you get more stretch, more creep, less durability. Too many strands, you gain noise and vibration, loose performance and can have trouble getting a proper nock fit. Tight nocks also add noise and can make tuning more difficult. How many strands is optimal depends mainly on the type string material and draw weight.

As long as you don't go too extremes with too few or too many strands, getting the right nock fit (light snap) is as simple as using the correct size serving. Serving materials like BCY's 62XS and Halo come in several different sizes so you can customize your string to fit your needs.

There are lots of good materials on the market. For years I used Dynaflight '97 and 8125--and they are still good materials, if you know how to use them properly. Right now I'm trying out BCY's new 8190, and really liking it. It's stronger, tougher, more stable, plus strand count doesn't seem to be as critical--18-20 strands works great for a wide range of draw weights, from 30# to at least 70# or more (might bump up to 22 strands for over 70#).

That's the short version, based on my 20 or so years of studying strings and string materials. I'm still learning though.


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## Thin Man (Feb 18, 2012)

Check out Lancaster Archery's website or print catalog and take a gander at the variety of string materials (main manufacturers are Brownell and BCY). Note the descriptions concerning strand strength, strand diameter, etc. There are little charts for each manufacturer recommending a general strand count for each type of material.

You can also go to both the Brownell and BCY websites to study these materials. 

Dacron (such as Brownell's B50) is an older material still much in use, especially on bows that were designed during its reign. Since, low-stretch materials of an ever-evolving variety have been developed and bows have been made with their tips designed to handle the characteristics of these specific materials. "Fast Flight" is not only a specific brand name, but has become the generic term used for all low-stretch string materials (a nickname ... like how "Kleenex" is used for "tissue"). 

You can use low-stretch materials on bows designed for Dacron ... but there are caveats worth study before doing so ... and many archers absolutely won't do this. If a bow is designed for low-stretch (most recent bows of all types), then pretty much any low-stretch material can be used if it suits the taste of the archer. You can use Dacron safely on these bows, but the bow's performance with low-stretch material often trumps that and it is done (generally) infrequently.

Strand count become personal preference, ranging from standard manufacturer's recommendations to either over-built or under-built in order to obtain specific goals. Uber-low strand count with the proper materials is being experimented with in order to seek a balance of maximum speed and stability, but the string must be properly constructed here in order to protect the integrity of the bow. String thickness affects the center serving diameter, and some like to build their strings to catch a happy medium in fitting their specific arrow nock to the serving for optimum performance and safety. 

It's vast at first, then becomes more simple as you peruse the materials, recommendations, and actually get more deeply into it on your own bows. 

Have fun, and I hope this brief synopsis helps.


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## LBR (Jan 1, 2004)

Forgot polyester (commonly referred to as "dacron", but that isn't accurate). B-55 (BCY) or B-50 (Brownell). Safe for old bows, lots of stretch, lots of creep, the worst for vibration...but it's all I'll use on an old bow not built for HMPE ("FF") materials.


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## northern boy (Aug 25, 2010)

Find a string maker instead of ordering premade string . A good combo is 8 strands of 450Plus with lops padded to 12 with a halo serving of .021 should give good nock fit. or ask string maker his favorite combo.


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