# BCY’s Trophy Bowstring



## ETheiss (Apr 30, 2010)

At the moment I am constructing a jig for building my own bowstrings and cables.
While I’m doing this I am also looking at materials I will need. Being new to this I don’t have a lot of familiarity with string material candidates. I’m leaning to trying BCY’s Trophy Bowstring for my first go. They claim it is better than 452X.

Anyone with experience using this material your knowledge and opinion would be appreciated.


Ed


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## Eric131 (Oct 24, 2008)

It's basically 452x without the fuzz. It's good stuff.


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## ETheiss (Apr 30, 2010)

Eric131 said:


> It's basically 452x without the fuzz. It's good stuff.


Thanks for the feedback.
Okay that does appear to have/display better durability than 452X.

Now if it has the other 2-features advertised it may be a winner.
http://www.bcyfibers.com/press_rele...ring blended with Gore Performance Fibers.pdf

When I'm ready I'll give Trophy Bowstring a go.

Again thanks for the feedback. 


Ed


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## mitchell (Mar 5, 2005)

I began making strings a month or so ago, buying my jig and initial supplies from Little Jon, Philip McMahon. I have now made a few sets of strings that have come out great. I am getting no peep rotation, and the strings have fit well right on spec.

That said, Phillip encouraged me to us Trophy instead of 452x for the reasons mentioned in the add. 

One of my strings set was for a friend who is an experienced archer/hunter and has owned probably at least 50 compounds. He thinks I am a genius string maker now. He says the string I made for him is by far the quietest he has had. He put it on a Bowtech Guardian, and says the bow is far quieter than his previous string.

I know it isn't anything I did, so possibly it is the Trophy.

By the way, with Phillips jig, you get a built in tensioner and a DVD that is loaded, along with a CD that has string lay outs with pictures for a ton of bows. He also coached me a several times on the phone. You might want to consider that. I know there are cheaper ways to get into a jig, but I am very happy I chose to buy from him.

Sorry for sounding like an advertisement, but I struggled with buying, making, etc my jig.


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## ETheiss (Apr 30, 2010)

Mitchell

Thank you for sharing your experience with Trophy Bowstring. It helps to re-enforce my decision to go this route and it should by all accounts mentioned so far be a decent choice. This has been really helpful to me.

If your friend is an experienced shooter with bows and felt you made a superb bowstring I can’t give all the credit to the materials you used. Hope my bowstring building capabilities come close to yours one day.

Appreciate the mention and advice about the Phillips Jig but need to satisfy my Tinker Blood Craving at trying to 1st build one on my own, tensioner incorporated. Also I’m about ½-way there. I hope to have the Jig finished before Fall and during the winter months begin my apprenticeship in Bowstring building. 
Now the DVD and CD suggestion would help me a lot and wonder if it’s being sold separately? I have found a lot of good info on this board but feel there are gaps I still need to fill to properly build a Bowstring.

With the helpful info I’m receiving I feel I’m getting a good start with the right foot moving forwards.


Ed


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## mitchell (Mar 5, 2005)

I can promise you I still have a ton to learn. I will tell you I was very surprised that my strings came out as good as they did as early on as they did. 

I am pretty sure you can buy the DVD by itself. I do not know about the cd with the lay outs but I assume he sells those also. 

His DVD was particularly helpful to me since I had no one to teach me. Some of it is spent showing how to use his stuff. I watched it through and took notes. I think it would be real helpful to anyone who did not have access to someone to personally teach him the basics.


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## JF from VA (Dec 5, 2002)

Just a suggestion, but you might consider getting some cheaper material to practice with since you are new to string making. When I started making strings, I ended up with several less than prime time strings that are still in my box. I have yet to try Trophy, but I use 452X all the time. I am sure Trophy will be a great material.


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## ETheiss (Apr 30, 2010)

Mitchell

I enjoy seeing the attitude you display and your approach to learning. I totally agree that when you learn the basics of something there is still so much in-depth yet to learn. Of course that depends on your desire to how far you want to go cause the learning never seems to stop. 

As I’ve gotten older for some reason I seek to learn more and building bowstrings/cables is now one of those interests. 
For me it is not about pride or boastful in what I can accomplish but the personal satisfaction derived in the end when I do the best I can. 

Concerning BCY’s Trophy Bowstring advertisement it leads me to believe this should be one of the best string building material available. Now from my past experience what you read and what you get doesn’t always match up to what you expect. Talking to someone who has 1st hand knowledge/experience with this material is far more important and creditable to me than advertisement.

Thanks for your helpful responses and God Bless.


JF from VA

Also thank you for your response/reply to my query.
I believe your advice is good on using cheaper material for my 1st go at a bowstring. This should also show any weakness or flaws in my home built Jig, as well as my chosen technique or serving tension. 

Again Thanks.


Ed


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## special (Apr 6, 2009)

Ive allways used 452X..I started using Trophy to try it and im very happy with it...As my stock diminishes Im replacing it with trophy...eventually most will be Trophy.


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## ETheiss (Apr 30, 2010)

special said:


> Ive allways used 452X..I started using Trophy to try it and im very happy with it...As my stock diminishes Im replacing it with trophy...eventually most will be Trophy.


Your reply and comments are appreciated, Thanks.

With no negative comments yet I feel more motivated to get my jig completed.
Think I’ll be trying to build some bowstrings even before winter.


Ed


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## JF from VA (Dec 5, 2002)

Go for it, making strings is not rocket science. I think I made more complicated things in summer camp crafts when I was growing up. After you make a few and get the hang of it, you can save lots of $$$ over commercial strings.


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## ETheiss (Apr 30, 2010)

JF from VA

Thanks for the encouragement.
I image once I get some experience under my belt it won’t appear as complicated from a newbie standpoint. 
Even though saving money is a side benefit after an initial investment to get started I also feel you make a contribution to your bows performance. I still have a lot to learn about the dynamics of a bow as well because of what I now see as compared to years ago. 
The education is underway.


Ed


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## bowgramp59 (Apr 12, 2007)

i just built me a string jig, got about $100.00 in it . have built 2 sets of strings so far couldn't be happer with the way they turned out, both bows are martin moabs, axel to axel , brace ht. draw wt are right on the mark, no peep rotation so far, have shot both bows about 150 shots each. used BCY trophy , good stuff!


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## ETheiss (Apr 30, 2010)

Bowgramp59

I truly enjoy when others graciously respond to queries and sharing their experience that is really helpful to newbies like me. Again another positive note for Trophy Bowstring.

Know what you mean about trying to build a decent jig for under $100.
First off this approach is a copy and not my idea. The main component is a proper tension spring waiting to be acquired. Hope to get a spring when tightened right down equals around 300lbs. And I have to make a few more posts along with completing a few more components. In the end all I need is some Unistrut to mount my components onto and the jig is finished. 










I’m really looking forward to starting to build bowstrings and cables in the near future with Trophy.

Thanks for your response.




Ed


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## Spotshooter2 (Oct 23, 2003)

Can I make one suggestion on your jig? Take the spring and move it to the other side of the rod so that the spring is what puts the tension on the string as I show in the picture.


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## ETheiss (Apr 30, 2010)

Spotshooter2 said:


> Can I make one suggestion on your jig? Take the spring and move it to the other side of the rod so that the spring is what puts the tension on the string as I show in the picture.


Suggestions are always welcomed but in this case the error belongs to me with the way I presented it.

Sorry if my post is misleading/confusing but that small spring out front is just to keep the main rod/arm from flopping around. The main tension spring I don’t have yet will be going to the location you highlighted. The main rod is just fitted through the post so that both tensioning and twisting operation can be done with it.

Yeah it does look a little funny just having a small spring shown out front.



Ed


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## fasteddie2488 (May 8, 2009)

JF from VA said:


> Just a suggestion, but you might consider getting some cheaper material to practice with since you are new to string making. When I started making strings, I ended up with several less than prime time strings that are still in my box. I have yet to try Trophy, but I use 452X all the time. I am sure Trophy will be a great material.


I will second this comment. I got a roll of B50 to practice on and made about 10 or 15 strings and cables. And you don't have to make them very long just to get the knots down pat and learn your own techniques before you get into the expensive stuff. I can say it is very easy to learn if you just watch one of the DVD's and read a few comments on Archery Talk. I read about techniques from people on here and tried many of them on all of my different bows until I found the one that worked and did what I wanted it too.


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## ETheiss (Apr 30, 2010)

fasteddie2488 said:


> I will second this comment. I got a roll of B50 to practice on and made about 10 or 15 strings and cables. And you don't have to make them very long just to get the knots down pat and learn your own techniques before you get into the expensive stuff. I can say it is very easy to learn if you just watch one of the DVD's and read a few comments on Archery Talk. I read about techniques from people on here and tried many of them on all of my different bows until I found the one that worked and did what I wanted it too.


Thanks for your advice and agree with what you are expressing. Practice will be in order. 
From a newbie standpoint what appears to be the hardest to learn is having the right tension and direction along with a proper knot applied to the end servings. Unless I’m not seeing the whole picture yet but the real key to me at the moment is proper serving technique I need to develop. 

I look forward to the day when I build my first proper bowstring and then cables. 


Ed


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