# Olympic Recurve Bowstrings and Nocking Points



## Bean Burrito (Apr 20, 2011)

Brass nocks are rare among non beginner shooters. Most use tied string nocking points. As I use Beiter nocks I use the matching beiter nocking point and I like it. The Beiter nock has one above and below. I would use the same if I used string nocks.

A custom string maker is your best bet. I have a fuse spare and it seems fine.


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## KenYeoh (Feb 21, 2010)

Bean Burrito said:


> Brass nocks are rare among non beginner shooters. Most use tied string nocking points. As I use Beiter nocks I use the matching beiter nocking point and I like it. The Beiter nock has one above and below. I would use the same if I used string nocks.
> 
> A custom string maker is your best bet. I have a fuse spare and it seems fine.


Brian Visco at Teepee Archery in Massachusetts makes killer strings.

I've tried shooting with beiter pin nocks, but the nocks all seem to develop cracks at the base (where they meet the pin) after multiple shots. Anyone have this issue?


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## icehaven (Nov 30, 2010)

custom made strings are ideal, especially if you know the person making them. that way they can make you a string and help you figure out if it's right for you bow.


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## Bean Burrito (Apr 20, 2011)

Nope, not at all. If it's pin-out nocks you're using and it's the thin section that goes around the shaft (NOT around the pin) then small cracks in that section don't matter.


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## WMalinak (Dec 10, 2010)

I love the strings by Craig Gibbs (ArrowSportArchery.com) in central Michigan (810.569.3058)
For me he uses Dyneema 02 (~dynaflight with very low wax)...14 strand 3d end serving and halo center serving.

==>BillM


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## Viper1 (Aug 21, 2003)

Z - 

A bowstring is a toaster - it either works or it doesn't. (And yes, it has to work.) 

Years a go, a lot of archers made their own bowstrings, and IMHO, for a serious shooter it's still a necessity, if he's in it for the long haul. The investment can be minimal and for a little bit of money, you can tweak the string's parameters to your heart's content. (I recently built a new rock solid jig for about the price of 2 bow strings.)

Now, if you have one bow and need to replace a string every two years, then building a string jig may not be appropriate - it's your call. 

I still use the brass nocking points. I've used everything from tie ons, to the old heat shrinks to just about anything else available. Just don't notice any difference worth mentioning, actually never noticed any difference at all!

Viper1 out.


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## frankjd (Feb 13, 2011)

it REALLY helps to make yer own endless strings, particularly for target archery. endless strings can be made to very consistent lengths. not hard to do, but you do need to make an endless jig - see below. 

i prefer to tie on an adjustable nocking point. i've never liked how metal nock points chew up tabs and like permanent tie ons, they're hard to adjust - http://youtu.be/j8EghWvyUcA

i build unistrut one arm endless string jigs ...

There are more than a few viable ways to build a unistrut one arm endless string jig. This article addresses how I built a pair of them, and to introduce the concept of using unistrut for the jig body and using one jig arm instead of two. 

I've been using one arm endless string jigs since the early 60's when I designed and built my first one. They're too easy to make and use, and will build perfect length strings every time. 

Study over what I've done and you'll see lots of your own on-hand material and parts substitutions that'll work just as well, if not better. As a side note, for those who prefer using a twin arm jig, the unistrut jig body will accommodate that just fine!

Some comments on the jig design and build parameters ...

The unistrut I used came only in 10' lengths. Normally, I like a 6' long jig, but I didn't wanna wind up with a 4' length of nearly useless unistrut. So I cut it in half, for two 5' lengths. Using a 12" length of 2x4 for the end post adds another 5" to the extension, coupled with the overhang of the pivot arm, that allows for a 71" loop-to-loop string - more than enuf for my needs. If I wanted to make longer strings, I'd just increase the length of the end post tail arm.

While I've used both 1/4" and 3/8" pivot bolts, the more robust 1/2" is just plain better.

I like using fir for the 2x4 wood - heavier than white wood (pine), it's just more durable.

It doesn't matter much what size string end hold down screw and wingnut is used - 5/16" works just as well.

One $2.11 8' length of 2x4 fir is enuf wood for 2 jigs.

WOOD
18", 2x4 - pivot arm
12", 2x4 - tail arm
12", 2X4 - jig feet (optional)
18", 3/4" birch dowel - posts
12", 1/2" ply - pivot and tail blocks

HARDWARE
unistrut (SuperStrut)- jig beam (home depot, 10', $19)
3", 1/2" bolt - pivot arm
1/2" id washer - pivot arm
1/2" id lock washer - pivot arm
1/2" id wingnut - pivot arm
1-1/2" dry wall screws (3) - tail arm
2" flat head screws (partial thread) (3) - pivot arm
2", 1/4x20 machine/wood screw - string end hold down
1/4x20 wingnut - string end hold down
1/4" id washers (2) - string end hold down
1" dry wall screws (4) - jig feet (optional)
1/4" id washers (4) - jig feet (optional)

TOOLS
wood saw (table, circular, jig, hand) - cutting all wood
metal saw (metal cutting bandsaw, hacksaw) - cutting the unistrut
drill (electric, hand) - drilling all wood
3/4" speedbore bit - pivot/tail post holes
1/2" wood bit - pivot bolt hole
1/8" wood bit - wood screw holes

FASTENERS
slow set epoxy (30-45 minute) - posts, pivot bolt, post binding
binding for string posts (carpet thread, floss, string fiber)

There's more to come as I'll show just how I use the jig to spin up a string, but for now here's some jig pix ...

One Arm Endless Jig on the bottom, most of the jig parts on the top ...









The pivot arm ...









Pivot arm bolt system - a scrap piece of plywood is used to secure the pivot arm ...









The scrap plywood's width just allows it to slip into the unistrut, but it's held in place by the unistrut's lip ...









The end post attachemnt - just like the pivot arm, it's fastened by a slat of plywood with 3 predrilled holes (see inset pic) that's held in place by the unistrut's lip, using dry wall screws into the endpost block of wood ...









Post dowel, string screw, hole ...









String post w/screw and dowel thread binding ...









Easily make from a 24" to a 72" string ...


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## unclejane (Jul 22, 2012)

+1 on being able to make your own. Bowstrings are the bane of my existence compound or recurve. Commercially made ones has always been like shooting in the dark (not literally lol), they're either too long or too short, or something like that, and I always somehow manage to destroy them long before they wear out. 

I built a jig from scratch for about $200 or somewhere in there and that was buying every single little piece including drill/tap sets etc. And it was still half what a commercial jig cost. I've wasted a lot of string teaching myself how to make good endless loops, but it's worth it now that I can make whatever I want. And when I do screw it up I can fix it or replace it myself lol....

You can also experiment to your heart's content, i.e. with different materials. As a matter of fact, I'm about to start on another string for my recurve with the 8125G I got yesterday and also to try tie-on knocks this time.... 

LS


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## Zbone (Aug 4, 2012)

Way cool, thanx for all the great information folks!!!

Bean Burrito – Am gonna have to check those out Beiter nocking points and nocks…. Thanx

frankjd – Thanx much for the endless loop jig how-to. Been a long time since I ‘ve seen and used one as the kid in the back of the archery shop making arrows…8^) Since then through the years have crafted my own flemished strings and still have materials (even Fast Flight), but would hate to show up at the range with a flemished string on my Olympic recurve….8^) I think I try to make one of those endless string jigs….

Thanx again,
Gary


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## frankjd (Feb 13, 2011)

i was, at one time, in the custom string business and have literally made thousands of endless bowstrings on "one arm bandit" endless jigs.

just spun up a string for a 68" fantom - 65.5" length, 12 strands of bcy d'02, 2" loops served with bcy 400 nylon, center serving is .019" bcy halo spectra. untwisted brace height is 8.6".

cost = pennies. 

the freed to diy = priceless.


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## Zbone (Aug 4, 2012)

frankjd - just 2-1/2" less than AMO? Wow, that is short...


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## frankjd (Feb 13, 2011)

Zbone said:


> frankjd - just 2-1/2" less than AMO? Wow, that is short...


and that's with just a little twist to round off the string. the bh will drop as the string settles in and will require lots more twists, particularly when finding out what bh will work best for this bow and arrows. all bows are slightly different and the listed "amo length" can be a ballpark number of sorts. also, there will be slight differences in jigs, and everyone imparts a bit different craftsmenship to spinning strings - and all of this affects the build of any string. this was the first string for this bow, and my calculations were ballpark, but good enuf. i'll make up a few more, too - 65" and 64-3/4", just to see. bcy dyneema'02 is the same as dynaflight'97, the diffence is that d'02 has much less wax. it's all a process, it's all good. making yer own strings is super important, imho. get spinning!


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