Frequently Asked Questions
How long should my string last?
That really depends on how much you are shooting and in what conditions. That could be anywhere from 7,000 arrows to 14,000 arrows. The first sign of wear will be fuzziness, which can be diminished by waxing regularly. At some point the feel of the string will change as it wears and it will become less forgiving. This is when you want to think about replacing it.
How often should I wax my string?
You should apply wax to your string approximately every 300-400 arrows (or once per week if you are shooting outdoors often).
How do I wax my string?
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Start with your bow strung and apply wax to the areas of the string without serving.
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Use a piece of leather to work the wax into the strands and heat up the wax.
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Once it is well worked in, strip off any excess wax by wrapping a length of string or dental floss around the string and dragging it over the areas of the string without serving.
Where do I tie in my nock set?
Work with your coach to determine the correct location of your nock set. Once you determine that location, it's a good idea to mark that on your bow square with sharpie to save that measurement for setting up your next string.
How do I tie in a nock set?
I always use a moveable nock set so I can fine tune the position after it's already on there. If you are going to use this type, please be sure to super glue the outer edges to make sure it stays in place once you've found the ideal location. Video here.
How do I know what material and strand count I need?
For most recurve bows it's hard to go wrong with 8125. It's just an overall solid material and used by the majority of recurve archers. D97 is pretty much the same as 8125 but a little thicker (so it will require fewer strands in comparison). Spectra 652 is also good for recurves but has a bit more stretch. It is the same thickness as 8125. B55 is a very stretchy material and should be used for traditional bows that need a softer string for the limbs or for vintage bows. Check out the shop pages for each of these string types for strand count recommendations based on draw weight. This is just a starting point but a good reference.
Is serving separation at the base of the end loop normal?
Yes & no. We build end loops to intentionally NOT have an overlap that causes a lump. That lump does not lay nicely in the limb groove and can cause twisting. As the string stretches it's normal to have a tiny bit of string material peek out in that area.
The top (larger) loop is designed to be slid down the length of the limb when unstringing the bow. The bottom (smaller) loop is designed to fit the limb as precisely as possible and should NOT be slid down the length of the limb when unstringing. Doing this can force the loop to stretch to a size it was not intended and expose more of the underlying string material. Every effort should be made to avoid this. While doing so does not make the string unsafe to shoot, it will drastically reduce the lifespan of the string as the strain on the serving material in that area can cause it to fray or break. Once that happens it is unsafe to shoot.