Frequently asked question

Nocks fit may be a little snug to at first because the center serving material is going to wear in a bit and should be perfect after about 200 arrows. Once shot in, the nocks should fit based on the criteria here. If you prefer a nock fit different from this, please specify in your order details.

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.

The maximum length for a custom bowstring we can build is 73" with our current setup and tooling.

Recurve:

• Top loop - 1 3/4"

• Bottom loop - 1 1/8"

• End serving length - 6"

Longbow:

• Top loop - 1 1/4"

• Bottom loop - 7/8"

• End serving length - 4"

This can be customized if needed. Please specify measurements in your order. Here's how to measure.

The longest end loops we are set up to build is 4" (when folded). See https://www.ocdstrings.com/measure under the "loops" tab for how to measure your loops.

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 slide 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.

Taxes charged at checkout include 11% FET (Federal Excise Tax) for wildlife preservation charged on all archery equipment. More info can be found at archerytrade.org and irs.gov.

Sales tax will also be charged if shipping to an address in California or if picking up in California.

At events, we offer pre-built and pre-stretched strings using our most popular materials and colors. You can purchase these strings at the event, and we'll customize the center serving based on your shooting style and nocks. Visit us at our next event to check them out!

Because vegetarians don't typically know how to do that.

Our current lead time is 2-3 business days. You'll be notified if it will take longer for any reason once your order is placed.

Orders are fulfilled in the order they are placed as long all the required information is provided.

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.

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.

See https://www.ocdstrings.com/nock-guide

73" is the longest string that can be built with our current setup and tooling.