about hemp for bow strings

[Blacktail]

how many people have used hemp for bow strings...i dont have any way of testing the tinsel strength on the hemp i have...but it is twisted in pretty even stands...i have talked to other people and they seem to say that its not really good bow string and the only bows it works on is low draw weight bows...so,what is you advice on this..and how would you test the hemp...the hemp i have said on the wrapper 20 lbs....but what does that really mean...thanks john

[Hillbilly]

I've made a couple from it and didn't care for it at all. Too heavy and bulky for the strength, slowed the bow down a lot, and I never really trusted them. Finally had one break, and I scrapped the other one.

[Blacktail]

well,i guess it could use it for just trying stuff up with it...for some reason i was told that is is one of the strongest fibers around...now i wonder what kind of natural fiber could be used for bow strings...maybe dogbane.but not really sure on that.thanks hillbilly....john

[Hillbilly]

John, one of the main troubles with the hemp you buy nowadays is that the diameter isn't consistant-you only have the strength of the smallest point in the string. Hemp was used for bowstrings in Europe a lot at one point. If you had the raw fibers to twist your own, you could probably make a pretty good string. Flax (linen) makes a good string and is natural, but I don't really consider anything I buy on a spool from a factory to be natural. If I'm gonna buy it on a spool, I'll just get B-50. Dogbane is a strong fiber and has been used for bowstrings, but if you want a primitive natural string, sinew or rawhide are stronger and more durable than most plant fibers. Most of the existing old Indian bows were strung with sinew, gut, or rawhide. Very few plant fiber strings.

[smokeu]

Yea i had one break I felt it was way too weak, and bulky....maybe yucca or woven hickory fiber I hear they are tough but dont take my word for it. I use a lot of artificial sinew not primitive but looks really good when twisted up .

[Blacktail]

thanks so much guys...i will do what hillbilly said and focus on sinew or rawhide...thanks john

[Dauntless]

Industrially processed hemp has short fibres, something to do with the machines.  Hemp is one of the strongest plant fibres out there, but you'd have to process it yourself.  A bit of a risky scenario for most people...

I use B50 because my sisal strings are very thick for usable draw weights and I have no access to linen, rawhide or sinew.  I've broken a couple of hemp strings too and they were of even diameter.

[Stringman]

For what it's worth, I still say nettle makes one of the best natural cordage strings out there. I will say that it grows unnaturally tall and thick in my creek bottom (a fact that caused me much pain as a youngster.) But if you have access to some good stuff it will rival the best sinew string out there... Again, just my opinion.

d:^)

[mullet]

 I had one break while the bow was strung and leaning against the wall. That scared the crap out of me.