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Author Topic: Dental Floss Bowstring  (Read 21980 times)

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Offline WolfPupTee

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Dental Floss Bowstring
« on: September 12, 2011, 01:30:30 pm »
I know this is very bad using dental floss as bowstring but I just don't have anything else to use being a broke soon to be college student living in the little town of Waverly  ::) . So I was just wondering is there any better alternative material that I can use?
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Offline Pappy

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Re: Dental Floss Bowstring
« Reply #1 on: September 12, 2011, 01:46:05 pm »
I am sure it will work , just wax it up goos and maybe go with more strands,but I bet the cost of dental floss can't be much more than a roll of B50. :) :) Is that Waverly,Tennessee ?
   Pappy
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Offline WolfPupTee

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Re: Dental Floss Bowstring
« Reply #2 on: September 12, 2011, 01:54:46 pm »
Waverly Viriginia Pappy  :D .  I wouldn't know, there are no archery stores anywhere nearby  :laugh: . We do have a Cowling Brothers however!
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Offline WolfPupTee

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Re: Dental Floss Bowstring
« Reply #3 on: September 12, 2011, 01:57:17 pm »
I used lots of strands. About twenty five strands if not more and then I waxed it with some beeswax that I found in my grandma's closet. I just wanted to make sure it was okay.
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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Dental Floss Bowstring
« Reply #4 on: September 12, 2011, 02:25:22 pm »
Dental floss will break at about 2-3#'s. Multiply that by 25 strands and thats not even close to enough in my book. One strand of B50 will hold as much as your whole string. B50 is $7.00 a 1/4# spool, buy some before you get hurt or hurt a bow. Give me your address in a PM and tell me your bows actual length. I will build you a string and mail it off tomorrow.
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Offline Del the cat

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Re: Dental Floss Bowstring
« Reply #5 on: September 12, 2011, 02:38:41 pm »
Look out for some hemp string or Linen thread, I'd have thought almost anything was better than dental floss.
I spool of Dacron will last you 5-10 years and save you endless pain and heartache.
Del
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Offline WolfPupTee

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Re: Dental Floss Bowstring
« Reply #6 on: September 12, 2011, 03:00:41 pm »
The local Cowling Brothers might have hemp or linen but it certainly doesn't have dacron. Thanks again PEARL DRUMS. If I ever get a hold of something nice I'll send it to you as a thanks. In fact, I'll get right on it.
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Offline aznboi3644

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Re: Dental Floss Bowstring
« Reply #7 on: September 12, 2011, 03:53:38 pm »
from the bowyers bible the minimum string strength is 4 times the draw weight of the bow.

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Offline whiteoak

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Re: Dental Floss Bowstring
« Reply #8 on: September 12, 2011, 05:47:52 pm »
in the crafts section in walmart they have hemp get the smallest dia they have it cost like 4 bucks if that .I used 10 strands on a 60# bow  i have about 150 shots on mine still holding strong so far
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Offline WolfPupTee

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Re: Dental Floss Bowstring
« Reply #9 on: September 12, 2011, 06:15:56 pm »
I should have noticed this! Then again walmart is 30 minutes away and we hadn't gone that way in a long time. I'll get there sometime or another I guess! Thanks for the info guys.
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Offline mullet

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Re: Dental Floss Bowstring
« Reply #10 on: September 12, 2011, 08:31:00 pm »
 I've had that hemp at Walmart break after a few shots. If you look at the thickness, it's not consistant. While you are there go to Sporting goods and pick up a spool of Spyder wire. Almost the same as Fastflight.
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Offline WolfPupTee

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Re: Dental Floss Bowstring
« Reply #11 on: September 12, 2011, 08:33:59 pm »
Actually I've found another way to get dacron. It will just take a long while and patience.
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Offline avcase

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Re: Dental Floss Bowstring
« Reply #12 on: September 13, 2011, 02:44:02 am »
Dacron is just polyester.  Advertised breaking strength per strand is almost 50 pounds but in reality, it is often less than half that much.  Perhaps your grandmother has some thicker polyester button hole thread?  One string would probably take up a couple spools.

I'd go for the hemp or linen thread if you can find it. 

-Alan
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Offline Del the cat

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Re: Dental Floss Bowstring
« Reply #13 on: September 13, 2011, 05:18:48 am »
Quote from: avcase on September 13, 2011, 02:44:02 am
Dacron is just polyester.  Advertised breaking strength per strand is almost 50 pounds but in reality, it is often less than half that much.  Perhaps your grandmother has some thicker polyester button hole thread?  One string would probably take up a couple spools.

I'd go for the hemp or linen thread if you can find it. 

-Alan
NO NO NO NO NO...
(AFAIK)
Dacron isn't "just polyester" that's like saying a microprocessor chip is just silicon.
Please please please don't mess with polyester thread or nylon or dental floss or any such rubbish which will stretch like the length of a fishermans catch.
Hemp, Linen or a decent bow string material.
Other natuaral materials are also available.
You are in danger of wasting precious bow making time messing with inappropriate string material.
If you want to spend your life researching NATURAL string materials then that's a fine and noble thing, but please step away from the artificial fibres (unless they are 'designed for purpose stringing material)
Hemp and Linen are not poor second rate alternatives they are good materials. They were good enough to cut down the flower of French nobility at Agincourt on 150# plus draw weight longbows.
Del
« Last Edit: September 13, 2011, 05:32:42 am by Del the cat »
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Offline johnston

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Re: Dental Floss Bowstring
« Reply #14 on: September 13, 2011, 06:32:21 am »
I bought some B-50 in a color I don't use. Be glad to send it to you if you will pm me your mailing address and if you can use white.

Lane
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