Mixing string material.

[Parnell]

Anybody have any experience mixing together B50 and fast flight?  I'm wondering what a 3 ply string would feel like with some sort of combination.  Thoughts?

[AngelDeVille]

The B-50 wouldn't be allowed to do its job, and the FF would be doing all the work, with less strands.

[Moggy]

Yep,,the only thing holding will be the FF,,the Dacron will stretch, the FF nt as much. I made a 12 strand flemish Dacron this morning and put it on a Bamboo glass longbow I shoot all the time. Got more handshock and less performance. The Dacron was just as loud as the D-97.

[sharpend60]

Its no good.

But...
You can make a real skinny fast flight, 6 strands and put B50 up in th twists. Maybe like 16 stands total.
That area stretches little or none at all.

People refer to that as padding the loops.
It helps to prevent damage to the nocks.

A hot rod of a string lemme tell ya.

[Parnell]

I was suspecting.  I like shooting thin ff strings.  I've done 8 strands but not 6. 

I like the idea of the loops, Sharpend.  So, I'm figuring you'd just measure out the ff, then lay in the extra strands of B50 with the last 8" or so of the string ends?

[sharpend60]

I think ya got the right idea. But for everyones benefit...

Make your string lengths as normal.

Then cut you 'padding' something like 8" or 9".
Like 8 strands or so. I like even numbers

Make sure you stagger the lengths. Cut 2 sets of 'padding' strands. 4 each.
Like 8", 8.25", 8.5", 8.75" etc.
It doesnt have to be exact. Its just so the 'padding' makes a smooth transition.

Wax your 'padding" to the to the main lengths.
If your 'padding' with 8 strands, use 4 on one main strand and 4 on the other.

Twist it up like any other flemish string.

You might need to double serve a small section where you arrow nocks fit, depending on if ya like em to snap or not.
You'll only need to double serve only like 1", at your nock point.

Play around with it and find out what ya like.

You will gain significant FPS, lower noise, and hand shock.
But like any hot rod, you may be lowering service life.
I do know bowyers that have been using FF since it came out, bows still shooting.

[Shaun]

Ron LeClaire told me that the standard string on a Shrew bow is a mix of B-50 and FF. I think he uses 450 or 8125 or some such super modern FF type with the Dacron. So, it can be done and is by at least one of the old school hunter/bowyers. I have not tried it myself yet...

[Pat B]

Steve, my Treadway bow has a string made up of both B-50 and Fast Flight.

[Parnell]

Well, sounds like I've there is some fiddlin to be done.  Thanks for the explanation Sharpend.