Thanks guys. James Rocco, I use a steel wool/vinegar "stain" to give it the aged look. It definitely helps pop the grain. It is easy to get the effect, you just apply the vinegar mixture with a paper towel or old rag to your bow sanded and ready to finish, and wipe off excess. Basically just wetting the wood. Let dry then apply your finish. However the effect is pretty superficial and it is easy to get blotchy areas where fresh bright wood shows through if you have to sand out any runs in finish, etc. I am looking forward to trying the Ammonia fuming method that Simson has so beautifully championed, as it penetrates a little deeper than this does.
rps3, I do use Fast Flight. I cant go back to any other string material now.
My feeling, is that it is all about how you shape the nock grooves. They have to be rounded over, so that strain is not in line with the nutrient path (aka, the edge grain you split staves or firewood along).
