Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: DC on October 15, 2016, 03:40:56 pm
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As far as damage to the bow is concerned is there any difference between a dry fire and a broken string? I'm thinking off making a gut string and wondering how brave I can be. ???
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Every string I have broken was on release, the energy was already in the arrow when it broke. Id crap my pants if it broke at full draw.
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I'd try on a bow you don't mind losing first! I want to try a rawhide one someday but have the same worries.
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Practice making cordage for a bit before you throw one on your bow. You can hang them from a branch and add weight to the end to test the strength. I never string a bow with a handmade string unless it will lift the (draw weight x 1.5) without breaking. I typically leave the weight hanging from the string overnight too. It helps to pre-stretch them.
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One of the reasons I'm thinking of gut is because there is little or no "cordage" to them. The strands are one piece and you just put 3 or 4 together and twist them up and stretch them out. You don't have to worry about introducing short lengths while you're twisting. I haven't sorted the loops yet, that may take a little cordage knowledge. If you do a google on "gut bowstrings" you'll see the video I'm following so far. It seems to be the only one there is, strange.
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There may be a difference because a dry fire goes to brace height and a broken string goes past unbraced but both could e devistating to a bow.
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In the past yew bows were known for breaking on the belly side when a string broke.
Remember that all gut is not created equal. The gut that tennis strings are made with is a very specific sinew like portion of the gut. It's not just strips of sausage casing.
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I picked up a couple rolls of tennis racket gut a few years ago, never got around to trying it. I did make some gut strings from sausage casing gut a long time ago, they weren't too bad
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Dakota Kid, your strings should be at least 6 times the poundage of the bow. I make them 8.
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So far I'm just playing with pork sausage casings. I've twisted some and they are drying. I'll figure a way to do some strength testing without breaking my scale.
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Rattlesnake skins and squirrel skins are very tough.
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In the past yew bows were known for breaking on the belly side when a string broke.
I think my horn bow acquired a crack perpendicular to the limbs when this happened. So far I put loctite 480 on it and it's held up...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLFEU139Sms
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3 or 4 times the strength of the bow for string strength is plenty.
don't just make your actual string. Make plenty of test pieces, get a scale and break them. Only one way to know that it is strong enough and you are doing your job. I second making lots of cordage of all types to get a proper grasp of what you are doing.
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loon..were you using fast flight string?
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Dakota Kid, your strings should be at least 6 times the poundage of the bow. I make them 8.
Unfortunately I have no way to hang 300+ lbs from my strings. :laugh: The bucket I use only holds 4 bags of lead shot.
I suppose I knew that it should be heavier from using store bought string of a known poundage. I've only made a couple natural material strings, 1 sinew and 1 retted tulip poplar bark. It's quite a time consuming process. I just basically wanted to know how to do it if the need ever arose.
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loon..were you using fast flight string?
yes, something like that..
Maybe I should make a dacron string now that I think about it, although I glued the notch back on and filed the notches deeper so the force actually goes through the wood
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So far I'm just playing with pork sausage casings. I've twisted some and they are drying. I'll figure a way to do some strength testing without breaking my scale.
Very interested in this! Apparently Magyars might have used gut strings for their hornbows?... ...
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You should look into tennis racket gut, it is quite strong for its diameter. The stuff I picked up was from a source south of the border and I think the shipping cost as much as the gut