Still can't make a bowstring

[OldBow]

Each time I follow the directions, I try to make the loop small.  It still tends to unwinde and then opens up at the "throat" which is sloppy looking and tends to slip off the nocks. 
Any ideas what I am doing wrong. 
I am using lots of wax.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Badger]

Don, you need to twist the entire string after it is finished counter clock wise about 30 or 40 twists, maybe try making the string longer so you have more room to twist it. If you have trouble I can walk you through one on the telephone, from then on it will be a breeze. Steve

[Minuteman]

 Your pic looks like the reverse twist has come out of your loop.
 If its a double loop flemish string, the second loop will unravel the first one if you aren't careful. The way I keep it from unravelling is by adding at least as many twists after the loop is complete as it took to make it plus a few more for good measure. If it took 25 twists to make the first loop I make 25 more after the loop is completed and the tails are incorporated into the body of the string. That way when you make the loop on the other end it has some twists to unravel before it gets to the loop twists.
 I used to reverse twist my whole string til I figgered out I didn't need to. A coupla twists along its length is all thats needed on a flemish string. Course you can add more to adjust brace height . 
 Clear as mud?

[SimonUK]

You could also make the twists closer together in the loop and for a few cm below it. Add a serving if all else fails.

[duffontap]

Hey Don,

Steve is right on the money.  I have a tendency to make my strings a little too short.  Then I have to untwist them to get them on my bow--the results are sloppy, open loops or unraveled strings.  Just make your string long enough that you can twist the whole string in the direction that tightens the reverse twist at the bottom of the loop. 

              J. D. Duff

[markinengland]

It looks to me like you are twisting the wrong way. This is easy to do, I've done it lots of times! You have to twist each strand one way, then twist the strands up on themselves the other way.
If you do t right you end up with a nice tight string and loop.
If you don't it comes out just ike in your picture.
I find it easiest to position the loop in my left hand and have a good look at the twist, give each set of strands some extra twist and then being careful the twist them back on each other the opposie way to lock the twist in. It's easy to get lost as you switch round in forming the loop.
Try on a small practice piece until it come out right. Just keep twisting, undoing, twisting until it come out right. If you're like me you will still get confused and do it wrong from time to time though!
Mark in England

[OldBow]

I'll work on it.  Thanks, everyone.
Right after I got my "Doing the Twist" DVD, I made a decent Flemish string.  The site http://www.geocities.com/salampsio/flemish1.htm was helpful, too.
But maybe the arrow serving I put on stabilized it. 
Right now, I did my old technique, crudely braid a loop into both ends.
Hope everyone is having a good Memorial Weekend.

[George Tsoukalas]

I add 12 inches to the ntn length of the bow for the first strand of each bundle. I tie one loop on the flemish, secure it with a twisty tie, braid the other loop, remove any twists, secure one loop over a nail or some such, stretch the string and twist counter clockwise until I get the length I want, brace the bow, let the string stretch, twist it a little tighter as needed and add the serving when the string has stopped stretching. Serving should be put on the same direction as the string is twisted. I like the string to roll off my fingers on release in the same direction the string is twisted too. I'll hun t down some sites for you, Oldbow. BTW i make the bottom loop small enough to stay on the bow nice and tight. Jawge

[George Tsoukalas]

I had more but they evaporated.
http://www.angelfire.com/sk/myplace/sparky.html

[Justin Snyder]

I think Mark in England is right.  Twist away wrap toward you. It looks like you twisted away and wrapped away.   I have lots of 60"+ strings with only 6-7 twists in the rest of the string, beside the twists on each end.  Justin

[MattE]

Mark and Justin see it the way I do. Try rolling each bundle between your index finger and your thumb, clock wise and pull the bundle over the other bundle toward you, counter clock wise. You carried it over the bundle away from you. By twisting each bundle between your index finger and thumb will guarantee that your twist are equal and makes a nice even string. The other end should be done the same as the first if you want a double loop.