B55,D97, and Linen

[bassman]

I found an endless loop linen string today looking through my junk. It fits on a 60 inch 45lb self Birch bow, and braces at 6 inches. I have a D97 ,and B55 string both 10 stranders  for that same bow. Tomorrow I am going to shoot same bow same arrow through a chrony with all three strings. Any body want to predict what bow string will give best fps  results of the three. Eager to see what the linen string does. never shot one before.

[bownarra]

Your d97 will likely have an edge but next will be the linen then the b55 Linen won't be far behind the dyneema string. It just loses out on weight but lack amount of stretch is similar. Well made linen strings are my favourites
Full length hemp fiber is what you really want....that stuff is superb. I guess that's why so many wars were fought over it use/distribution.

[bassman]

Some guys grow their own , and make strings. Who is your supplier if I may ask? I would like to try, and make some strings from it.

[Marc St Louis]

Never shot through a chrono but many years ago I tested a flight bow I made using a linen string and a ff string.  There was basically no difference in distance using the same arrow

[Yooper Bowyer]

Full length hemp fiber is what you really want....that stuff is superb. I guess that's why so many wars were fought over it use/distribution.

Not to mention the noctic component that is running rampant in so many states.

I wish I could get ahold of good linen.  I've played around with nettle before, but I wasn't good enough to get a good string. 

[Selfbowman]

The last two years I’ve been using linen from Tandy leather  . I think it’s 5 count. It’s not D97 but I wet it and it gets the job done. I think if I could get wax thin enough to soak into the string a bit it would make it plenty strong . But then you get into weight issues . I wish they would just let us use D97 in premitive flight. The real problem is when you get to the 100 pound plus bows. The string is more like a rope. Arvin

[Badger]

The weight of the string is the primary cause of speed differences as opposed to mechanical properties of different string materials.

[Selfbowman]

Yes Steve . It just takes more linen . Also I make Flemish twist strings. They seem to hold up better in the loops. Don’t ask me why.

[bassman]

 I just shot the bow. I counted the strands on all the strings before shooting. 16 strand linen which seemed heavy compared to the other two strings, a 7 strand B55, and an 8 strand D97 string. Shot 10 shots each  for an average. The linen string shot 2 fps faster than the B55, and the D97 shot 7 fps faster than the linen string..and 9 fps faster than the B55. Not enough difference  to warrant buying linen in my eyes.

[Selfbowman]

I’ve been using 10 stand of the 5 count. That’s marginal for 50# bow.  16 strand for the heavy bows.

[Yooper Bowyer]

My latest FF string was flemish twist 9 strands and fits a 68" bow.  It weighed about 50 grains.

[Badger]

   Bassman, would you mind giving us the weight of all those strings?

[bassman]

Arvin is it a rule that you have to shoot linen  when you flight shoot?

[Selfbowman]

Yes at the USA sanctioned shoots. In primitive only.  Arvin

[PatM]

I just shot the bow. I counted the strands on all the strings before shooting. 16 strand linen which seemed heavy compared to the other two strings, a 7 strand B55, and an 8 strand D97 string. Shot 10 shots each  for an average. The linen string shot 2 fps faster than the B55, and the D97 shot 7 fps faster than the linen string..and 9 fps faster than the B55. Not enough difference  to warrant buying linen in my eyes.

   
    It would be interesting to know the breaking strength of the linen to determine how many strands might be shed to minimize weight.

   Back in the day flight shooters would strive to have their string break and still get off the shot.