I need some help trying to figure something out. I have a string that needs replacement on a longbow I have. I have the old string. I am going to make a new one, but I'm not sure if this old one is Fast Flight or Dacron or whatever. I'm afraid to make one out of 452 and use it when it might take my bow limb tips apart. How can a guy identify what the old material is that came on the bow. All this string material looks pretty much the same to me. My longbow was made a about 10 years ago by Bob Lawson. It's a great bow. I won the bow in a drawing and he donated it to the club holding the tournament. I would prefer to use a newer kind of string material, but if I have to use B-500 I will. I sure would hate to ruin it. Thanks, Gapmaster
Can't help you with string material identification. But if you post a pic someone should be able to tell if it will handle FF.
One way to tell the string material is try cutting one strand (not while strung up!) with scissors, if it cuts easily its most likely dacron. FF is very hard to cut with scissors.
Sometimes you can tell by the number of strands in the string. Most Dacron strings even at higher poundages are generally not more than 16 strands. Fast Flight strings will use 18-20 strands.452/S4 generally 12 strands.
When I am making strings I sometimes hang 50 pounds of weight from the string to pre stretch .When you hang the weights from dacron it is real springy like a rubber band.The fast flight materials have absolutly no springiness.If you try this you will easily be able to tell what it is, the weights will sit there and bounce with dacron, hope this helps.