I was just wondering how many of you guys have shot fast flight strings on your vintage bear bows? I have an early 70's kodiak hunter that I bought a few years ago from e-b-a-y and I shot it with the string that came on it; recently I made a new string for it from b-50 but when I shot it the hand shock seemed way too noticable and it also seemed to have a more of a ka-thud sound when I shot the B-50 string, rather than being swift and quiet like the old string. This made me wonder if the string that came with this bow was a fast flight string that the previous owner had on it (I just assumed it was dacron), is there any way I can tell if the old string was fast flight? I ask this because I know that these bows werent made for ff but if my old string was ff and it shoots this much quieter than I would continue to use ff on this bow. Just curious what you guys think about this topic, thanks!
There's no way FF strings will ever touch my vintage Bears. I think the new Bears are rated for FF. You may try increasing the brace height. My old Bears like a brace height around 8 1/2". Remember it takes a while to shoot in a b-50 string. They sure seem to streach forever.
Ross
Ross you may be right, I think my brace is around 8" right now but I'll bump it up a little. Hate that b-50 stretches so much.
also meant to ask if you measure brace height from the throat of the grip on your bears?
That's where I measure mine. My Super Grizzly likes 8 3/4
If you make up a jig to stretch your string you'll take out alot of the break in time. You can also switch to an endless loop whick is more suited with polyester strings.
The way you can tell if a string is FF or B50 is to try and cut it with clippers. FF is more difficult to cut with clippers you need a sharp knife. You can find some loose ends at the splices.
I've been shooting 12- strand D-97 on a couple sets of older Bear TD limbs, red tips and white glass with black tips, for several years. No problems and considerably quieter and better performance.
QuoteOriginally posted by buckeyebowhunter:
also meant to ask if you measure brace height from the throat of the grip on your bears?
Yes sir, that's where I measure mine from. My Super K. shook like an earthquake and made horrible noises until I cranked up the brace height.
Ross
I don't know about the Kodiak Hunters but I think the Kodiak Magnums like a brace height around 9".
Maybe you made a thicker string than the first one.
A FF string with padded loops will work just fine. You can pad with FF or B-50
FF strings were not around in the early 1970s. These bows were not designed to take the stress. Do what you want, it's your bow. I would not try a FF string. My two cents,
Ross
Reddoge, I did think about string thickness. My bow is 45# so I made a 12 strand string, wasnt sure if this bow could handle a string with fewer strands? :dunno:
QuoteOriginally posted by Widow's Son:
FF strings were not around in the early 1970s. These bows were not designed to take the stress. Do what you want, it's your bow. I would not try a FF string. My two cents,
Ross
This
I use 12 strands of B55 on mine @50#. You're on the money with Dacron strand count.
I mean this as no disrespect but many a fellow has proved the statements of Widow's son wrong. I have them on all my old bear bows. I only have a combined 5000+ plus shots and no worries. And you are riht, thy make almost every bow quieter.
Now, ff was not present but the tips serve the same purpose now as they did then. Meaning the tips that were put on the vintage bears were done so for looks and protection. FF rated however is just a marketing term that developed from the development of ff material. Pure marketing. I read many forums where guys shoot them on self bows. If they are adequately padded, they are fine.
It is a miisconception that many make and it is wrong. Shoot what you decide but don't let unsound reasioning be the reason you do not try it. God Bless
Like I said, do it with your bow not with mine. FF why?
AWPForester- Ask a couple guys like Rich lopez or Bowdoc to show you some pics of guys that were shooting fastflight on vintage bows. Remember the glass and glue used back then was not as good as the stuff we have nowadays and neither were the overlays.
I have two vintage Browning Wasps that I have been shooting skinny fastflite (BCY Formula 8125)strings on for years. No issues, ever.
Regarding limb failures, these happen even today with bows designed for fastflite. I suspect that with these failures the limb had an undetected manufacturing flaw or something else happened like a dry fire.
If you're comfortable with the risk of shooting a fastflite string on your vintage bow go right ahead. The most likely outcome is a quieter bow with improved performance.
Rich and the Bowdoc will also probably tell you they don't have the details or proof of what happened. Real skinny strings without padded loops would not be good, but many years of FF strings and padded loops show no damage to most vintage bows from those who try it.
Are glues of yesterday inferior? We know thousands of bows made 50 years ago are still performing without problems.
Are glues of today superior? I guess we will know in 50 years.
My limited experience using FF strings on old bows shows improved performance with as much as 10-12 fps increase in speed, less hand shock, and the bow is quieter. This may not be for everyone and if you have any doubts, it's probably best to stick with your B50.
If you're one to think outside the box, FF on vintage bows may be to your liking.
Are the benefits of a fastflight string worth possible destruction of your bow? If it's worth it to you, then go for it. The only way you'll know for sure on your bow is to do it, and I wouldn't. Just my .02
Don't know anything about fast flight string. Never use it. But, about brace height on bear bows, I read many years ago bear recommended a high brace height because of arrow selection.
However, I have owed several bear kodiak hunters and they all shot good at 7 5/8 to 7 3/4.
Well everyone that says it shouldn't or can't be done says that materials today are much better including glue, but there seem to be an awlful lot of vintage bows still around shooting ff or dacron. Funny how you never hear about them delaminating at the rate bows 5 years old are.
As far as expert advice, I don't need to ask anyone to see any pics "caused" by ff because for everyone there is, there will be hundreds more that just happened while shooting the dacron. Kinda makes me believe it was just the bows time, regardless of string material. Besides, ff vibrates much less which has to be better for the bow as long as the tips are padded well.
As far as tips, several of the ff rated new bows I have just used left over riser material for the tips. I am not sure how they are any more or less durable than the micarti tips. Seems like we all have our opiniions but to suggest it isn't feasible should require more sciene than just because somone says so. Prove it ain't so and I'll eat crow. Until then, I'll stand my ground on this one. God Bless
I tryed ff padded skinny string on my Bear TD (Green stripe)and with some very beated green tip limbs,for one full year and the limbs held the string making the bow much faster,smoother and quiter.I probably don't want to use ff on my original white tip limbs or on some older Kodiak,but not because they can break,but just because they are collection bows that I don't intende to use for hunting.Anyway Bow doc stated many times that the micarta-laminated tips could stand the ff!
Shoot what you want it's your bow!!!! I have several vintage Bear bows that I will only shoot FF string from, I bought a Tigercat a year or so ago it is marked 61#s under the strike plate. I had Bearbowman build me a couple strings (hes my string go to guy)out of B50, shot the bow for awhile with mixed feelings on the handshock and performance.Well this past year I tried a SBD bow string on the Tigercat.... Man I got to tell you this is a completely different bow now. No handshock and the speed increase is very noticeble, although I haven't shot it through my chrony yet. Very impressed with the results and to think I was going to regulate this bow just to bowfishing. If I get my opportunity to take a deer early with my greenstriper I will carry this bow late fall with the FF skinny string on it...JUST MY .02
No use dacron just use less strands than recommended I use 14 strands on bows less than 60 lbs never had an issue I have even used 12 for 50lb bows. I believe the standard strand numbers were for B 50 and B50 plus is a little stronger. Just put extra strands in the loops if no overlays of rough grooves.