I just made my first flemish bowstring and am getting ready to serve it.  Does it matter what direction I wind the serving, clockwise or counter clockwise.  With the twist of the string or  opposite.  Does it matter if I am right handed or left?  Is there a right way...

Thanks,  Alan

Good question I will learn something here.

I don't know if there is a "right way" I serve mine clock wise which is in the direction of my twists but for no other reason than that's just the way I do it.

I have heard some say it does not matter and I have heard others say you should serve in the direction your fingers slide off the string on release.  That made sense to me so I serve in the direction my fingers slide off the string.  I am right handed so that would be clockwise around the string as I look at the bow from the belly side.

Steve

I'm among those who feel it makes no difference.  I serve my strings on the bow by laying the bow on my lap and starting at the top and serving toward the bottom, moving the bobbin clockwise, i.e., over and away from me.

Been doing it this way for about 40 years.  Never had a serving come loose. I suppose that's the direction my fingers slide off the string, but I don't think that makes any difference either.  A tightly served string is smooth so there's nothing to catch or hang up on a glove or tab.

I wrap the serving in the direction of the string twists. Just makes sense to me - been working for a lot of years.

Don't think it matters. Just get them tight, mine don't come loose.

I will preface the following statements with the fact that I am an amateur string builder at best. I'm fairly certain that how it's served vs how your fingers slide off is completely irrelevant. I've bought several custom strings through the years and never been asked if I was right or left handed. I usually serve "with the twists" in the string, but have done it the other way a time or two and haven't noticed a difference either way. Like said above, get it tight and it should be fine.

I always go with the string. It does matter when you serve your friends compound, the peep will line up this way.

I always serve the same direction as the twists of the string.


Bill

Serve it so that when you twist the string tighter the serving also tightens not loosens.

QuoteOriginally posted by alligatordond:
Serve it so that when you twist the string tighter the serving also tightens not loosens.

BINGO....as you shoot in a new string,....it stretches...all strings...therefore,. when you twist it to shorten it you are tightening the serving on the string not loosening it.