The Tsuru Bowstring Knot

[Rob DiStefano]

I've made both Flemish and endless bowstrings for all my trad longbows and recurves, for the last 70 years (yep, no foolin').

Spinning an endless bowstring requires a jig and the length is preset by the jig arms.  But ya need that good one or twin arm bowstring jig contraption.

Twisting a Flemish bowstring requires no jig, but setting the length and second loop requires back twisting and a bit of luck setting a proper loop-to-loop finished string length.

It's much easier and way faster to twist up a Flemish bowstring with just one top limb loop and tie the bottom limb loop with a bowyer's knot.  Just make the length of the bowstring about a 8" to 10" longer than the bow's AMO length.  The non-loop end needs to be Flemish braided tightly for that extra length. I highly suspect this was done way back in dayze of yore as one string can be used on any number of bows by simply adjusting the bowyer's knot.

The bowyer's knot works well enuf ... BUT ... there's an even better/stronger knot - the Japanese Tsuru knot - and that's all I've been using for well over a year. 

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[McDave]

Thanks for this Rob.  I started making endless loop strings last year.  One advantage they have over Flemish twist strings is that if I have a string of the correct length, I can match it perfectly on the first try. 

This works fine as long as it is a common string length, like strings for 62" bows.  I can find an old string for a 62" bow that I can twist or untwist until it is produces the brace height I want to make on some other 62" bow.  But if I want to make a string for a 70" bow, say, and I don't have any old strings around of close to the correct length, I would like to use a tillering string that I have and tie it off at the length that produces the correct brace height on that bow.  This knot might be better than any other knot I've tried for that purpose.

[Pat B]

I've always used a Flemish twist with a bowyer's knot at the bottom. I usually add a knot close to the Bowyer's knot after the string gets stretched. I'll have to try this Tsuru knot on the next one.
Thanks

[Rob DiStefano]

With endless bowstring jigs there will be a bit of experimenting to see how best to set the arm(s) for nailing a specific bowstring length.  Add to this how the strands are laid on the jig pots (they must be layered for consistency and never overlapped), how many strands, the type of string material, string material thickness, and equally important is strand tension as each goes around the jig posts.  There is a bit of acquired crafting and practice with a jig to be able to best get the finished string length to a desired length that will allow adding some measure of twists for rounding off the string. 

A Tsuru knot Flemish bowstring is just the easiest, fastest, fully adjustable, most secure bowstring anyone can make anytime, anywhere, and no jig required or wanted.  A perfect way to get any archer into making their own quality bowstrings that can be easily tweaked for length and thus brace height.

Clay Hayes shows how to make a one loop Flemish bowstring, with a bowyer's knot for the bottom limb loop - just substitute a Tsuru knot for the bowyer's knot and y'all are good to go.  Start twistin'!!!

[rainman]

Thanks for the recommendation.

[Bowsey Wails]

Thanks for sharing this, Rob. Will definitely try the Tsuru.
Tim