I can't do the twist! Flemish help!

[The Gopher]

Ok, i have made a few flemish string that are working great but it seems like it takes a few tries whenever i make one. when i make a string i start with the ends parallel, held in my left hand with the ends pointing to the right, using my right hand i twist one bundle towards me and wrap it over the other bundle away from me. when i get enought done to form the loop i do that and continue with the twisting holding the loop in my left hand twisting with my right, just like above, twist towards me, wrap away from me. OK now for the other end. do i follow the exact same procedure on the other end? it seems like when i do that it one fo the loops will unravel. or would i reverse the order on the second loop, going twist away from me, wrap towards me? thanks, Dan.

[KILLER B]

Are you using the same colored string?  If not using two different colors will help you keep track of twisting the opposite around each other to tie the loop together.  Hope that makes sense.

[The Gopher]

i am using two different colors

[Danny Rowan]

I hold the bundles in my left hand, twist the first bundle away from me then wrap over the other towards me, do the loop always twisting in the same direction. Shake out the bundles and repeat on the other end, twist away and wrap towards, always the same.

Danny

[Skinny Little Runt]

Gopher, I think your twisting the wrong way.
Twist away from you and bring it to you and down. the tighter you twist the better.
What Danny said.

[The Gopher]

thanks guys i'll give it another try, i must be doing it backwards.

[Keefer]

Gopher,  Skinny Little Runt hit the nail on the head...I do it the same way as he and remember to keep it tight and the string will come out perfect...My first one took about 4 hours to perfect but that was several hundred ago and it does get easier as you go....Keefers <")))><

[George Tsoukalas]

I think you are too. I twist with the short ends to the right and the long ends to the left. Jawge

[Dano]

Your fine, your just not doing a reverse twist in each bundle before you start to twist up the second loop. It doesn't matter which way you twist as long as you are consistant. If you twist the bundles 18 times do a reverse twist 18 times on each bundle .

[Grey Taylor]

Dano is right, it doesn't matter which way you twist the bundles, just do both of them the same way.
Away from you, towards you, no functional difference. One makes left lay line and the other makes right lay line.
But when you do the eyes, do them both exactly the same. It may seem counter-intuitive but it'll work.
Test: make a short bowstring, 24" or so. Do both eyes the same. Hold an eye in each hand and pull the string taught. Twist the string so one eye tightens. See how the other one tightens too? If you make one eye one way and the other eye the other way, they'll untwist and the string will fail.

Guy

[hera]

I think you need this vid.

    Traditional Strings: Flemish Splice

[SOS]

There's a good video called "Doin' The Twist"  available from Champion Bowstrings at recurves.com.  I think 3 rivers has them as well.