Loose serving?

[bowfiend]

If I ingnore a loose serving, will it come back to bite me at a most inopportune time? I've worn them out but never had one become loose. I can tighten it manually by forcing the wrap down the string - tightening as I go, and it doesn't seem to be affecting my release.

Should I replace it or can I make due? (T-minus 23 days.)

[moebow]

re-serve the string.  a loose serving will come loose at the most inopportune time.  can you spell Murphies' law?????

[del]

Can you reserve it?  If so, I would reserve.  If you can't, I would find someone to do it.  It would be real bad to have something let loose at an inopertune time.      Hope this helps.  If you were closer I would do it for ya.  <>< del  

[Richie Nell]

fletch-tite

[frank bullitt]

Reserve! Is it on the low or high side? If on the lower side you can cut loose and retie off and use some super glue over the area, and wax over that. Good shootin, Steve

[bowfiend]

Awesome! Thanks guys. I've never served a string so I'll probably cut, re-tie, and glue. It's all the way at the bottom of the serving so I think it's ready to come undone but a dab of CA should do the trick.

Thanks again.

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

Originally posted by bowfiend:
I've never served a string...

It's actually very easy to do, and a good skill to have for just such occasions.

[Canadian Idle]

Levi, it's not that hard to do. Is there any one around where you live to show you? Did you do a shearch to find out how, all it takes is practice, a serving tool an some serving of correct diameter. The biggest things to remember is to do the overwind at the beginning or put the serving through the bow string to start with, always wind the serving in the same direction as the bow string is twisted ( this is very important), keep the serving tight when winding and finnish off with a Whip Finnish knot. This knot looks complicated, but with a little practice, nothing to it. You really should know how to do this yourself and will be quite proud of it when your done. I'm someone on this site will chime in as far as a site to get the info from. ,...Lloyd

[bowfiend]

Thanks a bunch. I've got the serving all tightened up and I'll definitely learn how in the future. I didn't think that three weeks before the season would be a good time to start practicing!

[sagebrush]

I'd unwrap it about ten wraps. Then lay a loop on the string and rewrap it by hand. Just get it as tight as you can. Then when almost out of string put it in the loop and pull up. The end will be pulled under the serving. Then wax it good. Gary

[Gordon martiniuk]

serving a string is easy and  should be learned by all archers ,, why not get a spare string set up so you will never have to worry about strings getting cut or serving slipping  

[frank bullitt]

Yes Levi, I also think it's something every archer needs to know! If in the field and this happens, can make a difference in the day. Do a search or go to the how-to section. Rob DiStefano has a pictorial of endless strings that is very well done and has a serving tie-off.

 You could do a few tight half hitches and glue for temporary, but for the time it takes do a proper tie-off or reserve. the investment in a serving tool and thread is cheap. And yes, it is fun thing to know! Good shooting Steve

[Benny Nganabbarru]

I'm just learning about serving and making strings. It is challenging but fun. The serving part is easier than the string-making part.

[Want2no]

My serving busted two nights ago also, I do not have a serving tool, but I do have bobbins from my Fly Tying tools.....has anyone used one in place of a serving tool?

Sorry, I don't mean to steal your thread...it just got me to thinking......

[AkDan]

if you are attached to that string...why not tighten it, and retie the end if you have enough serving material?  

I thought about using a materelli bobbin...ya not so much.  I'd just do it by hand...it'll take awhile.

Start with a jam knot, just like you start a fly.

Finish with an inline whipfinish, exactly the same as you would in fly tying using a whipfinishing tool or doing it by hand.   Pretty simple stuff.

Bobbins are cheap though, and sportsmens has one for sale that is OK...it's not quite like my old  bjorn that has come up missing....like everything else from this divorce I'm finding out over a year later ugg!   It does work though and I do like the oversized holes in it....it's not very smooth though so becareful you dont bite to much and untwist your string while you're serving it....always seems to be too loose or too tight.  I havent bothered trying to change the washers out to something better, that is likely all it needs!!!

[Quill]

I used to have serving problems with it coming loose at times.I was told about a product that you can buy at wal mart in the beauty dept.That product is called hard as nails and it comes in a small bottle like finger nail polish.I started finishing off my servings with this and never had the problem again.

[AkDan]

if it's an ongoing problem you may be serving backwards...one way will tighten, the other way will loosen your serving while being shot.

Basically the way I remember is to serve INTO the shelf/sitewindow, not into the backside of the sitewindow.  SO if the bow is verticle and you're serving for a right handed guy you'll be serving clockwise as viewed from above.  I cant remember one that's come loose in a long time now.

[Canadian Idle]

you should always serve in the same direction as the string is twisted. If the string is twisted clockwise (looking at it from either end of the bow)the serving should be put on wound clockwise, that way when you twist the string to take up some of the stretch, you are actually tightening the serving. And because strings seem to always stretch, you will always be tightening the serving. ,...Lloyd

[Want2no]

I had enough material left to re-wrap the serving tied it off and super glued it.  Seems to be okay.  I found a pictorial in the How-to's that showed the tie off technique.

Thanks for the advice