String shrinkage???? PROBLEM SOLVED!!

[robtattoo]

Okay, now this is wierd.

I bought an 8 strand D97 string from SBD a couple of months back, to fit my 62" Cheyenne. Anyway, as it happens the day before the string arrived I had to send the bow back to Bob for a little fetting. I tried the string on my 62" Morrison ILF & it was perfect, however as tat was already set up & ready to go, I took the string off & kept a hold of it until I could get my bow back.

The Cheyenne came home to me on Saturday morning & I put the SBD string on her. Hmmm. Brace height is at 8-1/2" not 6-3/4 I took it off & untwisted it a little, put her back on & she settled in at 8". Took it off again & tried it on the ILF again....same thing! Now when I tried it out a few weeks ago I had the ILF braced at 6-3/4" as I usually do, I even took a couple of shots!

All I can thing is that somehow the string has shrunk! Is this possible? Has anyone else had this happen? I know the bow hasn't stretched as I can still interchange strings between the 2 bows.

Like I say.....wierd.

[lpcjon2]

Was it pre stretched, or did you store it in a overly warm place maybe?

[SHOOTO8S]

Rob....not weird at all and my biggest gripe with very low strand count strings. Even with my preferred 12 strand 8125 flemish strings, when I takedown the bow to travel(the longer the string is not under tension, the more it contracts)..when restrung brace generally is 3/8'' high for the first 30-40 shots. Of course I could compensate by taking out a few twists, but then after the first 30-40 shots, I would have to add twists.

[katman]

Glad to hear I am not the only one who has to let a skinny flemish string, 8 strand D97, stretch back out after being unstrung for a while. Now I know it is not my string making ability. Thanks Rod.

[LBR]

Yep--what Rod said.

Chad

[robtattoo]

What's the best way to re-stretch? I'm a little loathe to put it back on the bow & leave it braced that high for so long. I know that it shouldn't do the bow any harm at all, it just seems like the kind of thing I don't want to be doing! If it was only a 1/2" high or so I wouldn'tbe too concerned, but an inch & three quarters seems like a lot.

[frank bullitt]

Rob, can you post a pic of the string? I asume your are measuring from the same position on the riser?

1.75" is a big difference! I have had F.F. strings change due to humidity, and dry air changes like you would see in wood, but not to that extent.

You could leave it braced and even draw it back a few times every now and then, but that's a lot to stretch.

[LBR]

I don't know what would be the best way to re-stretch the string.  I have a jig made to stretch mine, but it wouldn't be worth the trouble for just a string here and there.

FWIW, I can stretch a low strand count string 2"-3" or so that will recover within a few minutes of being taken off the jig.  My jig does put a lot more pressure on them than any bow every will though.

Chad

[Pierre Lucas]

Rob,

If you could send the string back and I would like to take a look at it.  I will get you a new one right out.  I would like to measure and apply pressure just to see what happen.  That is a lot of contraction.  I have a digital scale on my jig and I can apply quite a bit of pressure.  

Let me know.

God Bless,   Pierre and Jean-Pierre

[frank bullitt]

Yeah Pierre, that's the response I was waiting for! I know I would want to see and check, myself.

Let us know the findings, please.

Good shootin, Steve

[joevan125]

Great thread i have had the same thing happen. Thanks for the input Rod.

[robtattoo]

Originally posted by Pierre Lucas:
Rob,

If you could send the string back and I would like to take a look at it.  I will get you a new one right out.  I would like to measure and apply pressure just to see what happen.  That is a lot of contraction.  I have a digital scale on my jig and I can apply quite a bit of pressure.  

Let me know.

God Bless,   Pierre and Jean-Pierre

Oh wow, thanks Pierre! Can you PM me your address & I'll get it back to you, I'm more than happy to buy a replacement. Just so you know, didn't post this as a complaint in any way. I'm totally happy with the string & the fact it's shrunk is no-ones fault but mine for not putting it on a bow!

[luvnlongbow]

I have also had this happen to me with a couple of strings. Tough not much. Brace has only been altered 1/8 to 3/8. Always goes back to original brace within a few shots.

[AkDan]

Chad,

I remember a coversation we had a few years back regarding someover stretched strings.....that they bounced back and ended up a LOT shorter.  I think that was about the time we were talking about making my jig.   Do you think this might be the culprit?

[Pierre Lucas]

Rob,

No, No, No, you are not going to pay for a new string.  This a great opportunity to learn from. I will let everyone know what we find out.

We keep order records on every string so we have hard copy of string specs when it was sent out.  Our strings are not pre-stretched in any way that it would alter the orginal length of the string that why it is so puzzling.

Rob,  I'll send you a PM with address.

Thanks and God Bless,  Pierre and Jean-Pierre

[robtattoo]

Righto, after a few PMs back & forth with Pierre (Who really is a very, very good guy to deal with) it turns out that, surprise surprise, I'm an idiot.

I've measured & re-measured the string & it's not shrunk one millimieter. My 62" bow ain't a 62" bow! I measured the bow & compared it with the ILF & it's 63"

All I can think is that the older riser I traded for earlier on in the year is a slightly different original geometry than the newer limbs that are fitted to it. I've checked it against both 62 & 64" bows & it's dead on halfway between.

Pierre & Jean-Pierre, please accept my sincerest apology for questioning your workmanship & my heartfelt thanks for helping out & your repeated offers of free replacements!

It's all Bob's fault......... :D

[Pierre Lucas]

Rob,


I think I'm going to cry.....No problem buddy.

 

Just let us know how we can help a great guy.

 

God Bless,    Pierre and Jean-Pierre