FF or B-50 Which is best for a Hill bow ?

[LongStick64]

Thanks Rob, we may differ in taste but I appreciate the education.

[Rob DiStefano]

like yer bossonian sig line, peter!


We'll drink all together
To the gray goose feather
And the land where the gray goose flew.

[LongStick64]

Thanks Rob, now if I could win one of Mudd's Robin Hood hats, I'll be ready to start my quest (whatever that means). And of course the new Howard Hill Robin Hood longbow.........have to do some selling before Mama allows that.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by LongStick64:
Thanks Rob, now if I could win one of Mudd's Robin Hood hats, I'll be ready to start my quest (whatever that means). And of course the new Howard Hill Robin Hood longbow.........have to do some selling before Mama allows that.

:D      

[Hatrick]

Chad, Rob, and Lee are right on and that's experience talking.

I will say this, and in my own humble opinion, modern string materials have done more to enhance stick bow performance than any new limb design or limb materials. I know that's saying an awful lot and I don't mind being flamed for it but I've owned and shot a lot of bows over the years. I've built bows, repaired and refinished them. I've got a slew of bows built in the 60's that when you put a modern low stretch string on them they become a totally different feeling bow. I don't care if you say more speed, less hand shock, quieter, or whatever. The bottom line is simply performance. If you take that Hill with a B-50 CHEVY string on it and replace it with a D-97 or other low stretch material you'll think you have a MERCEDES all of a sudden. Again, just MHO but that doesn't just come from reading and listening to others.

As far as a "well built" low stretch hurting the bow anymore than a B-50 string, I haven't seen it.

[bsv]

How do ya know how many strands per lbs?
Burt

[LBR]

Burt, that can be a "trick" question.

Some bowyers have a strand minimum, at least for the loops.  

The string material manufacturers have a suggested minimum, but IMO their suggestions are overkill.

Then you have breaking strength per strand...but you have to keep in mind it's static breaking strength, not shock load.  For instance, a 5 strand Dynaflight '97 string has a rated (static) strength of 625# (125# test per strand).  Sounds impressive, but you wouldn't catch me with it on any of my bows.

IMO, barely enough isn't enough.  If I go hunting in really cold weather, I don't want just enough clothes on to keep me from freezing to death--I want to be comfortable.  I don't want to wear boots I can just barely squeeze my feet into--I want them to fit.  But that's just me.

Short answer, you can go by someone's recommendation, or you can experiment to see what works best for you.

[Wannabe1]

You know, if you go to the Howard Hill website, under Price List/Longbow Accessories, you will see that Craig sells FF strings for his bows.  

[LBR]

Not to stir the pot, but one of the bowyers I mentioned earlier--the one that said flemish strings are "less accurate and dangerous"--has been known to send his bows out with a flemish string..........    

Point being, Mr. Eakin might sell them even though he doesn't recommend them.  I don't know, it's just a possibility.

[Lee Robinson .]

Originally posted by Rob DiStefano:
more myths that require dispelling.

you grip the center serving and not the bowstring fiber itself.  and since the center serving needs to best fit the nock's throat - not too loose and never tight - it'll be thicker (via either larger diameter serving and/or padding) and thus it ain't gonna feel any different from a normally "fat" bowstring. [/QB]

Some string makers don't pad the serving, but leave it up to the archer to use dental floss to build up the nock area. Although either method will work, I seem to be like you, and personally prefer to build up the serving.

[George Vernon]

I think there is one area of measurable difference between dacron and hmpe strings I did not see posted.  HMPE fibers are a tad bit more abrasive than dacron.  Coupled with their smaller diameter, they can cut or abraid the string nock area of limb tips more than their dacron counter parts.  The bow damage I have seen most often is tip laminations are 'blown' off when using skinny hmpe strings.  Many have interpreted this as the limb tips needing special reinforcement.  So some feel extra micarta or other materials must be added to the limb tips to make the bow 'fast flight' compatible.  I think the simpler explaination is pad the loops (flemish or continuous)especially if you want to use strings with very few strands, and any bow can handle the newer materials.  Folks like Steve Turay at Northern Mist have been doing this for years and having great results.

[Hatrick]

Good point, George. I believe Steve uses a 9 strand D-97 on all of his bows including some of his Classic and Shelton's that have only tip wedges between the lams and no tip overlays at all.

My Yew fiberglass Hill blank tillered to match my Schulz has no damage to the nocks or the tips after thousands of shots with the padded fast flight.  It does not have micarta tips and the string groves are cam shaped like my Schulz bows.  I keep checking for signs of wear, but so far no problems.

[Rob DiStefano]

any hmpe concerns about abrasion are dismissed by padding flemish loops and is never an issue with endless since the loops are served.

[Looper]

I use one of SBD's 8 strand FF strings on my Hill Halfbreed.  It is quieter than the with the B50 string on it,is a little faster, and I don't get arm slap with it.  The loops are padded, so there's no chance of damaging the tips.  I do shoot a very heavy (14 gpp)so the bow is very, very quiet.  I can't imagine how it would shorten the life of the bow.

I know some folks would say that its not the way to go, but I don't see a down side.

[SteveL]

What Scattershot says.

I asked Craig the exact question and though he will tell you it will shorten the life of the bow, you will not get an answer by how much. I've shot FF type materials on my Hills for years now with no problem whatsoever. So I guess it's a matter of degree. I mean so what if I can only get 200,000 shots instead of 250,000. There is hardly a more bullet proof bow than a Hill.

I find that FF has several advantages over B50. Crisper feel at the shot, reduced wrist slap and a tad more speed. Dan Quillian wrote a very informative article in "Instinctive Archer" on the subject of bowstrings. See the Fall of 1997 issue, page 22.

Steve

[Ralphie]

Steve L
Would happen to know where I might obtain a copy of the Instinctive Archer article you mention?the magazine's archive is empty.
thanks
Ralphie

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by Ralphie:
Steve L
Would happen to know where I might obtain a copy of the Instinctive Archer article you mention?the magazine's archive is empty.
thanks
Ralphie

why, right here, of course!    :D  

IAM CD

[Ralphie]

Thank you !