Bow strings?

[drowso]

If you've made your own bow, what would you recommend using as a bow string? I've been thinking about some of the strands from inside paracord?

 

[David Morningstar]

Nope, that is much too stretchy. You dont have a consistent brace height at all. Brownells B50 is a common choice, Somac or Barbour linen thread is a natural material option.

 

[dwardo]

Nope, that is much too stretchy. You dont have a consistent brace height at all. Brownells B50 is a common choice, Somac or Barbour linen thread is a natural material option.

Seconded. B50 is just over a tenner for a spool and will make a bucket load of strings. Buying them in gets expensive as you start making more bows.
I have tried linen strings but they wear fast and its harder and harder to buy decent quality linen these days.

 

[mrcharly]

Baling twine

 

[Wayne]

Remember if your bow string fails there is a good chance you can kiss goodbye to your bow.

I generally use 8 stands of dacron B50 giving a breaking strain of 400lbs.

I also make Bow strings out of linen and hemp.

Nettle can also make an acceptable bow string if you have the time to prepare it properly.

 

[marcelxl]

Seconded. B50 is just over a tenner for a spool and will make a bucket load of strings. Buying them in gets expensive as you start making more bows.
I have tried linen strings but they wear fast and its harder and harder to buy decent quality linen these days.

What he said!

I'm on with the Flemish Twist strings, a bit more work but you can make your own jig and not the expensive options of the endless loop jigs (cheap ones aren't worth a poop) Flemish look prettier too, give that a coat of looking at

 

[woof]

Interesting one, would dental floss(multiple strands)be any good ?

Rob

 

[dwardo]

Interesting one, would dental floss(multiple strands)be any good ?

Rob

I seem to remember someone trying. I think it would take a lot of strands to be sure of breaking strain and probably end up costing more than a bit of dacron.

 

[marcelxl]

Dacron is cheap.......... start playing with fastflights and lots of pretty colours, then it gets expensive!


You could even get a cheap ready made one if you know (and they actually make one in) the right length.

 

[franglais]

I usually use nylon string when making the kids Hazel bows, however last year I ran out one day but managed to find an old clothes line, the plastic coated steel type, the bow we made was for a twelve year old so it was a decent size, usually I test the bow by shooting towards the woods and the arrow always falls short of the trees, as soon as I pulled I knew it was going to be a flyer, but I was shocked at how far the arrow went, We never found it, I decided that having a group of kids running around with bows that could shoot like that might not be a good thing, had to head off to the shop for some string, the youngster was not happy when I changed strings. The downside to using this type of clothes line is that it's impossible to get a tidy loop.

 

[bowslayerjez]

Nettle can also make an acceptable bow string if you have the time to prepare it properly.

+1 I make my bow strings from nettle fibres. Great stuff. Especially now that they are everywhere.