Hand-made string = quieter bow?

[TJ Mason]

About a year ago, I started making my own strings, just out of cusiosity rather than any belief that I could make them better than the mass-produced ones I'd bought from Top Tox.

The bow I had -- W&W Toutall with Challenger Craft limbs -- had been very loud ever since I bought it. Limb Savers helped a little, but it was still far too loud.

Then I put my first hand-made string on the bow and...it quietened spectacularly. My sight marks went up as well, indicating that the energy that had been dissipating as noise was now going into the arrow.

I thought this might be a one-off, but recently I've made strings for a couple of other people and they've had exactly the same experiences.

Anyone else experienced this? Any ideas why a factory-made or shop-bought string should make the bow so much louder and less efficient than a hand-made one?

[buzz lite beer]

As all bow strings tend to be hand made you can't put it down to just that, An even tension of each strand around a jig is of paramount importance as loading is distributed equally, this will reduce noise considerably, I know if you use a string that is unevenly wound has the same effect of that of strings with broken strands in them (very inconsistent). Also the number of twists required to achieve optimal brace height can soften a harsh string, too few can lead to the strands parting as it is thrust forward, too many and you end up with the string buckling and kinking, so if you have got your string length right requiring 25-30 twists is what works best for me, this too will have a positive effect on your strings performance. Sounds like you are very proficient string maker, Form an orderly queue here for a TJ Mason bow string.

[Snarkhunter]

Originally Posted by buzz lite beer

Form an orderly queue here for a TJ Mason bow string.

Looks like your name has just changed from Mason to Stringer!

[KevinH]

I have seen ( heard ) big differences in bow noise with some of my more recent strings, but not with my earlier efforts. I'm still using the same materials, so I suspect the difference is down to how much care is taken while making the string.

Tim, you're clearly a natural and got it right from the start.

I have also found the advice in Simon Needham's book on endloop size held true and larger endloops = quieter string.

[TJ Mason]

Fluked it, more like.

That's a good explanation, Buzz. So if, say, four strands are tighter than the others, the string would act almost like a four-strand string when it initially hits full stretch, which would explain the noise. Cheers!

[geoffretired]

Our little club had a bid influx of beginners and they all bought new equipment.
Many of the bows were very noisy and it was down to the strings. Even the few well established archers have suffered with string noise recently and the materials do seems to play a part. Well done TJ for making your own. It is a satisfying feeling to produce such a vital part of the bow; plus there is the security of knowing you won't NEED another when the shops are shut!

[Archers-Rest]

Gonna agree here, in my recurve days, I brought a lovely string of a guy in our club, it felt much better to shoot with and was a lot quieter, he sells loads of em down our club now half the price aswell

[Meddler]

I find that the mass produced strngs generally have two huge lumps of serving where the loop comes round to the main body of the string, and they slap against the limbs and make noise.

The strings I make don't have the huge lump on the end, and they are a lot quieter.

[not dead yet]

they are not normally made by archers ..check the base of the loops....bought ones normally have a big knot. and far too much centre serving.

[Little Miss Purple]

All my strings have been hand made....by Neil at Aardvark...and as far as I'm aware, either he or Lez makes all the fastflight strings.