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Does B55 ever stop stretching?

Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 4:34 pm
by Longbowfanatic
Hi everyone,
I need to solicit the advice from all you fine folks. I have been shooting a B55 string out of my Robertson recurve and recently tried a Fast Flight Plus string. I like that the FF doesn't stretch, but the bow is very loud without silencers. The B55 is considerably more quiet, also without silencers, but continues to stretch. So is there a point where the B55 will settle in and not stretch, or at least only stretch a small amount over time?

Thanks in advance for your insights!

Re: Does B55 ever stop stretching?

Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 6:15 pm
by Carpdaddy
Never used the B55 but I would say yes since the B50 finally does. Or at least stretchs much slower.

Re: Does B55 ever stop stretching?

Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 7:10 pm
by Captainkirk
I would think so. Have you tried applying string wax and rubbing it into the string with a piece of leather (enough to get the wax hot enough to melt via friction?) I read where this is the point where a new string stops stretching. Of course, they were referring to B50, but it should be the same I would think?
Is this an endless or Flemish twist string?

Re: Does B55 ever stop stretching?

Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 7:15 pm
by Shadowhntr
Unsure. I can say that I've had D-10 to stretch constantly. Unstring it, it would be at 6 5/8" BH. String it up again next day...it would be 6 7/8". As I'd shoot it, it would go back down. However if I left it strung longer then normal whether shooting or not....it would continue to fall off even lower. Constantly moving.
I'm really liking this endless loop on my Toelke. I will also say it can depend on the string maker too.

Re: Does B55 ever stop stretching?

Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 8:28 pm
by Graps
What you are experiencing is creep .
The string was probably made without back laying before the final lay of the bundles .
This is a pet peeve of mine . It seems like most string makers skip this step because it's faster to make a string with straight out laying the bundles .
The technique has been lost because the new way has been taught and passed on .
Captiankirk has a B55 string I made for him a couple years ago and he can't tell the difference between it and Fast Flight .
You can get away with the straight twist of the bundles with Fast Flight because it will grip itself better than Dacron .

Re: Does B55 ever stop stretching?

Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 8:33 pm
by Captainkirk
graps wrote: Captiankirk has a B55 string I made for him a couple years ago and he can't tell the difference between it and Fast Flight .
.
That is correct. The string Dale made me shows no noticeable POI change from FF, although both hit higher than the endless loop the bow came with.

Re: Does B55 ever stop stretching?

Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 8:56 pm
by Longtrad
Anyone else notice b50 loosing some oomph in real hot weather?

Re: Does B55 ever stop stretching?

Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 9:03 pm
by Captainkirk
Define "real hot"...

I will say I notice a heck of a diff between FF and B50, both in speed and in felt hand shock (quite a bit more!) I actually prefer the Dacron string over the FF; both for the hand shock issues, and because it feels more forgiving...like the difference between rope and steel cable, if that makes sense. Plus, my Sage is the only bow that can use Fast Flight string.

Re: Does B55 ever stop stretching?

Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 9:39 pm
by Longtrad
95 100 degree days

Re: Does B55 ever stop stretching?

Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2017 3:42 am
by Longbowfanatic
Captainkirk wrote:I would think so. Have you tried applying string wax and rubbing it into the string with a piece of leather (enough to get the wax hot enough to melt via friction?) I read where this is the point where a new string stops stretching. Of course, they were referring to B50, but it should be the same I would think?
Is this an endless or Flemish twist string?
Kirk,
I haven't tried that yet. I'm going to put another 50-75 arrows through this string again today and evaluate the stretch. This is a flemish twist string. A buddy of mine told me that b55 is supposed to creep less than b50. Now that I know b50 will stop stretching, I bet the b55 will settle too.