String weight

little_john

New member
I've been looking at the weight of my bow string as part of a general tuning review. I've been advised that for a 66" bow I should be looking for a string weight of 90-105 grains. My current 14-strand FF2000 weighs in at 107gn before I add the 5gn kisser. My older 16-strand FF weighs 103gn. What I was thinking of doing is to go for a 14-strand FF string to get the wight down. FF has a breaking strain of 95lb/strand, so for a 40lb draw-weight I should be OK? Comments please.
 

JohnK

Well-known member
I've never heard of anyone weighing strings to get a match, let alone recommending the number of strands based on the bow length.

For FF and 40lbs you're looking at an 18 strand FF string as standard, maybe a 16 if you wanted to gain a small amount of speed. You don't want to go too low: a lady archer I knew was shooting a 12-strand string with poundage in the mid-thirties, and her bow was very loud. When she stepped up to a 16 strand all those problems went away.
 

Badger

New member
little_john said:
I've been looking at the weight of my bow string as part of a general tuning review. I've been advised that for a 66" bow I should be looking for a string weight of 90-105 grains. My current 14-strand FF2000 weighs in at 107gn before I add the 5gn kisser. My older 16-strand FF weighs 103gn. What I was thinking of doing is to go for a 14-strand FF string to get the wight down. FF has a breaking strain of 95lb/strand, so for a 40lb draw-weight I should be OK? Comments please.
If you want to get the weight down try a 10 strand Premium 450
Superb string material and less creep than Fastflite
 

Rik

Supporter
Supporter
little_john said:
I've been looking at the weight of my bow string as part of a general tuning review. I've been advised that for a 66" bow I should be looking for a string weight of 90-105 grains. My current 14-strand FF2000 weighs in at 107gn before I add the 5gn kisser. My older 16-strand FF weighs 103gn. What I was thinking of doing is to go for a 14-strand FF string to get the wight down. FF has a breaking strain of 95lb/strand, so for a 40lb draw-weight I should be OK? Comments please.
90-105 grains? With or without serving? With or without nocking points? What difference does it make, so long as the arrows tune...? A thinner string may be harder on your fingers.
 

tel

Active member
Fonz Awardee
I know little of the science of all this, but I have to say that if it comes down to the weight of the string improving my scores then lifes too short - I'll get a gun.
 

sky_high30

The American
Fonz Awardee
Ironman
American Shoot
I'm with Shirt. Get a string, Fit knocking point, Shoot. Few thousand shots later, repeat.
 

Medoc

Member
Ironman
Shirt said:
You're thinking too much, just shoot the damn thing.

Maybe if you are looking for the edge to win the Olympics string weight is important, but as Shirt says................................
 

little_john

New member
Thanks

After 10 years of archery, many 1000 arrows and several bows, I am trying to squeeze the last few points out of my recurve. String weight does affect arrow spine. Try adding brass knocking points and kissers. Also try reading a recent tuning guide, such as Cockrell's 'Handbook for modern recurve tuning'. Maybe I won't make it to the Olympics, but I can try and enjoy the journey.

Let's leave this one here.
 
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