Number of strands

nbuuifx

Member
I need to get a string for a bow to test something out. The riser is 23" and the limbs are short 66" limbs. Firstly just to make sure, an I correct that I need a 64" string?

Secondly I like the reign strings so was going to go for one of those but the pre made Merlin ones only come in 20 strands. That seemed high to me but I don't really know!

The bow will be in the region of 15-22lbs. How many stands would be best? I can order a custom one, they just cost more and take longer to come!

If the 20 strand is ok, how do I know what size serving it will have? I need it to accept a small g nick but couldn't see anywhere that specified this.

Thanks
 

geoffretired

Supporter
Supporter
To get the length about right, I would use an old bow string and fit it loosely to your bow. By that I mean the bottom loop is in place and the top loop is a few inches down the top limb,as if about to be strung,under a little tension but not fitted into the top nocks. If that string is the right length it will be about 2.5" short of reaching the top nocks. If it is 3.5" from the top nocks, it is 1" too short, so get one an inch longer.... or whatever.
If you don't have a bow string, use a piece of string and make a loop at one end. Fit it to the bottom limb and pull it up towards the top limb nocks ,mark it at about 2.5" from the top nocks. From the mark to the end of the bottom loop is the length you need.
Strand count mostly depends on the nocks you use so that they fit nicely. With small nocks you would find a good seller would know which strings they sell that are served to take small nocks.
So, in your case you could ask for the string length you have sorted, from using the string I mentioned, and say it is for small g nocks. The serving they use and string count they have, will give you what you want.
 

jonUK76

Member
Secondly I like the reign strings so was going to go for one of those but the pre made Merlin ones only come in 20 strands. That seemed high to me but I don't really know!
I think the ones on Merlin are made from BCY 8190 which is a finer thread than some others. Really strand count on it's own is not very useful without knowing the material. As a guestimate I'd say 20 strands of 8190 is probably roughly similar to 16 of 8125, and can be built for large or small nocks depending on the serving material used. BTW I'm using a 20 strand 8190 string on my 39 lb (OTF) recurve at the moment, if I was going to order a custom string for a low poundage bow like you mention I'd probably get a lower strand count than that.
 
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