tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442926353799656210.post4684860247862320287..comments2023-03-19T06:34:03.172-07:00Comments on Warbow Trials: Warbow Strings vs. Draw WeightDagonet29http://www.blogger.com/profile/14244307527765254567noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442926353799656210.post-23390232291515754102011-04-06T09:16:46.570-07:002011-04-06T09:16:46.570-07:00Hello Kodhran!
After I posted last I went and boug...Hello Kodhran!<br />After I posted last I went and bought a new spool of Irish linen shoemaker's thread based on some suggestions by other string-makers (on-line forums). Much to my annoyance it tested worse than any of the linen I'd bought before. <br /><br />Since I was already in the mood for mucking about with strings I decided to pull out some silk I bought from India for tablet weaving. <br /><br />I had two: a 40d reeled filament silk and a 20/2 spun silk used primarily in carpet manufacture. <br /><br />To my surprise both tested much better than any of the linen I've used so far. Once more, the number of strands calculated to produce the strength of string I needed yielded a string which was actually TOO thin for my knocks; I had to use a thicker serving to compensate. <br /><br />With linen I sometimes have the opposite problem. I've often wondered how you'd make a string for a really heavy bow and still have it thin enough to fit period arrow-knock sizes. Likewise (unlike you) I shoot at a pretty light draw weight so I'm sensitive to anything that will tend to slow my arrows; I don't like a bulky heavy string. <br /><br />I did one string waxed and I hide-glued the other. In both cases, since I understand silk is far more prone to creep. I left them hanging under tension (weights) overnight to stretch. Both seem to be performing well though I haven't shot them all that much yet. <br /><br />Not sure at this point what benefit there is to gluing the string (stronger? less creep?). The end product is interesting, it's stiff like wire. It can still be coiled up but not too tightly. The glue adds a bit of weight as well. <br /><br />One interesting note - In both cases the silk strings are quite noisy and sometime continue to hum long after the arrow is gone.<br />Cheers,<br />LucreceLucrece de Montsoreauhttp://sevenstarwheel.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442926353799656210.post-91699785367966014712010-12-31T17:31:35.891-08:002010-12-31T17:31:35.891-08:00Totally true about wet linen! My linen string perf...Totally true about wet linen! My linen string performs just fine in the all-to-often rain that we have where I live. And the water does fling off after a few shots anyways.<br /><br />That is most intriguing about the string maker! I have heard man folks on forums mention a hide glue type of string keeping system. And of course the purpose of string wax today is to "bind any wee little fiber hairs together making the string stronger." So that would make sense that that was at least one purpose of the hide glue. <br /><br />I agree completely that modern harvesting methods take away from the effectiveness of flax. Many folks on the forums have harvested their own with significantly better results than machined thread. <br /><br />Strings have fascinated me since I picked up my first warbow in January 2010. Anyone can make a bow, but to make a worthy string takes special care and skill.<br /><br />p.s. I read your blog and noticed you are in the SCA, so am I! Kodhran Avgronndal from the Shire of Riversbend An Tir at your service!Dagonet29https://www.blogger.com/profile/14244307527765254567noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442926353799656210.post-35479887572450550852010-12-30T08:57:56.633-08:002010-12-30T08:57:56.633-08:00So, here’s some more string-things to think about....So, here’s some more string-things to think about. <br /><br />There is much lore surrounding archers keeping their strings dry. I’ve heard it said by some that this is because the string would become weak and stretchy if wet. Not so. Linen actual becomes stronger when wet. Perhaps the string might be heavier when wet…but I expect much of water would fling free in a shot or two. So then why?<br /><br />I will have to go in search of the source, but I recall reading a complaint (possibly a Victorian era source) that good strings could no longer be had as the best string maker had died taking his recipes (for some kind of glue or sizing used on the strings) to the grave with him.<br /><br />I believe, and I’m not alone, that medieval strings may have been treated with a glue/sizing as well. Sir John Smythe in 1591 writes of “water-glewe” used on strings. <br /><br />Now, I’ve done some glue research for other reasons and have not come across another contemporary reference to water-glewe . I think he might be talking about hide glue of some kind.<br /><br />This would make sense since hide glues will re-wet – creating a need to keep the string dry. It may be that such a glue applied to the string would bind any wee little fibers hairs together making the string stronger. <br /><br />There seems to be lots of people making linen strings but I’ve yet to see anyone experiment with glues (would love to hear from someone who is!). <br /><br />Likewise, flax/linen has a very long staple fiber (contrary to what some have written in relation to bowstrings) but the staple length of fiber is reduced by modern harvesting methods (breakage). It would be worth trying to produce flax fiber from scratch. Flax harvested and carefully retted and spun by hand (especially if wet spun which produces very strong smooth threads) might well be quite a bit stronger.<br /><br />Thanks for posting this – been ages since I thought about strings!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com