Traditional Archery Strings

Kings and pharaohs prized their bows so highly that they were often buried with them. Our ancestors relied on them for survival. Even today, millions of people seek to own bows of the finest craftsmanship and materials, though their lives no longer depend on them. A bow is useless, however, without a bowstring -- and the type of string you will use could make or break your success as an archer. Serious archers need to know the advantages and disadvantages of the variety of strings available to make the best choice for their bow.

  1. Flemish Twist

    • Flemish twist refers to one of two main types of traditional bowstring methods. This is an old design that allows the string to be used on a variety of bows. A Flemish twist is created by twisting two or three strands of string multiple times. It has a more traditional appearance, but the overall string is bulkier than strings made with the endless-loop method. See the references for a tutorial on making a Flemish Twist bowstring.

    Endless Loop

    • The endless-loop method uses fewer twists and is the most common type of string-making method for compound bows. Also, it is the type of string most often seen on the bows of Olympic archers. Endless-loop strings have "served" ends, which consist of a separate piece of string wrapped around the looped ends of the bowstring. See references for a tutorial on making endless-loop strings.

    Dacron

    • String material is also an important consideration. When in doubt about which type to use, a safe choice for traditional bows is Dacron. Dacron strings are favored for use in long bows and recurve bows made of wood because they have more stretch than newer types of string. This makes them more suitable for bow limbs that are not reinforced with stronger modern materials such as fiberglass, aluminum or magnesium. The disadvantage of Dacron strings is that they require more maintenance. Dacron strings are also slightly thicker, which results in slightly slower arrow speeds.

    Fast Flight

    • Fast Flight strings have less tendency to stretch, giving them two advantages over Dacron: They are more durable, and they increase arrow speed. But less stretch is a negative factor when using Fast Flight strings for wood longbows, recurve bows and some older steel-cable-compound bows. Because there is less stretch in the string, more pressure is placed on the bow limbs, which could cause damage to the bow. Fast Flight strings should only be used on bows that have bow tips reinforced with fiberglass, or an aluminum/magnesium composite.

    Sinew

    • In past ages, animal sinew was used to make bowstrings. This is no longer practical -- however, there are types of imitation-sinew string available. Imitation sinew is primarily used for tying feathers, stitching leather and crafts projects. It is not ideal for use as competition bowstrings.