Thursday, August 18, 2016

It's been a few weeks now and I've made quite a few strings.  I've experimented with several methods of loop end making.  So, in this photo are three methods.  The one on the left: two-color loop.  The middle one: the method shown in Evans Performance Bowstrings (executed less-than-perfectly).  The one on the right: the method described in the Texas State Archery string making instructions.

The two-color method is definitely the most interesting looking and the most fun, but it results in large lumps of served string under the serving.  That's not an issue most of the time, but if you decide to put no-glove type devices on your string, you will destroy your serving.  I also don't like the multiple tag ends that can show.

The method in Evans Performance Bowstrings results in absolutely no bump of served string under the serving and is therefore very sleek, but it's very difficult to "weave" the transition at the base of the loop and have it look nice.  I suppose this improves with experience.  Plus, the tag ends are only visible at the very ends of the serving away from the loop, so a clean look.

The Texas State Archery method seems like a compromise between the two.  You get a bump from serving over some served string, but it's half as much as the two-color method.  You also get no visible tag ends on the loop, just one at the end of the serving if you do it right.  It's easier to do than either other method.

So, I think I'll probably be doing the Texas State Archery method for most bowstrings from now on.  It's clean, strong, minimal "bump", and quick.  Hard to argue with that!