What String Would You Recommend

Mountain Man · Post by **Mountain Man** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 9:18 pm

Hi all,

I'm headed off to the Carp Sportsman show on Sunday and I will be picking up a new string for my Exomag.

I've read a whole lot of posts regarding the different types of strings and have 2 questions:

1) What string would you recommend which will give me the longest serving life and which will need the least number of brace height adjustments?

2) Could you tell me if my point of impact will change (do I need to resight the bow) after adjusting the brace height? Normally, my shots are within 30 yards.

Thanks,

Mountain Man

sumner4991 · Post by **sumner4991** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 10:33 pm

You probably need to discuss the string issues with Boo . . .here is the link to his strings. Boo(Don) will be more than happy to discuss the fine details of the different choices in string.

http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/phpBB2 ... hp?t=18801

The string with the least stretch(less brace height adjustments) is the Excel. It also has the most speed and it feels pretty good. However, there is more of a risk of damage to the limbs if you dry fire the bow. The Excel, in my opinion is the most accurate too.

The serving wear is a totally different issue. Thus far, the Halo serving material is the best I've tested. It lasted almost double the BCY. Go with the Halo.

Brace height . . .make it a point to keep the brace height exactly the same. Adjust the string to your desired brace height and keep it there. However, if your string stretches during the hunt . . .it's only going to make a very small difference. I check the brace height before I start hunting/shooting and in most cases I don't need to adjust it again until the next day of hunting/shooting.

The different strings have different break in periods too. The Excel and Fast Flight have the quickest break in. The dacron stretches a little longer and takes a few more shots and a little more time. The dacron is more forgiving and shoots with a softer feel than the Excel and Fast Flight. And, the Dacron is a little slower.

It takes me about thirty days of being on the bow and 200 shots to get the string fully broken in.

Hope this helps . . .Scott

Normous · Post by **Normous** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 6:54 am

MM,
Email Boo (Don) with your particulars and he will make a fine string for you that will surpass any factory offering for sure.
Norm

sumner4991 · Post by **sumner4991** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 7:33 am

The Excel string is not dacron . . .at least it doesn't stretch like dacron. I've used and tested each of these strings . . .dacron, fast flight and excel. The excel stretches the least. The dacron stretches a good bit more than fast flight and excel. There isn't much difference in the stretching between the excel and the fast flight. That's where it's important for the string maker to get the length correct. I've never had any issues with my Boo strings.

GaryL · Post by **GaryL** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 8:04 am

jh45gun that excel not gonna stretch much and "Right now my brace height is just over two inches" is way too much BH in my book....

Some of the excel strings were too short from the get go

Have not tried a Boo string as yet only ComfyBears and man some stretch for a few shots and your set, picked up a couple fps with my newer set up. Best strings I have ever had at this time!!

I do want to check on the Halo string serving as what I got to look at this week it is strong and SUPER smooth, should slide down the rail a lot better and off the trigger with less wear. Most finger shooters are using the Halo for serving as its easy on the fingers (long bows, recurves)

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 8:09 am

The string I use requires the most adjustment for brace height - dacron. I use it because it's easiest on the limbs and the quietest. Serving will wear with similar results on any string, so that isn't a factor. Excal uses the same serving material on all their strings, so if you want something different you'll have to get a custom string made.

As for the dacron and stretchiness, let me make a hypothetical example to express my reasoning..........
You are going to make a bungee jump.
You are going to jump off a 100 foot bridge with a line tied around your ankle to stop your fall just before you hit the water.
You have two options in what kind of line to tie to your leg. A thin steel cable, or a heavy elastic cord.
Which would you choose?????
(in this example you represent your crossbow's limbs. the steel cable is a fastflight string, the elastic cord is a dacron string)

gad · Post by **gad** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 9:04 am

wabi wrote:The string I use requires the most adjustment for brace height - dacron. I use it because it's easiest on the limbs and the quietest. Serving will wear with similar results on any string, so that isn't a factor. Excal uses the same serving material on all their strings, so if you want something different you'll have to get a custom string made.

As for the dacron and stretchiness, let me make a hypothetical example to express my reasoning..........
You are going to make a bungee jump.
You are going to jump off a 100 foot bridge with a line tied around your ankle to stop your fall just before you hit the water.
You have two options in what kind of line to tie to your leg. A thin steel cable, or a heavy elastic cord.
Which would you choose?????
(in this example you represent your crossbow's limbs. the steel cable is a fastflight string, the elastic cord is a dacron string)

I do prefer the fastflight, but I always shoot my crossbows with the dissipator pads instaled on.

I see the difference in the limbs with the dissipator pads, on a day a buddy make two dryfires with his exocet 200, and nothing happened. (the dissipator pads was instaled). On another ocasion (that happened before), the limbs blow up (dissipator pads not instaled).

I think the dissipator pads makes really a huge difference in limbs preservation.

Shakky · Post by **Shakky** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 9:20 am

I have to agree about contacting Don (Boo). He is a great guy to deal with and his strings will last alot longer because of the serving material he uses. The last thing you need it to get the string all stretched in and your bow shooting the way you want it and then your serving is shot.

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 11:10 am

jh45gun wrote:Well now I am ticked I spent 26 bucks for a string I cannot use since it is too damn short and it will not stretch. Further more I was told that the Dacron strings that fit the carved tips will not fit the mag tips is this true or not? I am going to email Peter and see what he can do about this string issue. The only reason I ordered it was on the post that Bill posted that the excell string was the best to protect the limbs I now find out that was bad info. Actually I found out a week or so ago but it was too late I had ordered the string already and did not want to stick my dealer with it.

The dacron string can be used on any of the Excalibur bows - carved or mag-tip! The fastflight is for mag-tips only.
As for the excel/dacron I'm confused, too. I thought Excel was an endless loop fastflight type string. Excalibur says they are putting dacron strings in with all new bows now, but the advertising still says Excel comes with new bows??????
I'd say if the string is short it's probably dacron. It will eventually stretch to the right brace height, but I don't know why they make them so short. I'd rather have to adjust it a few more times than wait a month for it to adjust itself.

lisa · Post by **lisa** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 2:34 pm

i can´t go with the opinion that
how much a string material stretches has no impact in serving wear
because what i´v experienced is that the dacron material
leads to more serving separation during the setteling process
which is the most important factor for serving wear
and string damage.
But i have had servings last for 500 shots on my exocet 200 with a dacron string (serving and string made by my own)

lisa

sumner4991 · Post by **sumner4991** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 2:42 pm

jh45gun . . .throw the string on a serving jig and stretch it out that way. I can put up to 1000 pounds pressure on the string in my jig and stretch it out good. It will stretch that much . . .it's just a matter of time. Keep shooting or put it on a stretcher. I actually used my jig to pre-stretch a couple of dacron strings that came with my Exomax, worked great.

GaryL · Post by **GaryL** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 8:22 pm

My Excel string is a endless loop and it "DON'T STRETCH" other then the give when shooting. It was at 1 3/4" brace height when I purchased the Max and it was still at 1 3/4" brace height when I changed it two months later.

Jim, Bob be correct call Dan Miller and as bstout posted he surley will take care of ya!! nutten to get upset over fer sure

As for the MagTip limbs they can use any excalibur string out there with out damage. Note I stated Excalibur strings ....

As fer the Excals it's like Mr. Bill T. posted last year and again this year it is a put on and go shoot string, no worry about your brace height inless you want speed.

see following links:

http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/phpBB2 ... ht=#160895

Quote Bill T. "The reason we now ship bows with the dacron "Excel" type of string is simply because we have learned that the greatest likelihood of a dryfire is with new shooters who are out learning and excited about their new crossbow. The dacron string shoots a few FPS slower, but in return it makes a crossbow virtually bulletproof during a dryfire, and no damage will be done if you screw up. What it does is it stretches like a bungee cord on having the limbs slam forward on a dryfire, as opposed to a FFF string that is more like a steel cable. In my testing with a Max last year I could break string loops on occasion, but after many dacron "Excel" dryfires the limbs were fine. Bottom line, if you want the extra speed you'll pay with durability, so leave the dacron string on till you are past the steep part of the learning curve!"

http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/phpBB2 ... ht=#123280

Quote Bill T. "Welcome to the crossbow club! The string is purposefully a bit short and will stretch in after a while, it is fine the way it is. The strings are from our two different suppliers, and generally the short string, from Horizontal Archery, is built to the very short end of our tolerances, the long string is built by Stone Mountain Bowstrings to the long end of our tolerances. Either are great strings and point of impact won't noticeably change between them.......Bill"

I myself as stated above find the "will stretch in after awhile" too be off for me, however I do stand to be corected as the 2007 Excel string might be different then my 2006 Excel endless loop string.

To save grace here Mr. Bill T. sure is the man too know whats going on and with that Happy Hunting all ....

sumner4991 · Post by **sumner4991** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 2:01 pm

jh45gun . . .which string do you actually have. The Excalibur dacron string comes short becauses it stretches to the proper height in a short period of time. The Excel should not come to you short. If you are not sure, then ask your dealer which he ordered.

If you have the Excalibur dacron string, then all you need to do is shoot it and allow it to stretch. If you have the Excel string, then you need to take it back to your dealer and see what options he gives you.