Bow strings

What moves the arrow - The bow shooting is as demanding as fascinating a sport and success in archery depends on different conditions. In addition to the shooter's talent, the use of sports equipment perfectly tailored to the shooter also makes a decisive role.

The right bow string is a crucial element in this process. It transmits the force of the limbs to the arrow and finally transports it with precision to the target. Therefore the handling of the bow string should also be taught.

Standard Strings

Special Strings for Bows

Strings & Cables for Compound bows

Threads & Servings

String Making

String Maintenance

Maintaining the bow string - you should pay attention to that

Relax your bow once you have used it.
Protect your bow from heat, especially in the car, it can get very hot in summer and damage the string.
Regularly wax the bow string and immediately replace a brittle string. A damaged string is not only dangerous for the shooter and his bow but also has a negative effect on the hit pattern.
Pay attention to the center winding, in case of defects it must be replaced.
Check the height of the string regularly. The height of the string can decrease over time.

A bow string is made from one thread, whereby several strands first form the string. The number of strands is determined by the strength of the bow, so a bow with up to 45 pounds draw weight usually uses a string with 14 strands and a bow with up to 55 pounds uses a 16-strand string.

Differences in bow strings

There are two types of strings - the endless string and the spliced string. With the endless string, a single strand is wrapped around two rods until the string has the desired strength. The spliced string, also called Flemish splice, is made from several intertwined strands. The loops ("little ears") at the respective end of the string are created by splicing in the string.

Our ancestors used vegetable fibres (nettle, flax, hemp, ramie, cotton, kapok, bamboo) or animal components (animal string, intestine, rawhide, hair) for the production of bow strings. History has it that in the early Middle Ages Mongolian reflex bows (composite bows) often had bow strings made of twisted walrus skin. The Vikings later also preferred walrus skin on their longbows.

Nowadays bow strings are made of high-quality and extremely tear-resistant synthetic fibres, whereby two main quality categories can be distinguished for the string thread used - Dacron and Fast Flight. Strings made of Dacron stretch relatively strongly, therefore do not strain the limb as much and are preferred for cheaper bows. With high-quality bows and almost exclusively a Fast Flight string is used. Fast Flight strings stretch only minimally if at all. The string can only be stretched when it is hot.

Bow strings are reinforced in the middle part with a so-called middle winding. This prevents the string from being stressed too much, for example by hitting the armguard. In addition, the central winding prevents cutting into the fingers when pulling the string.

Bow strings at BSW-Archery

At BSW-Archery you will find a wide range of standard-, special strings and maintenance products. Would you like to build your own bow string? Also for this purpose our online shop offers a comprehensive selection of thread and winding of the brands BEARPAW, BROWNELL, BCY as well as accessories of the manufacturers BOHNING, CARTEL, AAE, BEITER, BEARPAW and SPIGARELLI required for the string making.