Flemish Twist Bowstring (Quick and Easy)

Bowstring material I use: www.shatterpro...
Making flemish twist bowstrings is easy and fun! This is a complete guide on how to make a flemish twist bowstring from start to finish.
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[@clivedunning4317]

The background music really pi$$ed me off. The video would have been ten times better without the annoying, background "interference" !

[@brucenovotny5924]

Man, I just love your videos. So informative, inspiring and full of great craftsmanship and practical knowledge/wisdom. A BIG thank you from 🇨🇦 . 🙂👍🇨🇦

[@helihandler]

BRILLIANT well done Sir!

[@SchwartzMonster]

You should check out the emberverse book series. I did on audiobook

[@johancantplay2171]

Finally i dont have to use guns to hunts those toddlers around my neighborhood the neighbors complain about the noise from guns so now i will use bows

[@TheSquiblitee]

Hey bud just wondering why you did not use that middle peg that's beside those bunches of pegs

[@StonedViper101]

That is literally there as a peg to hold your spool of bow string. I have made the same jig Kramer is using, and that 1 peg seems useless but it's handy at times

[@TheSquiblitee]

@@StonedViper101 not gonna lie i figured it out after i made mine haha... very handy !

[@benjaminmelikant3460]

I could NOT for the life of me figure out why my loop kept pulling loose, then you said you join the two colors together after the loop is formed to continue the twist, and it clicked. Thanks!

[@benjaminmelikant3460]

@@kramerammonsarchery is there a place I can send you a picture of the finished result? I'm actually kinda proud of my work for once :)

[@mastermaker666]

TBH the 'music' makes this harder to follow, and that would especially be the case for those whom English isn't their first/native language..

[@allthingssilver7635]

Do you back twist the bundle as a whole 20x or back twisting each color?

[@AlexCureske]

Each color

[@classixdrummer]

It occurs to me that the Flemish twist method has been used in rope making that goes back to way before there was a Flanders. Wonder how the name was arrived at?

[@carbon1255]

Just a modern name for it.

[@StonedViper101]

Yeah I realised this is how most hardware ropes are made too 😅

[@bigdeano4459]

I am SERIOUSLY thinking about a new hobby

[@한겨울-o6b]

1

[@thelonerider9693]

I owe an apology to Mrs. Anderson. I told her in the 9th grade I'd never need math skills for anything fun...

[@robertlombardo8437]

When you graduated high school, did you look her in the eye and tell her... "Goodbye. Misssssus Anderson."

[@Phuskooz]

I doubt she deserves the apology. It’s supposed to be on teachers to make learning fun and to teach whatever subject(s) as such.

[@andisocial6171]

@@robertlombardo8437😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@metalsuccattack]

don't think you need grade 9 math to do addition and multiplication

[@wigster600]

Cheers for the guide. Would recommend not throwing in so much sped up footage, makes it easier for us to follow the process.

[@thormidthagahast8914]

My kid has some even more dull scissors in her crayon box you could use if you like. Yours don't seem dull enough.

[@mitch9237]

I just served my self-made string for my self-made bow. I'll be putting arrows down range any day now! Thanks for the great videos.

[@tomaspuodziukynas5361]

Only self-made arrows are left. ;)

[@GreenGod]

But like how come a shoelace works literally just as well, I tested

[@mauricioruiz9021]

Quick and easy?! Imagine if this was long and complicated.....

[@joseantoniopineda8787]

Still confused with the back twist ://

[@jan-olofharnvall8760]

Kill the music!!!

[@graisonmiller9514]

I lost what this video was when you started saying numbers

[@franklafortune1345]

I love this comment!

[@JGooden762]

Your scissors are uncomfortably dull...

[@roberthausseriii4229]

I have done 4 strings so far off this video and all 4 have unraveled at one end when stringing bow...can someone please help me out?

[@evanonion4339]

You probably didn't do the untwisting right, not enough wax or something like that

[@CazSmith]

Music is too distracting.

[@henryprather7868]

Take a breath, slow down !! We are not pros. !!!!!!!

[@L0b0sc]

3:17 Finally I found the wisdom, that I have sought for a very long time.

[@lucamarialanza7319]

Really interesting! Please, could you make a video dedicated exclusively on how to make the nooses at the ends, possibly a little slower and more detailed? I think that's the most complex part of the whole procedure. Thank you in advance.

[@dukecatti5277]

Great videos but please the music !

[@HeartlandMakesAndOutdoors]

Nicely done on this video, the one thing I will say, it is nice to see when you are dong the serving on it at the ending looping the whole spool thought the end on the inside of the loop, I have been doing it that way for 30 plus years, not too many folks do that in their videos but i do believe over many years of doing this, you can almost get a whole other string served with the amount of waste most folks have after cutting the string first then doing the loop. Thanks again for sharing and i hope you have a blessed week. Dale

[@SEFullmetalJake]

Heartland Outdoor Living that’s interesting, I just made my first string before watching this video and I did just that, instead of cutting it like the person did in the video I watched. It just makes sense :)

[@StonedViper101]

I have been doing it the same way since I started string making. I just figured most people would do it that way to save wastage, because you want to make your spool last as long as possible

[@LeslieHickman]

My name is Sophia I am 13 I am trying to make my own bow and arrows I am having trouble with the string I thing maybe I should by the string at amizone

[@JoelWetzel]

You started by tying off your string but I'd have secured the jig; my OCD flared up when I saw it moving around your benchtop. Keep the content coming because it's good and interesting and educational. Peace.

[@CMCCCH]

I can't figure out the back twist, my string keeps unraveling

[@susu-wv8im]

ITS the same twist same direction

[@susu-wv8im]

If ITS what i think

[@LadybugAdventures]

Damn. Flemish is art. Seems more complicated than endless loop but they always look nicer. I use a serving jig to keep it tight.

[@thomvogan3397]

Clear as mud

[@marclipska1991]

Instead of adding back twist before making the second loop I double my Flemish twist in the first loop, straighten the strands, and then making the second loop pulls half the flimush twist from the first loop. Takes guessing out of the mix :)

[@fishhunter348]

Awesome idea!

[@GunsandRadios]

I made my first string it was 2” short not sure what I did but it came out ok. I think it has todo with the back twist I don’t get exactly what you are doing there.

[@manfredicamilleri6050]

Do you twist the strands in the same direction for both loops?

[@robogat_the_real]

Hi Kramer, this is Roberto from Italy. I wached some of your video and now I subscribed to your channel. All the video contains interesting tips and experiences, I'll take into account when will start to make my first bow. I just have a request regarding general video editing: please lower the volume of the music during the speech. Apart from my personal music preferences (I understand your use of loop jingle free from rights), it is annoying and make difficult to hear cleary what you say. Just that. Thank you. Cheers!

[@TacticalReview]

Your channel is an awesome resource!!! At least knowing the basics of bowyer-ing and bladesmithing are crucial for anyone thinking in terms of survival.

[@lancelot_captain]

Nice video, but please change the music...

[@leelandlagasse6517]

Why?

[@user-dd7fw8ox3c]

which direction do i twist the strings after i straightened them? also being left handed makes everything hard for me

[@kensiyaka2081]

id just reverse the twist, left side over the right , slow down the play back speed, just watch the twisting part again, through a mirror.

[@ForgeFireCustoms]

The music is very annoying and makes it difficult to understand your explanation of how the jig works.

[@thefeatheredfrontiersman8135]

This is kinda funny. I use waxed dental floss be (mostly) and recently stinging nettles, goose tendons, hemp, flax and yucca fibers. Have you ever heard of the overlap method? It's similar to the Flemish but doesn't use that lovely peg board of yours. My nots are different too. I figure nothing is approximate you need to adjust each individual bow. I really try not to rely on the tape measure too much and usually go by what feels right. Anyways it usually takes about 115 yards of dental floss for any of my bows. At most it costs 1$-2$. And it's available everywhere. I've had a d.f. string last 2 full seasons of shooting, brush and hunting. Give it a try!

[@bonsaivlaamseardennen2269]

Hello. I'm from flemish twist country Belgium, living in Flanders and speaking flemish. The traditional real flemish string was reinforced with a few short strands that were tapered in with the top loop (also at the bottom), and the string itself had to be 3ply since 2ply was considered inferior in medieval times. But, with modern string materials and the string itself not being fully twined (like the loop section) in the entire string, thats acceptable now. The flemish string commonly had a bowyers knot at the lower nock, not a loop. Once shot in, could well be that a second loop was split in, by opening up the twists, separating the plies on the end, and splitting in the plies backwards from where you want the loop. Now, I make my linnen strings, 3ply and 2 ply this way. Works great, even with heavy bows. My first ever linnen 3ply (9strands) still holds fine after hundreds of shots (67lb Elm selfbow). I dont use a jig, only a hook or even door knob. Takes about half an hour, but about 2hrs with a fully twined string. Fully twined gives a nice looking string too (like twined rope) a bit heavy but working great. Fully twined can be derived from early 16th C 'l'Art d'Archerie' (or The Art of Archery) where author described a string must look round and you should be able to clearly see the 3 separate plies when you untwine a string, and when letting go it should go back to a nice round string.

[@bonsaivlaamseardennen2269]

@@kramerammonsarchery I forgot to mention that in those days mostly hemp was used (or silk) and with the hemp they had to spin it themselves so they started out with much finer and longer yarn than you could get today, so a nice round string was better feasable than now. I start with 0,7 to 0,8mm linnen strands, in 3ply of 3strands so you can imagine that, even fully twined like with the loop, it looks round but not as round as you would get when you start off with fine yarn (hemp or silk).

[@kevincarter7102]

have you ever restored old bow's? an old recurve maybe ? point me in the right direction? my grandma was a bare bow champion and is in the archery hall of fame. her name is Theresa Carter. she left the bow to my father and he just passed away last saturday. the bow isn't very expensive because she was very poor. but it's still a family heirloom. I would like to make it look original and display it out of respect for family heritage. and also carry on the tradition of bare bow target shooting to my young son. I live in the Los Angeles area and could ship it to a trustworthy source. thank you for your time.

[@jaradhightower2477]

After watching this video I realized how grateful I am to have just ordered a string from you. Thanks for the video, but thank you more for just building my strings for me..

[@kensiyaka2081]

anyone ever make a bow string form the inners of 550 cord, im thinking emergency/backup bow string . endless loop would take what, close to 70ft?, i m guessing closer to 10ft for a flemish twist ( can spare 10ft of 550 cord) 550 cord has 7 core, so it would be a 14 strand ( or if not enough, a 7 strand) I picked up my for my ben person cougar 7050 bow at a gargae sale for $30, when i took it to get a string for it, the clerk told me i needed a 57" instead of 59" AMO 62"- ( new to archery and bought a 57" endless loop.)

[@nickkoenig5170]

So i am trying to do this for my first bow. However, the knot keeps undoing itself, any advice?

[@anyxtt]

I just use flex tape to hold my string on both ends

[@pyrobooze]

I am loving the Jig and the String making process! My fingers feel like the first time I learned to play guitar.

[@kensiyaka2081]

I would like to see a bow string made of 50# test spider wire fishing line.

[@JOHNMARTIN-zm6zz]

That would be stretchy.

[@johnfairchild1769]

That would be a quick ass string for sure I been shooting since I was 11 my brother and I would get my sisters potatoes and shoot them in air lol then peel them and make French fries those were the days

[@draven3838]

I was taught to twist my strings from one end to the other ,the way you started yours it works better when serving a string ,then do a tie back weaving the string back along the track of the other fibers ,now I also do this on my long bows using artificial sinew

[@schlend4]

I'm utterly confused..

[@forrestdaniels6382]

Can you do three ply bowstrings too?

[@ridetough]

Either theres a fatal flaw in your video, or I'm just an idiot. When i get to the second loop, after untwisting. I measure out my length then add half an inch, from there i only have another couple inches until the end of my shortest taper. I think other people complaining about the "unraveling" have this same problem. In your video, theres plenty of length left when you begin to make your second loop. WHAT IS MISSING?

[@Edgard422]

I think each loop should take 8 inches of strand, unless you took more than that on your first loop there should be no problem

[@aranha9365]

Would be good use pure bees wax for the string?

[@rhalfzanjoedicam8456]

Ammm what is better, thinner or broader string for crossbow???

[@wtfmrb293]

Now all this math made me sleepy. Taking a nap.

[@dukedenarie5858]

Would you redo the video with steps that make it possible for people who have never done this to follow?

[@Handles_AreStupid]

What part did you get stuck on? This is really straight forward stuff. Watch the video on 0.25x speed for the knots if you really need them.

[@aaronsymes7000]

@@Handles_AreStupid for example, maybe what type of "string" he used. Do you do the counter twist all the way down or just around the loops? there's probably more.

[@Handles_AreStupid]

@@aaronsymes7000 When making any cordage, you counter twist to create a counter force to your intended twist, because otherwise physics will equal out your unbalanced forces by untwisting your bow string. So yes, you twist all the way down. As for the material, he did mention it hundreds of times on the channel, but he uses a material called "dynema". It's an artificial fibre that is stronger than steel under tension, and is used for modern boat rope/cordage. A 3mm thick woven dynema strand will withstand 1000lbs of tension before snapping, hence why people use it for bows. Get single strand dynema and do as he does in the video (blend two groups of 6-8 strands). You can also use fishing line, btw, but it won't shoot as good, and will slightly slow the arrow down compared to dynema.

[@Kevin192291]

Not sure why, but these videos are relaxing to watch

[@andrewlong7658]

Can we use straight bees wax for string wax? We have bee hives so there's just lots of it available.

[@vonbalt4891]

Pure bee wax is the best if you have access to it

[@riyazpendar5938]

Thank you so much شكرا جزيلا زور سوپاس خیلی متشکر Tack så mycket

[@Porky186]

Awesome , ty kindly

[@yahoshua2527]

I learned from Clay Hayes how to make a Flemish twist string without a jig, and that knowledge will always be useful in a bind, but here lately I've been wanting to go into small business making strings and teaching bowyer knowledge and this has taught me a new level of professional development, thankyou

[@Caram0n]

top left to top center is NOT 5" (it's the hypotenuse of a triangle with sides 5" & 1.875" so it's 5.09"). Right?

[@nawell635]

Does anyone know what that type of rope is called?

[@StonedViper101]

It's called a Flemish Twist, lol

[@zmartkooky244]

Flemish twist bow strings have been made from hemp, flax, or linen for centuries. Today we use polyester. B50 Dacron is the trademarked mainstream item. I have used hemp and polyester.

[@zmartkooky244]

Y quítate esa cosa de la cara! Ni en la foto de perfil se quitan esa chingadera! No sabes que estás promoviendo cosas horribles al seguir con esa cosa?

[@StonedViper101]

@@zmartkooky244 I use BCY B55 Dacron and BCY 652, 100% Spectra (fastflight) for both endless loop and flemish twist

[@JustinSOMO]

@@zmartkooky244 😂😂😂 funny guy

[@Aethelvlad]

I for one understood this very well, and the math you included is infinitely helpful. Awesome video brother. I guess all of the high school drop outs found this video.

[@yahoshua2527]

Will the measurements for this work for recurve bows? I just made my jig and have yet to make a string with it, and was just wondering if I need to go shorter an inch for recurve

[@JOHNCornish-qv2hv]

I made a great B55 Flemish twist black on blue with your jig. Love the way it shot. Thank you.

[@susu-wv8im]

Can you ship to México ? If so do you have bows ? AND arrows?

[@yuurishibuya4797]

He teaches how to make awesome bows. Check his other videos. All you need is a place to dirty with wood shavings.

[@stevebaker3618]

Either not enough or too many backtwists. The 2 bundles should end up round and not look like 2 ropes twisted.

[@lazarratic5874]

what string did you use

[@kramerammonsarchery]

I think in this one probably B55:)

[@WhiteSandsMbuna]

B55 or b50

[@ethanuribe1475]

I’m lost in the math.

[@shirleyrowe9571]

What string do you use?

[@ronbird121]

but how do you make the string? do you use flax, nettle, horse hair or cat gut?

[@devinsimpson3622]

Hey man do you ever sell any of your bows you make? Iv been to your site and didn't see any.

[@tracker381]

I love these videos. It's great watching you progress through your willingness to make mistakes. I think your scissors are marvelous. I keep several pairs like that around. They get the job done...and they have never walk off.

[@pedrosartoridovale]

just finished my first string, made it in two colours, black and blue, but the blue string is bit longer then the black. when I twist the string in the end its kind get ok. is that a problem? Am I the only one with this problem??

[@benjaminmelikant3460]

from what I can tell, if the strings are different lengths before you twist everything up, that's okay. but if the strings are uneven in the loop or in the finished string, you have a problem. You don't want tension to be on one bundle more than the other

[@admulbricht]

Is there any particular serving material to use for the b55 Dacron Flemish twist bowstring? I'm seeing a lot of options and getting confused 😬 love your content! You're amazing! 💚💚💚 Keep at it!

[@hermanknief]

You can actually just use the same dacron b55 if you like, or you can specifically get serving string. Either will work. Just need to watch how think the string is to ensure your knocks will fit/release properly.

[@kevinorr328]

Does it matter much if you have two bundles or three?

[@imacheetah100]

Im so confused. He said the end length will be 41 inches but when he measured it at the end it was exactly 56 inches. How is the straight string and the twisted string the same size. What was the point of subtracting 17 inches in the start? Shouldnt you add a few inches since when you twist the strings they will get shorter?

[@StonedViper101]

When he said 41" he was referring to how the set up of the jig is made. How he came up with the measurements for the centre adjustable dow spots. the way he did his math, the first adjustable hole is 41" however the string he was making was not for 41" that was just to show you how he got the measurements for the adjustable dow

[@WetDoggo]

Ever tried to combine 652 and 8125?

[@stevebaker3618]

Zero reason to do - different diameter raw materials.

[@WetDoggo]

@@stevebaker3618 Not exactly Zero reason... experimentation is a reason ☺ and the different diameter is no problem

[@StonedViper101]

It would be impractical, as they have different characteristics, they stretch at different rates, so you would have a string where some strands come lose and the others stay tight due to different stretch. For instance, B55 Dacron stretches almost twice as much as BCY 652 (fastflight) so if you used green B55 and blue 652 strings, then after a few uses you will find that the green string (B55) would stretch more and become lose while the blue string (fastflight) would still be the same length you made it

[@jeevithasuresh5542]

Yes I tried it came nicely and very good😍🤩🤩

[@saggyX]

thank you my bowstring turned out amazing

[@WV591]

the key to a perfect flemish schlemish is the back twist after untwist.

[@btmccaskill]

That’s awesome!! You must have the patience of a saint!

[@sigmanarchery54]

Great job looks great thank you.

[@ashbutterworth7706]

Hi. What's the purpose of the single central peg at one end? It doesn't seem to be used.

[@ashbutterworth7706]

@@kramerammonsarchery Thank you. I have made one to your spec, added a grooved brass strip to cut against. Not had chance to use yet. Thanks for the tutorials.

[@joecoffee968]

What about the nock point?

[@redchaos71]

So for longbows you make the top loop 3 inch bottom 2 inch How long do you make the recurve loops?

[@DreadfulMeep]

I make my strings to fit and a BIT extra, just large enough to not choke the bow. Exact measurements never work in my eyes with bows, make it to what you need it

[@StonedViper101]

Kramer has done another Flemish Twist video, called Advanced Flemish Twist, and in that video he makes a string for a recurve

[@yahoshua2527]

Can anyone tell me if these measurements will be the same for a recurve

[@hermanknief]

String length is typically dependent on AMO bow length. Longbow strings are usually 3 inches shorter than AMO length, while recurve strings are usually 4 inches shorter.

[@ethanuribe1475]

Can someone help me with the math made.

[@livingchaosmatrix]

What kinda of string should be used? I might have not understood it when you said it, English is not my native language.

[@jasonsexton8869]

You'll be looking for B-55 Dacron bow string material. Comes in many colors. I'm sure there are other, but that's the one I know about.

[@livingchaosmatrix]

@@jasonsexton8869 Welp, I went with silk and some natural wax that had good reviews.

[@radebig69]

❤❤❤

[@bkbenelli]

Wow, what a great video! Always wondered what was special about the Flemish twist but never had the ambition to look into it. Also, get a new pair of scissors! Watching those dull baby scissors attempt to cut is painful! :-)

[@Docv400]

As is watching the Jig move around so much, clamp it down for f**** sake! ; ) Nice video, another thing to add to my 'Retirement to-do list'. Thanks

[@edrissemussa371]

What type of line do you use for the serving?

[@StonedViper101]

I use BCY Halo centre serving, and I'm pretty sure Kramer uses the same, either Halo or D97 I think

[@sephiroth1985102514]

You are awesome buddy.

[@JJ-ff5hp]

Will this work for a 45# compound bow?

[@jamescooper2618]

Only if you have teardrop cable ends.

[@GsyMoo]

Great vid 👍

[@aaahmadnasir8279]

Pokeee

[@tomekdavies9529]

What was the thread you used at the start?

[@StonedViper101]

BCY B55