How to Apply serving on a Bow String and understand which direction serving should be applied

[@josephtreadlightly5686]

The orientation of the direction of the serving relative to the natural string twist is what I was looking for, forgot the whip stitch when I reset my brain after 10 years, thanks 😊

[@KerryVizio]

I ordered the NW Spinner combo (Emarld bobbin II server w/spinner)on 5/19/15. The spinner will hold Emerald or my Beiter server. Can't wait to give it a try. Thanks for all your time and hard work you have provided to all, Pat!!!

[@jeraldsimmons9775]

+KerryVizio47"122814 Where can you order the NW Spinner? I tried calling the person who made the Spinner ,could not make contact with him. I would love to have one. [e-mail].

[@HawaiiGoesFishing]

Nice demo of a whip stitch. Exactly what I was looking for! Thanks for taking the time to do this. BTW, here's what we use a string server for. We filmed this demo to show others how to make knotless "wind-on" leaders for big-game fishing. Blackwater braid-to-mono splice

[@toddandangelbrowning2920]

Great job, easy to follow your instructions. Thanks for posting.

[@monroechalakee5756]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge on this subject. Have a Blessed day!

[@h7oslo]

Very good, clear, and concise instruction. Thank you! rc

[@kerryh3d2012]

To Prevent Peep rotation serve opposite from the string twist direction. Example: standing at one end of string you see the twist are clockwise then your serving should go counter clockwise if serving from center of string toward that end.. I hope that makes sense?!? Or if serving from that toward center your serving should go clockwise since the string twist are ctr clockwise from end to center.YOUR VIDEO is great example of this!! Thank you and I want to get your nw spinner soon. It's probably the only spinner I don't have. Of the serving jigs I have the Bieter is definitely the best.

[@pmm422]

kerryh3d2012 I did the video to stop this exact kind of silly discussion. and the words "I hope that makes sense" It makes absolutely no difference if the string is twisted clockwise or counter clockwise (I agree clockwise is most common) The important thing is to do what I showed in the video ensure the thread tightens the down serving strands as you wrap around them. I believe It is illustrated perfectly in the video. So stop with the clockwise and counter clockwise stuff follow the simple rule outlined in the video and you'll minimize peep rotation and maximize stability.

[@IraTopp]

Just served my first long bow. Used 30lb test mono-filament fishing line, and the results look quite nice. Wondering what the proper length is. I figured 9" total, with the shelf at the 6" mark, giving me plenty of hand room. Thanks for the help.

[@pmm422]

Ira T Sorry it looks like I'm behind in my responses. 9" sounds about right and the use of monofilament was very common back in the 80's. It gives a nice slick surface for a smoother finger release. Most folks have stopped using it because when it fails it completely unwraps all at once making the string unusable. With the serving thread of today you can sometimes put a half dozen half hitches in the end to get you through your round.

[@alfonsocapone70]

Eccellente! Perfect demonstration,grazie!

[@davidcarpenter9232]

Yeah ,,, I can see how that's very important ... Thanks ,,, good tip 👍👍👍

[@davidcarpenter9232]

Yep ,,, that one thing is the difference between ... A beginner and a professional ... Well ??? excellent tip anyway ,,, thanks 👍👍👍 David

[@davidcarpenter9232]

Folks like your instruction ,,, well done ...

[@Vakilando]

Thank for the great Video and the information on your site. This makes perfect sense. But I still have a question. If I tighten the string afterwards, would'nt this loosen the serving? I'm totally new to this and just found your video because I found no good information here in germany. But on a well known site there was written "the serving should become more tight, when tightening the string": But they gave the same sirectiosn as you and I noticed that this contradicts the tightening. So the question is: Will tightening the string too much affect the serving stability?

[@pmm422]

OK this is really old question and so I apologize for that but perhaps others are having the same question. Typically on a compound bow string you are doing the actual serving a real high tension and with the string pre-twisted to the final length of the cable/string. So ideally you wouldn't be putting a lot of twists in the string after serviing. So "tightening the serving with twists is a bit antiquated. Honestly I think you are just as likely to remove twists as you are to add them. Now with a recurve string adding and subtracting twist is quite commonplace. So all I can say is that on my recurve strings I have not noticed a problem with the serving wraps becoming loose.

[@redflower801]

Thank you, I like your watch/ had one (couple) while i was in the Army. Question: would I wax the serving area as well as unserved string? if so should I redo the serving to wax the whole string again?

[@pmm422]

Sorry not sure what you meaning is with this statement "does it matter if you serve from top (wheel) to bottom, or vice versa?" what is important is that as you wrap the thread it tightens then twists beneath it.

[@frank3722]

Is that string twisted counterclockwise or is it clockwise and the camera is reversed? I was wondering why you served CCW. IT is to match how your string is twisted.

[@pmm422]

Hi Frank, Ya, it is Counter Clockwise but it doesn't matter it will work either way. The normal convention is clockwise but that is just a convention not a requirement. I get a lot of comments on that and thought man I should remake that video so everything conforms to the way people like to see it.

[@frank3722]

@@pmm422 no problem. In reading so many string making threads, I just wanted to make sure I understood things correctly. Yeah, it doesn’t matter which way to twist the string but I think it matters that you serve in the same direction you twist which is what you did. I use to cleft mixed up since the string looks like the colors go around a certain way and you need to think not about the direction they are twisting but what direction was the string twisted to make them look that way and serve in that direction. That seems to always be opposite the barber poll twist. Thanks for the video. Was very good and well appreciated

[@hambone950]

what about the tag from the beginning? do you just cut and melt down the same as you did on your finish tag?

[@pmm422]

Good catch, that was indeed an omission. Yes the starting tag is dealt with the same as the ending tag.

[@mannatuu]

Thanks for mentioning about direction . Most dont mention this at all ....

[@pmm422]

john kendall Thanks, I got tired of having to try and explain it on archery talk. Having a video is really the only good way to show it. The number of times I see this question in the forums now has mercifully gone way down. Thanks for the kind words and happy serving.

[@ScottPankhurst]

Pat Moore um... you're actually serving that string backwards. it's twisted anticlockwise if you look at it from the right hand end, so twist it up *undoes* the serving.

[@pmm422]

Scott Pankhurst Hi Scott I addressed this on the DIY archery talk forum and I will give the same answer here. I'm going to have to disagree, what I said in the video is absolutely correct. it makes absolutely no difference which way you twist your string so long as when you are serving you tighten the underlying strands as you wrap over them. If your serving isn't doing that, then you will get peep rotation and the string will start to curl almost the moment you take it off the stretcher. I have experimented with clockwise and counter clockwise and I am convinced that it makes no difference between clockwise or counter clockwise. I have read every single forum thread about thread serving direction both on the DIY forum and on the arrows and strings forum and dozens of the pro-builders have agreed and thanked me for the video. You are welcome to serve yours any way you want but my experience and a lot of other peoples experiences have pointed to the way I described it as being the way you will want to setup your build process to minimize peep rotation and string instability.

[@ScottPankhurst]

Pat Moore I agree the direction of twist doesn't matter, as long as the direction of the serving relative to it is correct. why your logic doesn't make sense to me is that you as you serve, you're always going to be twisting one end of the string and untwisting the other - there's nothing to be done about that. perhaps of interest - I've got a set of 60X strings here on one of my bows, and I've got a customer bow in the garage now with an older set of Ray Hart's strings on them, and they're both served as I think they should be. if you look at the Specialty Archery video for the Super Server, they also serve in this direction - the string is twisted clockwise from the right hand end, and they have the string rotating top towards the operator, which is the equivalent of the serving jig going over the top and away from the operator, and coming back towards them underneath.

[@pmm422]

Brad at 60X is one of the folks I consulted with for the video. You are getting all wrapped up on twists and direction and over the top vs under. This is why I made the video the one simple rule applies strand twists under the serving must get tighter. It really is that simple.

[@filosofodemierda]

What would you do if the string starts to "untwist"?

[@ppg2snowboard]

amazing job thanks

[@628Sheriff]

this may be a stupid question but what are you using to hold the bow string tight? I don't want to invest in a bunch of $ for a bow string jig. I don't plan on making my own strings but want to reserve strings where the serving is worn . thanks

[@pmm422]

+Don Harvey Hi Don if you click on my channel and then click on the video's tab you'll see several videos that show my string jig.

[@pmm422]

On the DIY forum of archery talk you'll find a thread called the comprehensive string building thread... Something to that affect. In that thread the authors show a jig that can be manufactured from parts purchased at home depot. Very cost effective and relatively easy to build.

[@rexfrost5246]

Thank you well explained.

[@adrian.r968]

Can the compound control cables be served without removing them ?

[@pmm422]

OK I know another really late answer. I'll assume you mean removing them from the bow. the Servings on a cable usually go right up to the post on the cam so generally speaking I would say no. I have however re-served the ends that aren't on the cam. If something happened and the knot loosened up or the serving got damaged on that end it can be temporarily retied. It is hardly ideal but in a pinch I have gotten through a hunt retying the serving.

[@Lucky13Twice]

Isn't there a way to determine which way to wrap the serving at the beginning?

[@pmm422]

Sure once you've done one document it. :-)

[@gabornagy25]

thank you the video is very useful

[@pmm422]

Oh, I understand no it doesn't matter where you start. Middle out top to bottom 0r bottom to top... totally your choice.

[@georgemetcalf7666]

Student support *thats me