How to make a string for a crossbow or bow from a wire rope?

I, as always, make my next homemade crossbow from fiberglass reinforcement. And it's time to make a string. The crossbow was made very powerful and an ordinary string of threads would simply break. I have already made such a bowstring for my leaf spring crossbow, but today I want to show you on video. The manufacturing process is very simple. All you need is a wire rope, pliers, a sleeve anchor and, for beauty, a heat shrink tube. That's all.

[@Dragon_Worx]

Just out of general curiosity, i can see that the eye you make will work very well up to a certain point. i would guarantee for high power draws it will fail as the way you basically make the eye, it doesnt choke itself. Why not splice it the same way you would splice a steel wire rope for heavy duty applications. The splice in itself will choke harder around itself the harder you draw on it. Whats the practicallity if you should splice? How will it perform if you compare it to this eye you made?

[@rickace132]

I tried this one a little over 10 years ago for my pistol crossbow. I thought it would work. I was wrong. First shot, it snapped. I was shocked cause I thought it would hold up.

[@bowfun]

I don't know what went wrong with you. I already have it on many crossbows

[@sasasasa-lx6cl]

Nope, steel cable is no good. Astroflight in classic endless loop works great. I have it on steel prods (300-550 lbs), performs well, no stretch

[@kotkrinik]

Metal is a disgusting bowstring material! It's heavy and stretches a lot! Use special materials: fastflight, dacron, dyneema, lavsan. They are much lighter, do not stretch and are very tear-resistant.

[@bowfun]

Harder than a metal cable?

[@kotkrinik]

@@bowfun stronger to tear-off

[@bowfun]

@@kotkrinik something I very much doubt that with the same thickness of the bowstring, the cable will be weaker

[@bowfun]

@@kotkrinik I agree that the cable is very stretchy

[@kotkrinik]

@@bowfun nuf said. Just google it.

[@kylehughes5627]

You make the loop in the cable the hardest way possible .. you got the right idea you just do it terrible lol just split the damn cable in two strands .. and make a loop and wrap it back over on itself and it wraps up perfectly.... I don't know why you separated it in so many different strands

[@bowfun]

I do it the right way and this technology is used for large cables and reliability is the main indicator

[@kylehughes5627]

Lol I've been making loops on cables for 10+ years . For fall protection and guide wires .. you do it the hardest way possible . You can get the exact same outcome only so much easier .. but keep doing you bubba .. lol

[@antonio4463]

La idea es buena, e sido gruista de grandes tonelajes y cuando prohibieron los perrillos los hacíamos de forma parecida pero te veo un poco perdido 😢😂

[@Dragon_Worx]

@@kylehughes5627 Similar idea i have if you would acctually do a splice (what we call it / not sure what you guys will call it) But its where you weave the strands through one another going up and under while rotation the strands back around the bottom part of where you weave it in. Bit of a hassle to do it, but extremely strong and durable. We used it on lifting applications, when i still did that

[@mattrock78]

The standard crossbow rx7 cable is hard to find but snap easily. So this is a great idea to replace the cable.

[@bowfun]

Well, yes. The cable is very strong and should last a long time