String twist test

[artcher1]

I brought this topic up in another thread so I figured I'd expand on it a little bit. I've noticed about 80-90% of all Flemish strings are constructed counter clock-wise. I build mine in reverse or clock-wise because the string material is twisted like that. It was suggested that I do some testing to see if there is indeed a difference between CCW or CW twisted string. Here's my results making two 64" B-55 Flemish twist strings, one clock-wise and the other counter clock-wise.

CW: 40 twist/first bracing 6 1/2". Bow depressed over my thighs to stretch out the string. Brace height now 5 3/4". One hour strung 5 5/8"

CCW: 40 twist/first bracing 4 1/8"- 30 more twist 4 1/2"-and then 40 more twist, brace is now 5 5/8". 20 more twist takes the brace height to 6 3/16". Bow depressed over the thighs to stretch out the string. Brace height is now back down to 5 3/8". One hour strung 5 1/4".

Conclusion: If my math is correct, it takes an additional 90 or more twist in a CCW string compared to a CW string of the same length. Performance wise between the different twist, can't test that myself, I can no longer draw a bow...…….Art

[PEARL DRUMS]

Dang Artsy! That is a great experiment and answers a few questions. I use all low stretch string material and they don't creep more than an 1/8-or 1/4" max, I am a CCW maker, that 80-90% you mentioned. That being said, anybody that uses B50/55 should start twisting the other way based off what I read above.

[artcher1]

Pearly, I was wanting to do the test with some low stretch material as well but I'm out of the stuff. Hey, how about you try a CW with the low stretch material you have? Would be interesting to know...….Art

[bradsmith2010]

Nice thanks for sharing

[DC]

If I'm following you doesn't that also mean that with a CCW twist you could start with less(shorter) strands and end up with a lighter string?

[artcher1]

Yep!

I'm thinking I've have to shorten the CCW string up by 1 1/2" to 2" to maintain the same amount of twist as the CW string. But still, I believe the benefit of that would be off-set by additional unwinding of the individual strands as the bow is put under a load/drawn.....Art

[DC]

I've just run out of FF so I can't look at it but I don't remember it having any twist. I just looked at the D97 I got and it has a CW twist. I'm thinking the way to do this is to untwist it it before you start. I'm a lefty so I twist CW.

[artcher1]

I was thinking the same thing DC. I disassembled/untwisted a strand of B-50 one time and it grew 3/16" in 16". May be less for low stretch material. I'm a righty and it's a whole lot more natural for me to twist CW..…..Art

[bradsmith2010]

so does one string weigh more than the other

[artcher1]

Right now both strings weigh the same Brad. CW string has 40 twist and the CCW string is twisted about as tight as you can twist one. Shorten up the CCW string an 1" or 2" to achieve a 40 twist string, and yes, it would weigh less compared to the CW twisted string.

Personally, I would rather have a little heavier string that gets taut as it's being twisted up vs one where the strands relax as it's being twisted up...….Art

[High-Desert]

In order to conclude anything, this would need to be repeated many more times. My guess why strings are 80-90% CCW is because the population is mostly right handed, so most of us would construct the string in that manner. I wouldn’t think twisting a material in the opposite direction would have any affect on it strength. Not saying it not worth more testing, definitely an interesting observation.

[bradsmith2010]

well just the weight difference,, is interesting,,

[artcher1]

I agree HD, it's not a strength issue at all. More of a question of a "more taut string vs a less taut string" and if it has any performance value. Seems like it would...…....Art

[DC]

From a speed point of view I've always thought that less twists is better. More twist would introduce more stretch. I'm talking about the bouncy kind of stretch that recovers immediately. I try and keep my strings down to less than 1 twist per inch.
While we're talking/typing does anyone have some FF at hand? Can you look and see if it has any twist right off the roll?

[Mesophilic]

In order to conclude anything, this would need to be repeated many more times. My guess why strings are 80-90% CCW is because the population is mostly right handed, so most of us would construct the string in that manner. I wouldn’t think twisting a material in the opposite direction would have any affect on it strength. Not saying it not worth more testing, definitely an interesting observation.

I agree. I think it would be interesting to have right and left handed people repeat the experiment and see if there's a correlation to the dominant hand.