Category Archives: String
All string information
Another 1000 Word Picture!
What happens to a string if it gets scuffed or slightly damaged in terms of properties?
We know the string will not go in the clients’ racquet, but how bad is it, really?
The chart below shows exactly what happens to each string until both fail. We can see precisely how the scuffing affects the string. Both strings behave nearly the same through the three (3) cycles to 50 pounds. We then see that the scuffed string gives up a little earlier than the clean string by about 15%.
So, what’s the Difference?
However, the failure force for both of these strings is very high! Only a handful of strings we have tested exhibit this tensile strength.
So we know this string would never be used in a client racquet, but you could certainly use it for some “experimentation!” And, of course, depending on how many and where the “rough” spots are you can cut that portion away!
A Picture is Worth a 1000 Words?
Yesterday @ the World Headquarters was full of interesting stringing! So we decided to do some testing of some of the strings that were just waiting to be broken!
The chosen strings are Ashaway MonoGut ZX Pro 17, Tecnifibre Triax 17, and Volkl V-Star 18—three totally different materials. Our purpose is to determine a string’s properties before it goes into a tennis racquet. Our testing quantifies these properties, and then the “feel” component comes from the player.
A 1000 Words?
We normally do not do more than two (2) overlays because it is a little messy, but these strings begged to be compared, so here it is!
Our Questron can cycle automatically, so the stop points are pretty precise. All strings are cycled from two (2) pounds to fifty (50) pounds and then until they fail or ultimate tensile strength (UTS).
In the Displacement axis (X), the shorter the distance in mm to 50 ponds, the stiffer the string. The straighter the line is to fail, the more consistent the feeling until failure.
The testing confirms that Tecnifibre Triax does contain some stiffer fibers. The other strings are monofilaments, so there are no fibers.
Racquet Quest uses a bunch of each of these strings for obvious reasons and, of course, depending on the player.
Pre-Stretching String…Why and How?
Every string we put into a tennis racquet is “pre-stretched”…not just sometimes but every time! This is an old post but worth seeing again I believe.
Why?
Pre-Stretching slows down the “creep” process that reduces string bed stiffness, (tension loss) and to feel what the string is doing while being stretched, and making some strings easier to handle during the stringing process. Some strings stretch a lot and some strings don’t. We can tell a lot about how the string should be handled (and the application) based on pre-stretching.
How?
Most stringing machines have a pre-stretch feature, including ours, however, we prefer the entire length method. All forty (40) feet of it! If you have a room, that is forty feet long, or a perfect outdoor spot use it!
The proper tools and proper technique make pre-stretching an easy and performance-enhancing procedure.
Parallel Plier
The object is to pull the string straight. The plier needs to grab the string as shown.
The arm and wrist should be in the neutral position as shown so the stress is on the string, not your body.
The other end of the string can be secured through a hole with a “starting clamp” as you will see below. These clamps are rated to hold 90 pounds so it is not in danger of letting loose!
Tree Hole
We probably hold the string at tension for 30 to 40 seconds after applying four or five quick short stretches.
For many years we used a high-tech device to measure how much force we apply during the stretching procedure. The force we apply is between 35 and 40 pounds using this rig…
This scale is rated to 100 pounds. The string is inserted through a hole in the bracket and secured by a starting clamp, then using two hands grab the handle and begin to stretch the string while reading the force on the scale. After using this device for a while it will become a matter of “feeling” not measuring the force.
Stretch Scale
Visitors to the World Headquarters
Racquet Quest, LLC World Headquarters was a very busy place recently! It is always busy doing racquet work but this “busyness” was to share some time with visitors from around the world!
Albert Murata, from Hawaii, and his wife Heather were in town to play the 55’s at the USTA Campus, happily, they took the time to come by and chat about stinging stuff. You can reach Albert here.
AM Stringing
Also here was Randy St Pierre from the UK. Randy stops by about twice a year and we always have vibrant discussions.
Coming from Lyon, France was Eric Ferrazzi, Carine, and Camille! This is our French Family and it is always wonderful to have them here with us!
Eric Ferrazzi, Lyon, France
Since all of us are in the tennis business we have a lot to talk about.
It seems our discussions normally start with strings! Imagine that! Why do we talk about string, because it breaks and we replace it. Why does it break? There are several reasons but for right now we are focused on the grommet set in the racquet. Some grommets around the top of the racquet have very shallow grooves and the string can be exposed to court and fail. Not after one altercation with the court but over time for sure!
Racquet Characteristics are always popular to discuss with stiffness being one of the top subjects. You can see some racquet stiffnesses here.
Nothing is off limits so we always have a good time.
Racquet Quest, LLC
