Here's the deal, I make a few bows every year. So I also make endless strings, more interested in quiet than performance but don't want to make a dog out of the bow either.

Currently using  D 97 but before I buy more thought I'd ask if there is something better and quieter?

Thanks in advance!

I'll throw out a novice's observations, before the more learned answer.  I'm really interested in this, it is a great way to ask the question.  

I moved from B55 to D97 to enhance performance and durability.  I found little difference in noise, which was easily tamed with good silencers.  I then tried BCY-X, and found the performance, and the stability, were more enhanced than from the switch to D97. Again, noise was not an issue - same as others, it was more a result of the bow and arrow tune than material.  I am really a fan of the BCY-X now.  I am in the process of switching all my strings and back-ups to BCY-X because of its performance with no sound side-effects.

A quiet bow is mostly based on how well it's tuned, nock fit, arrow weight, clean release, and string build...but all of that being equal, blended materials like BCY-X, 452X, Trophy, and 450+ seem to have a slight edge over 100% Dyneema materials like Mercury, Dynaflight '97, 8125, etc.

I can help you out with material--shoot me an e-mail at chad@recurves.com

Chad

After talking to Chad at ETAR, I've been shooting BCY-X just about since it was out....it's great stuff and all I use now.

He's a good dude and real good at giving a guy a "good deal"....he'll hook ya up!

There probably ins't but a few fps between those top string materials mentioned above. But one of those might stand out as being the quietest on each particular bow. I have enough BCY-X to make a suspension bridge, but recently tried some 452-X for fun on my favorite Kanati longbow. Seems like the same speed to me but wow its it ever quieter! I almost don't need the woolly silencers on it with the 452-X. I'd say try them all!
My favorite is 452-X  3 bundle 15 stand strings padded to 21 in the loops with .030 halo serving.
Tedd

D-10. I get mine made by SBD, a sponsor here. I'll never go with D-97 again.

Not only does the materials make a difference, sting count makes a difference too!  After playing around with different options and trying different materials I settled on 16-18 strand bcy-x.  The difference in speed between 12 strand vs 18 strand averages at 3 fps (for me). But is significantly quieter!!  I'll take the quietest every time!!

Great info so far, anybody else have an observation?

Thanks!

QuoteOriginally posted by LBR:
A quiet bow is mostly based on how well it's tuned, nock fit, arrow weight, clean release, and string build...but all of that being equal, blended materials like BCY-X, 452X, Trophy, and 450+ seem to have a slight edge over 100% Dyneema materials like Mercury, Dynaflight '97, 8125, etc.

This has been my experience as well.  Different materials will sometimes produce a different sound quality even on the same bow, but given proper tuning I'm not really all that convinced that strand type is a primary determining factor for the overall noise a bow makes.

Chad been makin my strings from BCY X for awhile now. It's quiet on my Warf's and Bear TD's. It doesn't stretch in our 100+ degrees summer days. It doesn't fuzz like some materials. Even with 16-18 strand strings they not that much bigger in diameter as some skinny strings.

In the School of Bowstrings I'm a dropout.

Endless loop B-50.  Dumbed down to my level, accurate, quiet and easy on bows.

18 strands of BCY X is equal to about 12 of D97 and maybe 11 of D-10 (which has been re branded as F-10). D97 and F-10 are nearly identical with F-10. From BCY: "Force 10 - All the features of DynaFLIGHT 97 but made from a slightly higher grade Dyneema® - SK78"

Chad "LBR" will steer you in the right direction and knows more about strings and string material than anyone I know. I used D-97 for years. I switched to making most of my strings out of BCY-X and I'm very pleased with the results. I throw a couple of yarn puffs on and I'm good to go. Mostly 18 strands (22 in the loops) and #4 nylon (cheap) for serving. I get my material from Chad when he's at ETAR. He's just a great guy to deal with and talk to.

I've been making and shooting BCY-X flemish twist on your longbow design for a couple years. 66@28 and love it. Great combo.

14 strand

Halo serving

Chads DVD is great

Trad guys are the best there is, I love the share info attitude and have had 2 guys offer to send a string to try out!!

I've been making my own Flemish Twist for the past 25 or so years and I still prefer the original Fast Flite Plus. I have one older bow that I use B50 on but everything else gets Fast Flite Plus. It gives me the extra speed and is very quiet....for what its worth.