Re-serving questions

Curvebo · October 10, 2018, 05:58:57 PM

I have been dabbling on and off in recurve bows for quite a while but I'm still a newbie. I have a couple strings for my recurve and the nock fit is loose. I've searched and searched and have come to the conclusion my options are 1) re-serve with a larger diameter serving; 2) get a new string (I'm going to make my own but I have two strings already); 3) boil your nocks (I don't trust this); 4) use dental floss (redoing it all the time drives me nuts).
I decided to try the re-serving. The fit has gotten better but I've gone all the way up to Halo .030 and the fit still isn't "right". So is it possible to pad the serving string area with one or two additional strands of fast flight to increase the diameter in that area?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Gabe

Pine · October 10, 2018, 06:02:30 PM

I pad all the time to get the exact fit I like with my nock on the serving. Very easy and effective way to do it.

Curvebo · October 10, 2018, 06:07:53 PM

Thanks Graps! Can I just take my string off and unwind it so to speak; twist in my extra strands and put it back on? Any tips to make it work easier or is it as easy as just wrapping it around while it's still strung?

black velvet · October 10, 2018, 06:34:17 PM

I use the white teflon tape under the serving to get the correct fit.

katman · October 10, 2018, 06:49:29 PM

Quote from: black velvet on October 10, 2018, 06:34:17 PM
I use the white teflon tape under the serving to get the correct fit.

If needed I do the same, for me a reliable solid fix.

Curvebo · October 10, 2018, 07:16:42 PM

Quote from: black velvet on October 10, 2018, 06:34:17 PM
I use the white teflon tape under the serving to get the correct fit.

Good idea, thanks!

LBR · October 10, 2018, 10:54:15 PM

BCY makes Power Grip serving in .032. If that is still a tad small, you can run the tag end the full length of the serving to build up the size a bit more. You must have an really small string...having to jump through hoops to get a decent nock fit is one of several reasons I don't care for "skinny" strings. You can pad out a serving, but I haven't found a way that is consistent enough to suit me. I don't like the lumps and bumps and inconsistent nock fit.

Curvebo · October 10, 2018, 11:04:48 PM

My strings are 15 strand so I don't think that is considered skinny. Maybe I'm trying to get nock fit that is too tight.

Pfranchise · October 11, 2018, 12:22:22 AM

15 strands of what kind of material? What kind of nocks are on your arrows? Your nocks should fit loose enough to spin the string without twisting the arrow when doing so. You may need to use two string nocks to stop arrow from sliding up or down string also. The .030 Halo your using is huge, you should only need that if your string is real skinny. I use classic nocks on my arrows which have a huge throat compared to most nocks. My string is 14 strands of d97 with .024 Halo serving and one wrap of Teflon under it, fit on classic nocks is perfect.

TomMcDonald · October 11, 2018, 12:24:31 AM

Just chomp on your arrow nocks. No biggy.

stevem · October 11, 2018, 12:49:50 AM

I wonder what size nocks you have such that your big serving isn't big enough. Maybe they are the problem. I have many sizes of serving starting at, I believe, 0.015 upwards to 0.025. One of them has always been enough for whatever string I am building. In a crunch I could double serve with whatever combo would make the nocks fit right. I have some crazy nocks on Arrow Dynamics shafts that have a very small end opening and are big in the main part. I just could not get a a happy medium, so I made the lower nock point a little bigger and closer to the upper nock point, which allows them to grip the nock (using a smaller serving size so the nock end fits just right. Some day I will figure out what nocks will fit these shafts and pitch the nocks that came with the shafts. For your problem, don't overlook using the upper and lower string nock points to help hold the actual nocks in place.

A.S. · October 11, 2018, 05:33:14 AM

Teflon plumbers tape is the way to go. Just wrap it like a candy cane where your serving will be. It may take some trial and error to get the proper amount. The amount of tension that you have on your serving jig will also change the finished dia.

Curvebo · October 11, 2018, 05:58:53 AM

My arrows are gold tip blems from Big Jim and whatever nocks that came with them. My strings are fast flight 15 strands. Before all this my nocks would spin around the string easily. I do use a bottom nock point. Last night I added 3 strands of fast flight and .024 halo serving. Now the nock seems tight as the nock stands up and when I spin it the string turns too. I think I'm getting closer. I'm going to redo it with .021 halo.

I do think jig tension had something to do with the .030 halo being loose. I was trying to wrap it super tight but after watching more videos I don't believe that to be necessary.

Roy from Pa · October 11, 2018, 06:50:29 AM

Just experiment for nock fit with a short section when you first start serving the string.

You don't need to do the entire serving to check for nock fit.

Curvebo · October 11, 2018, 09:12:01 AM

Roy, good suggestion. It took me a couple full re-servings to figure that out....I'm slow.

Roy from Pa · October 11, 2018, 09:15:51 AM

I understand that...

LBR · October 11, 2018, 03:20:35 PM

Depending on the material, 15 strands can be very skinny. Halo needs to be served on tight. It's a very tough, but very slick material, and with a skinny string there's not a lot for it to grip. If it's not served on tight, it's going to slip/separate sooner or later...another reason I don't like skinny strings. Power Grip holds best. Gold Tip nocks aren't exceptionally large.

old_goat2 · October 12, 2018, 12:13:51 AM

Didn't read all the posts so this may have been covered, but if you coat the dental floss with super glue it will last a lot longer, possibly as long as the string does