Bowstrings have traditionally been made from natural materials such as animal sinew, flax, hemp, silk and even human hair.
The choice of material often depended on the region and available resources.
Today, bowstrings are usually made from synthetic materials such as Dacron, Kevlar, Spectra or Dyneema.
These modern materials have some advantages over the traditional ones, such as higher tensile strength and durability, and lower elongation, resulting in greater accuracy when shooting.
The material from which the string is made must be matched to the bow.
Some older or traditional bows are not designed to handle the tension of modern synthetic string and can become damaged.
Natural materials usually come from plants or animals, while synthetic materials are manufactured using industrial processes.
The fibers
The most common synthetic fibers are:
- Polyester (Dacron): Polyester is made from petroleum through a chemical process called polymerization. It is commonly used in bowstrings because it is strong, durable and does not stretch as much as some other materials.
-Kevlar: Kevlar is a heat-resistant and strong synthetic fiber material composed of long chain molecules composed of repeating units of poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide. It is produced by a polycondensation reaction of paraphenylenediamine and terephthalic acid chloride.
-Spectra and Dyneema: These two materials are trade names for Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE), an extremely strong and lightweight material. It is made by polymerizing ethylene, a derivative of natural gas, under high pressure.
The exact methods used to create these materials can vary by manufacturer and are often top-secret industrial processes.
Manufacturer
Most string materials are manufactured by the following companies:
DuPont: DuPont is a large chemical company that makes many different materials, including Kevlar. It is a leading global manufacturer of high-performance fibers and materials.
This company holds the rights to Kevlar
Teijin: Teijin is a Japanese chemical company that produces various types of high-performance fibers , including aramid fibers which have properties similar to Kevlar.
DSM: DSM is a Dutch company , which manufactures and owns all rights to Dyneema, a material often used in high-performance bowstrings.
Ie everything that says Dyneema on it is from the production of DSM
Honeywell: This American company, manufactures a variety of products, including the high-performance Spectra fiber.
Honeywell owns the rights to Spectra.
Well-known brands
Now we come to the most well-known brands that use the above-mentioned materials to make their string material.
BCY (B.C.Y. Inc.) is based in the USA
Some of BCY's best-known products include:
- 452X: A blend of 67% Dyneema and 33% Vectran. It stretches little, resulting in constant bowstring length, and is highly resistant to abrasion.
- X-99: Composed of 87% Dyneema and 13% Vectran. It offers the benefits of low stretch and durability.
Brownell & Companyis another well-known company in the archery world that has grown specialized in the manufacture of bowstrings and related materials. Since its founding in 1825, Brownell has built a reputation for quality and innovation.
Brownell manufactures a variety of synthetic fiber bowstring materials that are characterized by high strength, durability and low stretch. These materials are valued by archers worldwide, both recreational and competitive.
Some of their most famous products are:
- Brownell Fast Flight Plus: A 100% Dyneema material known for its high tensile strength and durability. It is often used by archers who expect a high level of consistency and performance from their bowstring.
- Brownell B50 Dacron: A polyester material particularly popular with traditional archers and owners of older bows that may not be compatible with modern low-stretch materials such as Dyneema or Kevlar.
- Brownell Rampage (Fury): A Dyneema and Vectran blend material characterized by low stretch and high durability. (available from us in the shop )
Flex Archery is a company based in Spain that specializes in manufacturing archery equipment. They offer a wide range of products for archers of different skill levels, from beginners to professional archers.
Flex Archery has built a solid reputation in both the domestic and international markets, supplying their products to archers around the world.
Well-known products of this brand are;
dynages:DynaGen with Dyneema® SK75, is a very durable, coated and waxed fiber, ideal for making your own DIY strings.
High strength, very low elongation and consistent diameter from start to finish of the spool.
Waxed with specially formulated wax to allow better handling when assembling the strings or Flemish style braiding.