I have been switching our bows over from B50 Dacron to Rhino FF. Wondering if brace height or nocking point height will change much, all other factors remaining the same. Thanks. TLM

The only way to optimize brace height is by tuning the bow for quiet...that is individual to both the bow and the string...it would be hard for us to guess what might be optimum for your bow with either string material without being there to hear you shoot...switching from B50 to BCY-X is a great way to make a bow much quieter...I have a couple of 1960 bows that I have done that with and they no longer require string silencers....they are both recurves that are now "long bow quiet" and with faster arrow speeds

DDave

If you are shooting the same arrows, the low stretch string may require you to lower brace height (in effect bringing arrow more left). This is to accomodate greater dynamic spine requirement imposed by faster string. Chances are though, that that alone may not be enough to compensate, and a lighter head, built out strikeplate or stiffer arrow may be indicated.

I agree with Woodshavins- at least from my experience, but generally have found it not to mbe much at my short draw length

woodshavins nailed it. The same arrows will go faster and bend more so will need a different tune. You can do some tuning on the bow as he describes. Or you could shorten the arrows and reduce point weight to make them act stiffer. Or, better yet, get some new stiffer arrows and tune them to the new set up. After that you may well end up with your old brace height. - lbg

I'm with Dave whats it matter you need to tune every new string it is not expected to go back on old marks or brace although should be relativly close. All part of the retune action to set up to get the sweet spots and bow shooting and quiet optimum.

No..proper brace height is proper brace height..even with a skinny string and wimpy arrows..:(..:(..

I agree, proper brace height is proper brace height and you do need to re-tune when changing strings, but in general, I have found going to a low-stretch string will allow you to run a lower brace height for a given set-up and not get the usual wrist-slap and vibration due to stretch and occilation as the limbs return to brace. This can benefit you by increasing the power stroke slightly, but I find the greatest benefit to be the more efficient transfer of energy to the arrow.

So far I have tuned one bow with padded FF, a 62" hybrid, which is now braced correctly at 6 3/4". I have an identical bow that still has Dacron B50, and it is currently braced correctly at 71/2" . This is an Interesting project so far. TLM

Actually, I'm with dire wolf on this. The difference in speed gained, if any, is not enough to as a rule to warrant a change in arrow spine, therefore, I've never found it necessary to change brace.

I don't use brace height to correct wrist slap, that's normally a form error. 2 bows of the same model from the same bowyer can have more differentiation in brace height then the change in string material will have.

fdp- It would really shock me if you didn't need to adjust spine to some measurable degree after swapping from Dacron to a low stretch string. I've NEVER gotten perfect flight with both, without changing dynamic spine somehow.

I'm with woodshavins, but that's my experience and I have a relatively short draw..27+ inches. None of my bows will use the same arrow, even with a brace height change. One of them, my 1970 Carroll's has a two spine jump, going from 12 strand B-50 to 9 strand Ultracam..padded loop. 1816 for the Dacron, 2016 for the Ultracam...28" using 125 tips. I would think long draws would even be affected more by the change in dynamics.

It does show how our individual dynamics lends to the situation.

Schafer recommends a higher brace height for their recurves when using Dacron over FF. It's explained on their website describing set-up.

I'm with George, when I changed from B50 to 9 strand Ultra Cam I had to go up 10# in spine. I also had to go up when changing fast flight to Ultra Cam skinny string.

woodshavins and George are exactly correct. The change from Dacron strings to Rhino and other lighter builds did necessitate at least a 10+ spine value in my arrows. Brace height isn't much of a concern, if at all, when I'm tuning bows. I just set them to the high end of the manufacturer's recommended range and leave it. That's generally where the bow is at it's quietist and the only reason I do it. You will never shorten any brace height(by lengthening the string through untwisting) enough to counteract the weakening of the arrow's dynamic reaction in these types of circumstances........Or, in other words, your gonna need new arrows, TLM.

Jay St. Charles suggested bracing 1/2-3/4 lower with FF type strings. And yes, expect a complete retune as others said your old arrows will not work.

Stiffer spine needed for my setup going from B50 to a skinny string. Of course my less than stellar release may have a little to do with it.

I wonder if the fact that I don't find it necessary to change arrow spines has anything to do with me having what I consider to be a sloppy release?

fdp, absolutely yes. One thing that really helped me was curling my fingers around more on the string, and not letting them open up at anchor. Takes some time to get used to, but am glad I put in the effort.

I am using Rick Barbee's "Ultra- Cam at the moment on my 50#@ 27" HH archery Wesley. BH is 5 5/8" arrow length is 30"BOP, 4" feathers straight fletched and spine weight 43-46#. The consensus here seems to be that with Rhino FF I may need to go up 10# in spine weight? which would raise my arrows to 53-56 in spine weight even though the bow is cut 1/8th BEFORE center? Please to answer A curious Cajun wants to know.

The second bow was outfitted with Rhino FF. It seems to shoot best now with a brace height of 6 3/4". That is 3/4 " less than the Dacron B-50 brace height of 7 1/2". I have been shooting the same wood arrows, and they fly fine so far.......TLM

Dan Quillian said you could lower your brace height an inch going from B50 to 450+.

Where do you think the B50 is at when the arrow leaves the string vs the 450+?

Dan was way ahead of his time.

Ok...retracting everything I said previously.

After reading this, and doing some thinking, I made a new string for a Browning Medallion I'm playing with. This bow is 43lbs. at 28" and 47" at 30 which is where I draw it.

By putting a low stretch string on it, I AM able to lower the brace, and shoot a stiffer arrow. The stiffer arrows aren't heavier, but they are stiffer. Bow is just as quiet as it was previously and maybe a little more so.

As stated, my BH is 5 5/8ths" and with Rick's Ultra-Cam I'm shooting arrows from my Wesley Special that are 43-46# spine I don't want to lower my BH or raise the spine weight on my arrows and a 10# increase in spine weight seems like an awful lot since my present set-up is flying well and accurately @ 20- 30 yds. By the time next year that the senior Olympics roll around in September I will most probably have need of a new broken-in string. That is why I have on order two Rhino FF strings from Mr. Barbee, that and the fact that I believe his strings are the best on the market.

Whether you have to change spine when going from B50 to FF, depends on a couple factors 1.where the arrow your using falls in the bows usable spine range, and all bows have a usable spine range, and 2. the depth of the shelf on the bow in question. Bows cut past center can have a huge usable spine range 15-25 pounds. So there is no universal answer to your question. Bob

Bob, Thanks for weighing in it is much appreciated. TLM

The length of the string determines brace height....not what it's made of!!

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