What is a bowstring? Many people know that this is a part that is part of the bow. But it turns out that it has applications in other areas. For example, there is a bowstring for a crossbow, for a net, for a bow saw. There is a ship’s bowstring, which is a rope with which the ship moves by the force of animals or people moving along the shore.
Dictionary word
About what a bowstring is, the dictionary says the following. There are three interpretations.
- The first of them speaks of a string, a string that pulls together the ends of a bow.
- The second means a tightly stretched rope, cable, rope, which are present in various devices, implements, gear.
- According to the third, this is the inclined side beam of the stairs. The ends of the stairs are built into it.
The main, most familiar meaning of the word “bowstring” is an elastic cord, which is made of animal, plant or synthetic fibers. They serve to bend the onion shaft. Using a bowstring, connect the two ends of the pole and launch the arrow.
Best when the bowstring weighs as little as possible and resists moisture and abrasion. Of greatest importance is the mass in the very center of the bowstring. After all, even one extra gram of weight in this place is able to slow down the speed of the arrow as much as extra 3.5 g at the ends can do.
Types of bowstrings
Bowstrings for onions are most often of three types:
- Simple.
- Twisted.
- Interwoven.
The first of them is made of thread, which is twisted into a single cord. Such bowstrings have been used before and are now used in various parts of the world. They can be made pretty quickly. But at the same time they are too weak for their weight. If they are not constantly kept in suspense, they will become worthless.
The bowstring is twisted
Traditionally, it is used in Europe and North America. For the most part, it is made from hemp and linen thread. This type of manufacturing is also applied to modern materials. Twisted thread is made from individual thread bundles. Each of the ligaments is twisted individually, in one direction, while the entire group of ligaments is twisted in the opposite direction.
As a result, such a bowstring is more durable for the same load than twisted or simple. And she keeps better than simple. Its next advantage is that the full thickness of such a bowstring is placed in a notch made on an arrow. In this place, the wear of the bowstring is usually the largest.
Additional threads are also laid on the bow into notches for both the bowstring and the arrow. These are areas where bowstring wear is most likely. At each end, the bowstring can be attached to the bow by a mounting unit.
Flemish bowstring
This is a traditional type of bowstring that has a loop at one end. It is lighter than most nodes. Such a bowstring is a corresponding notch on the bow both when the bowstring is stretched and when not.
The manufacturing process is quite complicated, since the length of one end at which the loop is formed is small, and first the string is twisted. After that, the ends of each ligament are placed in a ligament with the main length, which is also twisted.
Bowstring intertwined
It is made either from one or from several turns of material. Bowstrings of modern design are often made from one turn, which has a large length. Then they give it the final form. Its disadvantage is that it has a small amount of fiber at the ends, and it is there that wear is most likely. This minus can be eliminated by constant care of the bowstring.
In Asia, in many places, traditional bowstrings in the center have one turn, with ends of different lengths and tied with a special knot. This method makes it possible to use additional fibers at the ends of the bowstring - in a place where weight is not so important, and wear is more severe.
In order to better understand what a bowstring is, you should learn about the materials used for its manufacture.
Material for bowstring
The traditional material is flax, hemp, other plant fibers, silk, rawhide, tendons. In emergency situations, almost any fiber can be used. For modern bent bows or compound bows, natural fibers are generally not used. However, they are still used with great efficiency in traditional bows made either from wood or from components.
Today, materials are widely used that have more weight than all natural ones. They are much less susceptible to the negative effects of water. Among them are:
- Polyethylene terephthalate, including Dacron, Polyester, Dacron, Mylar. Often it is used by beginners in old and wooden bows. It is durable and well stretched, which contributes to less impact on the bow. This material makes the bowstring easy to care for and extends its life.
- Kevlar, or armid, has a high density, due to its small diameter it increases the speed of the boom. Disadvantages: increased yield of onions and, as a result, increased probability of rupture.
- The fast fly, or the spectrum, is very slippery, it must be wrapped when used to prevent the boom from slipping off. To overcome this complexity, developed supporting material. It is wear-resistant, torn gradually.
- Fastlight S-4. It is made from a mixture of fastflight (50%) and vectran (50%). This allows you to make the threads finer.
- Vectran is very similar to Kevlar. Mixing it with fastflight solves many problems regarding strength, which is associated with liquid crystal polymers.
- Dinima consists of high molecular weight polyethylene. Its characteristics are similar to those of fastflight, but the first has a stretch somewhat greater than the second. In this regard, many of those who shoot from bows of a curved shape prefer the daima, finding it to be less demanding than fastflight.
When servicing the bowstring, an additional thread is used. Usually they wrap the main bowstring in those places where there are nicks on the onion shaft, with the greatest probability of friction of the bowstring. And they also use loops fastening a bowstring to the bow shaft.
Bowstring by the stairs
What is a bowstring in this case? This is a part of the construction to which the steps are attached. There are stairs without bowstrings. This part is the main part of the self-supporting wooden staircase or the metal frame part, if it is a staircase on the frame.
Stairs are classified:
- By the number of bowstrings: on one (kosour) or on two.
- By the method of sealing (strengthening) the steps: with their fastening between the bowstring.
- In shape: straight and curved.
- According to the material: wooden, plastic, metal.
Calculation of the bowstring with great accuracy in the manufacture of stairs is a rather difficult task. Often bowstrings come in complex shapes, and in order to make them, you need to print patterns on a roll printer or plotter. In modern carpentry workshops, CNCs are used for this, on which parts are cut directly from the project.