At the end of this YouTube video, can someone explain why he scrapped the strings with that awl like tool? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJGD6GyEmKU&feature=youtube_gdata_player
It's a setting off tool/ string pusher. When the racket is strung, the strings are not always in a set/ even pattern and the tool is used just to straighten out the strings.
A quality stringing job sure always straighten the string before release the racket from the machine.
i would even go further. a quality string job should straighten the string on every pull. because if you straighten it at the end of the whole stringing process, that will lead to tension loss. if you look at my videos, you will see that the strings are straighten on every pull. that way, you don't need to use the setting off tool at the end. you take the racket off the machine and every string are already straight and no tension loss as a result.
^This. Indeed, it's one of my "top stringer" criteria. It's OK that the mains bend in response to the crosses being pulled - there's no tension loss - but the cross has to be straight at and from the moment the required tension is reached.
i find that with flying clamps i can straighen as much as i like while i pull, but they'll always get a little skewed when clamped that will need sorting out later.