What are some ways to keep string from breaking?

Discussion in 'Badminton String' started by dontmakeme, Jun 22, 2013.

  1. dontmakeme

    dontmakeme Regular Member

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    Hi Everyone,
    I brought this thread up to understand some techniques or ways to hopefully condition strings such that they don't break as easily. I learned from past posts that wrapping your racket with a tower before getting to the badminton centre helps keep strings warm. Another one is to check grommets every once in awhile to see if that is the reason. But are there any other tips to keep strings conditioned?

    I am bringing this up because I broke my BG80 string on my Voltric Z-Force too many times now, strung at 27lbs. It has been breaking in the every 2-3 weeks in the middle of the racket.

    Thanks.
     
  2. shooting stroke

    shooting stroke Regular Member

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    Hi there,

    Breaking your bg80 at 27lbs, 2-3 weeks is quite a lengthy period in my situation since I'm breaking my bg66 at 30-32lbs every week (up till 2 racket in a week at some extreme playing condition).

    Playing at a rate of nearly everyday ranging from 2-5 hrs per session, other than continuously checking the grommet prior to stringing, these are the things that i do to give me a descent chance to prolong my strings life cycle:

    - I wrapped the entire bg66 surface with wax after stringing and after playing by brushing them with candle.
    - Avoid prolonged heat exposure (like leaving them inside your car bonnet). UV rays deteriorate string performance so keep them covered or better yet in the shade.
    - Cold temperatures as well can make your strings lose resilience and become "dead". Also, cold temperatures make your strings more brittle, and more likely to break prematurely.
    - While playing. be sure to rotate your racquets regularly for even wear and tear of frames and strings (that's why i put a marker on my racket cone)

    SS
     
  3. visor

    visor Regular Member

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    If you're playing plastic shuttles, that is murder on strings.
     
  4. dontmakeme

    dontmakeme Regular Member

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    Thanks for the tips.

    Why do plastic shuttles murder your strings more? Is it because you slice the plastic when performing drops?
     
  5. visor

    visor Regular Member

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    Somehow plastics feel and hit harder on impact... don't know how else to explain it... and so are harder on strings, especially if thin strings at high tension.
     
  6. dontmakeme

    dontmakeme Regular Member

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    I see..... I guess it's time to grow into feathers. But, I need people to play with who use it T_T.... Everyone at Simon Fraser University uses plastic.
     
  7. visor

    visor Regular Member

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    have you tried perhaps lowering tension to 24-25 lbs?

    that may last a bit longer...
     
  8. dontmakeme

    dontmakeme Regular Member

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    Yeah I tried 25lbs before going to 27lbs, which lasts longer. However, I think my strings are breaking because I haven't been going to tads. So this is probably the last time I use 27lbs until I get some more money or Tadssports stringing is just much better or something.
     
  9. Line & Length

    Line & Length Regular Member

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    I suspect that plastics are slightly heavier than feathers, so the strings have to do more work.

    If you were breaking strings away from the center, then I'd look towards either the grommets, your technique or your stringer (minimise string burn, awl notching etc). But if you're consistently breaking central strings, then you're probably at the limit of what the material can take. Therefore, you could try lower initial tension, less pre-stretching and/or a thicker gauge of string.

    However, each of those options will compromise feel & you may find the strings feel 'dead' before they actually break. If your stringer currently doesn't pre-stretch, try a couple of pounds lower (i.e. 25lbs) with pre-stretch. May give you a bit longer per set.
     
  10. Mark A

    Mark A Regular Member

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    You can try rubbing the strings between your palms - like you're about to make a lot of money:) - to warm them up.
     
  11. Mark A

    Mark A Regular Member

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    Plastics fly differently - they have to be hit with significantly more effort than feathers to get them around the court. This extra effort manifests as reduced string durability, IME.
     
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  12. Steve the noob

    Steve the noob Regular Member

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    I hit with plastics 3 times a week with BG80 @ 26lbs. The strings are on for 3 months strong.
     
  13. visor

    visor Regular Member

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    Not if you use lower tension around 22-25 lbs. :)

    But I'm still amazed how you can play for months with your 31 lb strings with plastics.
     
  14. gundamzaku

    gundamzaku Regular Member

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    just use bg65 at 22lbs if you really care that much about your strings breaking. just kidding.

    breaking a string at that tension between 2-3 weeks isn't unheard of. as long as you don't leave your bag in the car and allow extreme temperatures to hit your equipment, you should be fine. i live in the USA and it's generally drier than european countries or asian countries, so i tend to leave my bag in my room way from the a/c vents so the heating in the winter and cooling in the summer won't affect my equipment that much. wraping a towel around the racket might help if you're in really humid areas but being in canada i don't think you'll have that problem?
     
  15. Steve the noob

    Steve the noob Regular Member

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    Canada is really humid in the summer, considering it rains one day, then becomes mid 30's the next.
     
  16. visor

    visor Regular Member

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    You haven't been to East Asia yet, have you? ;) Every time I'm there I have to take cold showers 6x per day because of the heat *and* humidity!
     
  17. kwun

    kwun Administrator

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    yeah. there is no comparison. things in SE Asia disintegrate by themselves due to the humidity. just one example, i have seen bicycle tires who over a year or two starts to crack due to the extreme humidity. steel screws rusts.

    but maybe that's the type of climate that is good for badminton strings.
     
  18. Steve the noob

    Steve the noob Regular Member

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    Actually I have. Beijing is like being in a polluted sauna, LOL.
     
  19. visor

    visor Regular Member

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    Yes, also definitely good for shuttles too. :)
    Haha... I like that analogy. :)
     
  20. gundamzaku

    gundamzaku Regular Member

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    i've never played badminton in HK since i was 10yrs old, maybe i should go play the next time i go back and see the difference in performance of the shuttles :)
     

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