String alignment

**westsideweiming** · 08-27-2005, 02:45 PM

Sometimes after playing a game, the strings on my racket would be slightly misaligned. Instead of a perfect grid of 90 degree angles, some of them would be pulled slightly over.

Does this affect the racket at all? I'm kind of apprehensive about constantly realigning them, because I think it damages the strings (they rub against each other when I do this), and significantly shortens their lifespan. I'm asking this because I started realigning my strings, and my strings broke after a few weeks.

**fishmilk** · 08-27-2005, 03:46 PM

Originally Posted by westsideweiming

Sometimes after playing a game, the strings on my racket would be slightly misaligned. Instead of a perfect grid of 90 degree angles, some of them would be pulled slightly over.

Does this affect the racket at all? I'm kind of apprehensive about constantly realigning them, because I think it damages the strings (they rub against each other when I do this), and significantly shortens their lifespan. I'm asking this because I started realigning my strings, and my strings broke after a few weeks.

Realigning them won't break them. I'm not exactly sure how it affects performance but I'm sure it does although almost unnoticable. If you read the recent thread about WC2005 stringers, they were told to straighten out the strings after each stringjob... not sure why though.

**westsideweiming** · 08-27-2005, 04:01 PM

I think it wears them out though, because they rub against each other, and become slightly frayed.

**Kamikaze** · 08-27-2005, 07:08 PM

the cause of your strings to move out of position is low tension.

**TheGr8Two** · 08-28-2005, 12:19 AM

I think that strings slipping out of position occurs before your string "breaks-in". It should not affect the racket much, but it might affect your shots if you don't straighten it up. The bounce at the part of the string that's not straight would be different, so it can affect the consistency of your shots.

Normally, I have my racket strung with BG65Ti @ 24lbs. Before the strings break-in, they do move out of position. Over time, the main strings tend to make a crease(sometimes even a cut) into the cross strings slightly, and the main strings will no longer shift out of position.

Generally, I don't think that the strings shifting affects durability seriously. They may lose a bit of the coating, but as long as the strings aren't cutting into each other, then you're not losing durablity.

**taneepak** · 08-29-2005, 01:22 AM

Strings move because of low tension and also from sliced or cut shots. There is always some wear and tear when strings move-in fact you can see the abrasions on the strings. When the strings are highly tensioned they almost never move, except marginally from sliced or cut shots. Highly tensioned strings do not suffer as much as low-tensioned strings from such abrasions caused by string movement. If you do not mishit, high tensioned strings will last as long as low tensioned ones. Sounds incredible? But it is true.

**cooler** · 08-29-2005, 01:30 AM

Originally Posted by taneepak

Strings move because of low tension and also from sliced or cut shots. There is always some wear and tear when strings move-in fact you can see the abrasions on the strings. When the strings are highly tensioned they almost never move, except marginally from sliced or cut shots. Highly tensioned strings do not suffer as much as low-tensioned strings from such abrasions caused by string movement. If you do not mishit, high tensioned strings will last as long as low tensioned ones. Sounds incredible? But it is true.

LOL, I'm waiting for u to say this, saying thing base on your 'self reasoning'.
Yes, the sound from u is incredible.

**taneepak** · 08-29-2005, 01:47 AM

Originally Posted by cooler

LOL, I'm waiting for u to say this, saying thing without any bits of proof.

I keep records of all racquets I string for people. For hard-hitters whose timing leaves much to be desired, the average life of a thin string (BG66) is shockingly low-1 week or less. For hard-hitters whose timing is good, the average life of a highly-tensioned BG66 is 2 months. For the less powerful a highly-tensioned string lasts 3-4 months. But any strings that are longer than 2 months, even if their tension is still high, do not play well as they have lost their elasticity. Some of my friends complain why their 4 month old strings, strung at 27.3/30 lbs, do not have the repulsion of a newly strung string at 26/28.5 lbs on a similar racquet.
Cooler, if you are used to high tension-26 to 32 lbs range-you simply cannot play with low tension. These two-low and high tensions-are worlds apart.

**Pete LSD** · 08-29-2005, 01:50 AM

Cooler got my MP-90 strung by our busy timeless. Its original tension was 26 lbs X 28 lbs. Cooler is hooked on the MP-90 now

.

***kwun*** · 08-29-2005, 01:50 AM

guys, can we not turn every thread with the word "tension" in it into a taneepak & cooler duel zone? i think most of us have read enough of those already...

**cooler** · 08-29-2005, 02:17 AM

Originally Posted by taneepak

I keep records of all racquets I string for people. For hard-hitters whose timing leaves much to be desired, the average life of a thin string (BG66) is shockingly low-1 week or less. For hard-hitters whose timing is good, the average life of a highly-tensioned BG66 is 2 months. For the less powerful a highly-tensioned string lasts 3-4 months. But any strings that are longer than 2 months, even if their tension is still high, do not play well as they have lost their elasticity. Some of my friends complain why their 4 month old strings, strung at 27.3/30 lbs, do not have the repulsion of a newly strung string at 26/28.5 lbs on a similar racquet.
Cooler, if you are used to high tension-26 to 32 lbs range-you simply cannot play with low tension. These two-low and high tensions-are worlds apart.

1. your survey/record keeping is flawed and therefore your conclusion is valueless. You didn't account for time used, game play severity, singles vs double plays, cleaniness of court, etc into account. Your assessment on player ability to hit hard vs soft, on vs off sweet spot and their relative frequency are totally subjective.

2. I never said low tension is good. There is a right tension for each individual and play style. Taneepak is saying extreme high tension is the best, for all class of players. It's like saying high pressured touring bike tires are the best and everybody should use this thin and high air pressure tire for their bikes.

Kwun, i know this duel gets boring but quack science must be quashed. It's like weeds, if u dont stop it at early stage, it will flourish and spread onto other lawns (threads).

**taneepak** · 08-29-2005, 02:45 AM

Originally Posted by cooler

1. your survey/record keeping is flawed and therefore your conclusion is valueless. You didn't account for time used, game play severity, singles vs double plays, cleaniness of court, etc into account. Your assessment on player ability to hit hard vs soft, on vs off sweet spot and their relative frequency are totally subjective.

2. I never said low tension is good. There is a right tension for each individual and play style. Taneepak is saying extreme high tension is the best, for all class of players. It's like saying high pressured touring bike tires are the best and everybody should use this thin and high air pressure tire for their bikes.

Kwun, i know this duel gets boring but quack science must be quashed. It's like weeds, if u dont stop it at early stage, it will flourish and spread onto other lawns (threads).

1. No, I do not conduct a survey on the racquets I string. I just keep records of basic things, like customer name, string type, tension, date of stringing, date of restringing, location where string broke, and string abrasion marks. A lot of my customers come to me after they have had their racquets strung by others-at lower tension, of course-and they have indicated to me that the durability of my high tension stringing is about the same as their previous stringing jobs by others. They still keep coming to me. They wouldn't keep coming back to me if they have been short changed, would they?
2. By high tension, I mean 26-32 lbs. Now, what is wrong with that? All I am asking is to try out high tension-26 to 32 lbs. There is a difference.
BTW, I am curious : what tension do you play with?

**theasiandude88** · 08-29-2005, 03:00 AM

haha this is like my first time reading about the string duel and im already laughing.

**taneepak** · 08-29-2005, 07:19 AM

Originally Posted by Pete LSD

Cooler got my MP-90 strung by our busy timeless. Its original tension was 26 lbs X 28 lbs. Cooler is hooked on the MP-90 now

.

Can you explain a little more?

**jug8man** · 08-29-2005, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by taneepak

Strings move because of low tension and also from sliced or cut shots. There is always some wear and tear when strings move-in fact you can see the abrasions on the strings. When the strings are highly tensioned they almost never move, except marginally from sliced or cut shots. Highly tensioned strings do not suffer as much as low-tensioned strings from such abrasions caused by string movement. If you do not mishit, high tensioned strings will last as long as low tensioned ones. Sounds incredible? But it is true.

Highly tensioned strings do not suffer as much as low-tensioned strings from such abrasions caused by string movement.?????????

what is the basis of comparison?
you are saying that 2 fat wooden logs rubbing againts each other while being choped by an axe will 'break' faster than 2 thinner wooden logs rubbing againts each other while being choped by an axe.

i do not believe string to string abrasion is the number 1 cause for concern in burst strings.

**Neil Nicholls** · 08-29-2005, 01:30 PM

Originally Posted by jug8man

i do not believe string to string abrasion is the number 1 cause for concern in burst strings.

Maybe depending on string and tension...

For quite a while I strung my racquets with lower tension on the cross than on the main. Usually 21x19 , and with this setup the crosses moved about a lot.
And during this time I experienced nore frequent string breakage in the centre crosses.

**silentheart** · 08-29-2005, 01:59 PM

This is just my observation and a theory, please correct me if I am wrong on anything.

I have been stringing tennis racquet and badminton racquet when I was in college. I have seen tennis and badminton racquet in relative high and low tension. More often the lower tension strings shows cut (or abrasion) more often but they last longer. The high tension strings do not show as much cut but they do not last as long because the string burst under high force. Hence, very high tension string do not show too much adrasion because there is not enugh time for the string to get cut into. Also, I think (from educated guess) that any small cut into high tension string will cause the string to break. Here is my reasoning. Assume a string can take 65lb tension before breaking and a powerful smash will add additional 30lb tension on to the string, if you string a racquet @ 30lb, a string will expreience total of 60lb tension during a smash. It is fine for a newly stringed racquet because the string still has 5lb to spare. When you have a string that has a 10% abrasion, the string can only take 58.5lb tension. During a strong smash, the string will burst. While if you only string the racquet @25lb, you have 10lb to spare during smash and string should last 2X longer with a lot more abrasion showing.

Like Cooler, I am not saying high tension or low tension is good for every one. You should find your own tension to balance for playability and durability.