1st re-strings - String Snapped in same place on two rackets

Discussion in 'Badminton Stringing Techniques & Tools' started by mat_patsy, Nov 30, 2010.

  1. mat_patsy

    mat_patsy Regular Member

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    Hi all,

    I recently completed two re-string jobs on my new shuttle express - very pleased with the two jobs overall.

    However, played with them both (not til about 2 weeks after completing the jobs) and both snapped. The curious thing was that they both snapped in the same place - just at the last grommet before the finish knot on a 1 piece string job.

    One was strung to 24lbs and the other to 28lbs, rackets were very different (an old Donnay and a newish £50 yonex). Both with the same string. While the tension is quite high, neither of the resulting jobs were as tight as a third racket that i recently had professionally done to 24lbs so i am discounting over-tension as the reason for snapping.

    Any ideas what could have caused this - the only thing i can think of is cheap string - it was Toalson superline 75, from a new roll?

    Would love to hear any views on this before i set about re stringing again.:confused:
     
  2. mat_patsy

    mat_patsy Regular Member

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    just taken some pics to show where they snapped:
    30112010153.jpg 30112010154.jpg
     
  3. dunmaster

    dunmaster Regular Member

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    the only other thing I can think of is that you might have used a string mover (awl) to pass the string through that shared grommet, which then made damage to the string.
     
  4. dunmaster

    dunmaster Regular Member

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    PS: if I remember right, there should be another cross on the A7, and the knot is on A5.
     
  5. Mark A

    Mark A Regular Member

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    Yes - top cross is H7, tied off at H5.

    Also agree with the awl theory; next time, get the hole as wide as possible BEFORE any string goes in the frame. Wouldn't hurt to have some Vaseline on the awl as well to grease the inside of the grommet.
     
  6. Pete LSD

    Pete LSD Regular Member

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    Or use tooth floss :D
     
  7. coachgary

    coachgary Regular Member

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    If my memory serves me well, don't have a racket on me now, the main in top 8 doesn't cross the grommet so you wouldn't need an awl to make room for the cross. Therefore I would suggest that the grommet is damaged.

    The last cross is done at top 7 as others have indicated.
     
  8. mat_patsy

    mat_patsy Regular Member

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    Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Here's a little more detail:

    Didn't need an awl to get the last cross into the grommet so that can't be the issue, and this happened on two different rackets in exactly the same place!

    I see the point about missing a cross from A7, but would thisa cause an issue? What i have done on both jobs though, and this is the only thing i can think of, is that i tied off just one grommet away from the last cross - so last cross was on 8 and i tied of on 7, where i think you are suggesting it should have been on 6 (i.e. two grommets away). Could this cause mroe tension on the last grommet and hence the break?
     
  9. silentheart

    silentheart Regular Member

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    I have this happen to some player before. Given it is about 2wweks also. His issue is he pick up shuttles right at the corner where the racquet. his stringer cross string where the 2 strings runs next to each other. So the top string gets wear out by picking up shuttles. So, make sure the string is not above the frame trench on next string job.
     
  10. kwun

    kwun Administrator

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    a few observation and comments from the comments so far.

    1. it is the last piece of cross that broke. so any awl that was poked to enlarge the hole wouldn't have damaged the cross string. if it causes any damages, it will be damage to the main that was already there.
    2. the knot is still intact, and base on the photo, the cross string broke right next to the grommet hole where the knot sits. in fact, the string that is left is so long, it seems to be right at the knot.
    3. missing a cross string or two will not cause the cross to break. if anything, that will cause less support on the main and more likely for the main to break.

    what is not clear to me is:

    - how did it break? was it during a hit? or after your scrap the floor? or ?? we need more information. as much info as you can give.
    - how did you tie the knot? did you use a tool to pull it? did you have to pull it really hard to pull/tighten/pull/tighten? that action if overly done can cause a cut in the string surface and can potentially cause premature breakage. and from point 2 above, that seems to support this theory.
     
  11. mat_patsy

    mat_patsy Regular Member

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    Ahh, brilliant, some great info there i think. Firstly, in answer to your questions, i think the first one broke when i clipped my show during a rather unstable follow through, although this was not a hard hit, the second was during a hit.

    I did use my needle-nose pliers to pull the knot up tight, which was an action i took from an instructional video - but this was on a tennis racket!!! Presumably the stringer tennis string wouldn't suffer the same string damage as thin badminton string? This would make sense as to why both rackets went in the same place?
     
  12. mat_patsy

    mat_patsy Regular Member

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    Sorry for typo - i meant to say that i 'clipped my shoe' and the 'stronger tennis string'. Damn fat fingers!!!

    And yes, the photos show that the string broke at the grommet on the end of the last cross (8) and the knot was at the next one (7). Would it have made any difference if i had gone up another grommet before tying the knot or does that not affect the tension on the string at the grommet area?
     
  13. LazyBuddy

    LazyBuddy Regular Member

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    I assume the breakage caused by a combination of factors:

    1. Piler did cause the damage to the string
    2. Pick up shuttle with the racket cause further damage

    For #1, use the rubber rod (e.g. piler's handle) to pull the knot, instead of the steel teeth. For #2, bent down more, and scatch the frame less.
     
  14. silentheart

    silentheart Regular Member

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    #2 Or bend over more?
     
  15. mat_patsy

    mat_patsy Regular Member

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    Bit of an update.

    RE-strung the same racket using the same method but put the top cross that i previously missed in to A7 and tied off at A5 as suggested - hey presto, used it last night and it lasted a whole club night - about 8 games and no problem.

    Didn't bend down less to pick up shuttle either!!!

    Will report back again to confirm problem solved

    Thanks for the advice
     
  16. mat_patsy

    mat_patsy Regular Member

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    Forgot to mention that i did not over tighten the knots - i just pulled them finger tight rather than working them tight with the pliers. I'm thinking that working the knot so with the pliers would have over tensioned the string betweeen the last 2 grommets which is where they both snapped.
     

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