Hey everyone, So I had an unlucky couple of club sessions. Blew my strings on both of my Yonex AS10's on back-to-back nights. After the second racquet blew tonight, I had said that it wouls take me a week or so to get them restrung. One of my clubmates mentioned that it really wasn't good for the racquet to sit with a broken stinging and that I should cut the string out or unlace them so that I don't warp the frame. Any truth to that?? I never really thought about that before and have left racquet broken like that for days before getting them restrung and never considered pluvking the strings out right away to prevent the head from warping. I mean I looked down the shaft from both directiond and there isn't any noticeable warping on either racquet head. Anyone with any insight or experience with this happening??
It depends on the tension but it is a good rule of thumb to at least cut an X into the strings to remove the tension. Anything 20 lbs or under is really no big deal but anything higher should really be cut and it only takes 20 seconds to do it. As for whether it can warp the head... yes it can. I always carry a pair of scissors in my bag specifically for this.
yes. when you break the string on your Arc10 (not AS10), or any other racket, it is best to cut them. for modern day rackets and at lowish tension, it is probably ok. but still, why subject your racket to unnecessary stress? the Arc10 is an expensive racket so treat it properly.
Is there any specific way to cut the strings? Or even if my stribgs are not broken? Where should I start?
I usually use a sharp knife or blade, slash it straight down the middle then across the middle - if most of the center strings are cut, there should be little tension. Also for those that are pulling out the strings, I have had racquets come in for restringing where one or more grommets are missing - probably because the strings with knots were pulled out from the outside - those are generally pulled out from the inside of the racquet frame.
Thanks for the words of wisdom all. I'll rip a line in both directions on btoh racquets right now to avoid any unnecessaary damage to the frames. Can't get them strung until early next week, so I don't want them to sit for a couple of weeks like that.
I am surprised that your stringer had not mentioned that to you in the past. Also, what string/tension do you string with?
First I've heard of it druss.......but makes sense. I guess I just never really thought about it before. Stringer has never said anything but can't blame him. I've been using bg80 strings at 26 lbs. I think its a bit to tight for the bg80. I have worked my way up from 24 lbs and the bg80's tended to last a lot longer at 24 lbs. Frame should be okay of both this time anyways. Both racquets busted on the mains and right in the centre of the racquet, so there likely wouldn't have been any off-center stresses ad there would be if it broke in a corner or along the side. I'm debating moving over to nbg98's too. I might try 1 racquet with them at 26 and go back down to 24 on the bg80 with the other Arc10.
If you go 98's you might think of reducing tension down a bit as thinner strings can be strung a pound or two lower and perform as well.
When i cut out strings i cut the middle main and cross together, then work diagnonally alternating first up and left, then down and right, cutting strings in pairs where a cross meets a main. After the first 5 or 6 cuts the string bed has lost most of its tension and they stop going off with a bang, then you should be ok to cut the rest out as you wish. A sharp pair of small diagonal/side cutter pliers works very well i find.
The strings are no good - repeat, no good - once they are broken, so get them out immediately, especially if you play off a high tension; I carry my stringing shears in my bag for this reason. With regard to how to do it, don't cut all the mains then all the crosses (or vice versa); cut some mains, some crosses, then some more mains and some more crosses. This keeps the frame stress as even as possible.
The blade that came with my stringing machine years ago is very very sharp - 2 slashes is all it takes to cut most of the strings, but then that was tensions below 18lbs.
depending on how u your racket is strung some stringers string nearly the same tension on all verticals then the same tension on all horizontals and also type of string job, ie, 1 piece or 2 piece my own rule of thumb for slashing or cutting string is cut 2 of verticals then 2 of the corrisponding horizontals, starting from the middle this is because when stringing, the most tension is always placed on the center of the racket, IF STRUNG PROPERLY
I'm sorry but you seem to be saying that if the same tension is used on all the mains then it's "not done properly". As this is how all the stringers I know do it, pray tell what is the actual proper method (though I can already guess).
Warping the frame if strings are left on is true. I strung my AT900P to 30 lb before, and it bent it (NO crack thank god) within a minute of not cutting them. So cut them as soon as you can.
Last time I'm using a lighter to burn and remove my broken string because that time I didn't had any equipment to cut it...
LOL. wow... Isnt that a little slow though?? I carry a pair of scissors with my rackets for such occasions