Alternatives to dental floss for tight grommets?

Discussion in 'Badminton Stringing Techniques & Tools' started by stephenk, Oct 12, 2008.

  1. stephenk

    stephenk Regular Member

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    Hello,

    When stringing I often use dental floss to pull the string through shared grommets. Are there any alternatives to this as it isn't the easiest thing to find! Also, most of it is wasted since it is the "soft/padded" bit that actually goes between your teeth!!

    Stephen
     
  2. Optiblue

    Optiblue Regular Member

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    Dental floss saved our butt yesterday on a tight hole. The only other thing I could think of using is maybe a zip tie... but that's probably more damaging to the strings... whatever works!
     
  3. taneepak

    taneepak Regular Member

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    Use your string puller. It is actually gentler on your strings than dental floss because of a lack of friction.
     
  4. stephenk

    stephenk Regular Member

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    Is a string puller = to a string mover? If so, how can you use it to help feed/pull string through shared grommets?

    The bit of string that the dental floss pulls on will be cut off at the end anyway, so it doesnt matter how sore it is on it.

    Thanks,
    Stephen
     
  5. Optiblue

    Optiblue Regular Member

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    You use the string mover and pull upwards on the main string, and then with help of pliers you try and thread the cross string through the blocked hole.

    If you don't want to use dental floss or a string mover, you can anticipate where the blocked grommets will be, and put a piece of broken string there beforehand while you're tensioning the mains... that really slows you down, but it's probably the most gentle method.
     
  6. stephenk

    stephenk Regular Member

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    Thanks for those suggestions. I'll try those out! :)

    Stephen

     
  7. Jurong

    Jurong Regular Member

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    Hi, I had the same problem when I first started stringing, but now I use a bent nose pliers which I pick up from the hardwear shop for under A$10.00 and it works all the time.
    Cheers
    Jurong
     
  8. illusionistpro

    illusionistpro Regular Member

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    just read that over a few times :p
     
  9. Optiblue

    Optiblue Regular Member

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    ^ I'm thinking dental floss + grommet hole... you?
     
  10. silentheart

    silentheart Regular Member

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    Damn, you are good. I did not pick that on up till today...
    Thank you for that great line.
     
  11. LazyBuddy

    LazyBuddy Regular Member

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    But does it damage the string coat, as the surface of the piler (the ones with "teeth" might be even worse) is usually not very smooth. :confused:
     
  12. KingO

    KingO Regular Member

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    I use this technique (link below), and it works 9 out of 10 times... flattening the string before cutting it to a point helps it pass much easier on shared grommets. If that doesn't work, I use a "bridge" dental floss threader. Hope this helps.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfG-nlb4JxU

    The author of the the above video link has a lot of useful tips regarding stringing in general (although he demonstrates them on tennis stringing). You guys should check it out.:)
     
  13. Jurong

    Jurong Regular Member

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    I follow the guy in youtube, but I don't flatten the string, because the badminton string is thin enough to go through the shared gromments.
    hope this helps

    cheers
    jurong
     
  14. taneepak

    taneepak Regular Member

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    Frankly, I think he is doing it the difficult way. The use of the string mover is much easier and faster and with less friction. I am also surprised that he resorts to use of the awl if this method does not work. No stringer of reputation will use the awl to do this.
     
  15. HiddenPower

    HiddenPower Regular Member

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    Using the awl is much easier and faster, but I see it’s kind dangerous. The dental floss method is time consuming... I guess the string mover is the way to go then.
     
  16. taneepak

    taneepak Regular Member

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    Actually if you observe carefully, the shared grommet poses a problem only at every alternate grommet. The next shared grommet has no problem. The reason is that the tensioned string "blindsides" alternately. The solution is to make the "blindsided" shared grommet into a normal shared grommet, and you do this by using the string mover on the tensioned string to remove the "roadblock".
     
  17. coachgary

    coachgary Regular Member

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    I dont have a string mover - instead I use an off cut of tennis string and use it like a string mover
     
  18. taneepak

    taneepak Regular Member

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    Yes you can make do with a thick string like a short piece of tennis string. But a string mover, being made of steel, will generate less friction. Most stringing machines come with a string mover, which looks like an oversize fishing hook but with a T joint handle.
     
  19. stephenk

    stephenk Regular Member

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    Ordered myself a string mover there from mybadmintonstore, will let you know how it goes!
     
  20. ormy4

    ormy4 Regular Member

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    I use pointed round toothpicks which I break in half then slowly push or tap into the hole to make extra room. Works great and the other half you can clean your teeth with. The minty taste is a bonus.
     

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