When I strung a racket yesterday I managed to snap the string as I tried to tie off the crosses (Yonex aerosonic). I couldn't find a solution how to tie the string without loosing almost all tension on the last 2 rows. Is there a knot that can be used to extend the string or tie off outside the frame? Of cause you would prefer starting over with a fresh string but I'm wondering if there is any other way. It would have been ok if I had any string left, but since it was my last pack of aerosonic I ended up doing the whole racket again with a different string.
I am afraid, that's the worse possible place to break a string. at a minimal you will lose one row of string. that's ok if it is not a customer's string. As for tension, you can use a starting clamp that can act as string extender to tension the 2nd last row and tie off from there.
Maybe I should get a starting clamp then. Since I have fixed clamps I thought I wouldn't need one. Good to know that you can let go of the last row but most the time I would probably still restring cuz it bothers me too much to have an obvious flaw in my racket.
maybe you can use a flying clamp instead of a starting clamp to bridge with your short string. it might work.
The one flying clamp I have couldn't hold the ends together while pulling. It is an old Victor clamp, maybe some better clamps can do it.
I think it should be possible to tie if you go two crosses back and tie at the first shared grommet. Than take a small piece of string and make a starting knot at the first shared grommet on the other side, and finish like you were supposed to. Not ideal, but if it is the last set of the string type you like and it's your racket - than it's a better one of two evils...
I tried that as well but unfortunately the remaining string I had was enough for 2 crosses but not enough to reach the string gripper. Otherwise I would have been ok with that solution.
If I were you, I would cut the job and apply a new job. Happen to every stringer. Anything else is sloppy work for the horror-chamber and risking to harm a racket just because of a last set Aerosonic sounds to me a bad idea costs-wise. With Aerosonic and a very low top cross, it's also a goner. Learn your lesson from your mistake and cut it. Wasting string, money and time is hard to accept, but what if the racket gets a defect through sloppy stringing? It's even worse, risking all equipment without winning anything.
True. I'm trying all kind of different strings at the moment. That's why I just got a pack instead of the reel. But really should have invested in a second pack...
I have 2 fixed clamps, a starting clamp, and 2 flying clamps. They just end up tools for situations like these. I would examine your knot technique too if you snapped it on the tie off.
I used to snap the string when trying to use pliers to tighten the knot... Zero snapped strings since I stopped doing that, hand pulling is good enough...
I tend to wrap it around my hand a couple of times, and then give it a pull. I keep pulling while I undo the clamps too.
I always buy 2 packs of a new string to try out. You are always safe with this way. Trying out in a different racket, having a spare strung the same, trying out the string at a different tension or to be safe if it breaks early.
Good call. I used pliers. Worked well before on thicker strings and even on the mains. Gonna stop doing that now. Did that at first and the stack of string that I don't feel like using again is growing. Since aerosonic is quit expensive I thought I can get away with just 1 pack. Stupid mistake.
This also happend to me, but luckily I always found a friend/club mate/customer who is also open to try new things. Especially you just started stringing, so it's hard to determine if it was the job quality or just the string.