Straightarrow

When I get towards the end of the serving, I backserve the last 10-12 wraps. About the only way to backserve this type of serving is to lay a loop over the serving before finishing that last 10 wraps, and then to pull the tag end through. I do use dental wax. It's thin, strong and slippery. If you backserve too long or too tightly, you can break the dental floss, so I usually double-up on it.

One tip on serving the loop - put more wraps in than you think you'll need. I always force a few more wraps into the space than it looks like it can take. Once you tighten the backserving, it tends to create some slack in the end of the loop. By forcing the extra wraps in, you prevent the possibility of the loop ends being large enough to slip over the tied nock points.

Sometimes it takes practicing a few of them to find out what you prefer in the way of length, thickness, string material and the amount of serving on the loop. I've made so many of them, I know what to expect if I use 12 strands of .018 serving or 8 strands of .026. Until you've tried a few different combinations, you won't know what you like best. The good thing - your options are numerous.

bigcountry

Straight when you say back serve at the end of the serving, do you mean you do it just like racks adn beard page shows, where at the end of the serving they put the tag end thru the dental floss loop, and then pull the dental flass tight to hold the tag end in place, but then you serve back over the serving about another10 wraps?

sorry, I don't understand exactly.

Straightarrow

Backserving is a bit difficult to describe. This pictorial shows the techniques, but the photos may be too small to see clearly:

http://www.compoundbow.de/catfish_loop.htm

You backserve over the dental floss, then you put the tag end through the loop in the dental floss and then use the dental floss to pull the tag end through those last 10 wraps. Then simply pull tight and cut and burn the tag end.

Next time I tie one, I'll try to remember to take some close up photos. In the meantime, I'm hoping someone can come up with some better photos.

bigcountry

I now understand. So you you back serve, like serving a string at the end. Sounds like some practice is needed for that part. Not much area to work off of. Thanks for writing this up

mez

Any of you use the Viper D Loop pliers? I've started using them and the loop won't slip twist or move once set. The only trick to the thing is knowing how long of a tag to leave. Once you figure that out it is a great tool IMO.

Alpha Capo

ive never used a string loop, ive always attatched my release right to the string.

dont have any problems that way so far in 15 years.

bigcountry

Ok, so how does us know that help us any at all?

The Rev

I've never had a problemsince I changed to 500 pound parachute cord. It's 5.95 for 500 feet at the army salvage place. It's thinner and works great. PM me with your address and I'll send you enough to last you until we hear that trumpet.

Greg / MO

Mark,

Sorry... I've been literally SWAMPED with work projects and while I've clicked on this thread from time to time, I just haven't had time to even start a response. Actually, your knots themselves don't look bad to me; it just looks like your loop is longer than you want it according to all you've said.

I'm not sure I can tell you anything more other than to pull that d-loop material tight alongside your string before starting to make your second knot... By doing that, it's easy for me to remove every bit of slack out of what is going to form up my actual loop, and I have to be cautious or I'll make my d-loop too short!

Primitive Weapon

That, and the fact that the instructions are in GERMAN doesn't help either.