Bad Stringing = Broken Racquet?

[Owfred]

Hi,

Last year, I had two racquet frames broken after string jobs from two different places. One, I gave it to my friend with a dropweight machine. He strung it at around a 60 lbs tension and used a one piece stringing without ATW stringing. After playing a couple days with it, the frame cracked right at the 7'oclock part of the frame (on the tie off side) where the strings overlap, resulting in an out ward bulge in the area. Would it be all my fault (i might have hit some slices into the ground) or could bad stringing have caused it?
Another time, Sports Authority strung my racquet with pro blend. Does aramid have to be strung at a reduced tension like polyester or is it tensioned like syn gut? I gave them a pretty high tension, (its pretty funny how they dont ask the tensions for both the mains and Xs) and both sides of the neck cracked. I figured that it was because of how stiff the bed was, but im not sure. Could it be bad string job here too? or user error?

 

[Owfred]

anybody with an answer?

 

[diredesire]

depends. What racquets were they? Some frames have a history of breakage there, namely the Ti. Rads, prince TT warriors, and others.

Was the tension out of the racquet range?

Kevlar doesn't HAVE to be tensioned lower, but it's recommended for comfort issues.

I take it the non-ATW was actually incorrect? Did your frame require it? (i.e. mains end at the throat?)

Need more info

 

[uk_skippy]

Hi Owfred

re: your 1st point, what rqt was it that your friend strung? Some rqts are ok to string bottom up, such as some Wilson & Babolat.

re: your 2nd point, kevlar should be strung lower like poly as it hasn't got anywhere near the elasticity of standard syn gut. It's a very stiff string. Kevlar strings are usual strung about 10% or so lower. Then the syn gut cross (or similar) is strung higher. So if you normally have your rqts strung @ 60lbs and you're having a kevlar hybrid the mains (kevlar) should be strung around 54lbs with the syn gut @ 60lbs. If you requested 60 lbs then they should have confirmed your request and informed you of the outcome of the string job. The string job itself may not be bad, but their approach (and experience) towards it was.

Regards

Paul

 

[Owfred]

depends. What racquets were they? Some frames have a history of breakage there, namely the Ti. Rads, prince TT warriors, and others.

Both were recreational racquets. 1st: Prince Force 3 Smash Ti-Os and my 2nd: Pro Kennex Power Zone.

Was the tension out of the racquet range?

The one to my friend, I would assume he knows to check the label, but it seemed like he might have over tensioned it and the one to sports authority, the tension was in the racquet range.

I take it the non-ATW was actually incorrect? Did your frame require it? (i.e. mains end at the throat?)

The string pattern for the 1st racquet required 2 PIECE STRINGING, but from what I hear, ATW works the same. My friend did not do 2 PIECE or ATW after I looked at my racquet.

re: your 2nd point, kevlar should be strung lower like poly as it hasn't got anywhere near the elasticity of standard syn gut. It's a very stiff string. Kevlar strings are usual strung about 10% or so lower. Then the syn gut cross (or similar) is strung higher. So if you normally have your rqts strung @ 60lbs and you're having a kevlar hybrid the mains (kevlar) should be strung around 54lbs with the syn gut @ 60lbs. If you requested 60 lbs then they should have confirmed your request and informed you of the outcome of the string job. The string job itself may not be bad, but their approach (and experience) towards it was.

Its kind of upsetting that the cashiers at sporting goods stores who take your order for stringing have no clue about anything for stringing. They know that the numbers have to be between the racquet range and that's it. Back then, I had no clue that some strings should be reduced in tension for comfort, but they least they could have done was told me.

 

[steve s]

Next time get a racquet that cost more than $29.95!!!!

 

[Owfred]

Next time get a racquet that cost more than $29.95!!!!

Hah, I have a Diablo now, does that count?

 

[ambro]

Yes. The Diablo probably will not crack like that. I would guess that the reason they cracked is because of improper stringing, and the fact that they are POS recreational racquets. They are made of lower quality materials, and easier to crack or break.

 

[tedmeister]

Yes. The Diablo probably will not crack like that. I would guess that the reason they cracked is because of improper stringing, and the fact that they are POS recreational racquets. They are made of lower quality materials, and easier to crack or break.

True. Kevlar/aramids that don't stretch by much loads up the frame a lot more than more elastic strings. In combination with high tensions and big hitting, the lower grade racquets don't have much of a chance. This also happens to performance lightweight os models when 4.0+ players insist on using them with these kind of strings. Judging from Owfred's new stick, he probably has a good amount of racquet head speed.