While stringing, I just snapped Monogut ZX ....TWICE

TimeToPlaySets

TimeToPlaySets

Legend
55lbs.
Drop weight

This did not happen the first time I strung ZX.

I had to keep tightening the ratchet wheel,
since it kept going down, and the string still stretches.

I was letting it down slowly, nothing jerky.

Then snap!

Twice.
Both halves of the pack in the garbage

Any special trick to doing ZX ?
 
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P

Peppershaker

Rookie
Used to have a drop weight machine, and having been stringing ZX for well over a year with either a NEOS 1000 or 1500, given the stretch of this string not sure how you would be able to string this with a drop weight.

First time I strung this on my crank I thought may clamps and tension head needed cleaning because I kept reaching the furthest point of the track without releasing. Cleaned everything only to find the same thing happening. Took me awhile till I finally realized the string itself was stretching. This was before I started to pre-stretch and even then this string still have some amayzing elasticity to it so I make sure there is no play in the string when I place it in the tensioner and that the tensioner is towards the front of the track.

I'd imagine that at some point it would reach it's breaking point.......and my guess is that's what is happening to you.
 
T

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
TimeToPlaySets said:
55lbs.
Drop weight

This did not happen the first time I strung ZX.

I had to keep tightening the ratchet wheel,
since it kept going down, and the string still stretches.

I was letting it down slowly, nothing jerky.

Then snap!

Twice.
Both halves of the pack in the garbage

Any special trick to doing ZX ?
Click to expand...
This problem happens far less frequently, in my experience, if you prestretch thoroughly.
 
2nd Serve Ace

2nd Serve Ace

Hall of Fame
Stick with 16 natural color. 17 g, black, red color all add to lower tencil strength.

Did you prestretch? That reduces your upper tension limit below the 60 guide.

Might also be a good time to get a tension calibrator for your stringer.
 
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travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
Zx can actually hold more than 100 lbs tension, but it is fragile when bent around tight corners because it lacks the ductility of poly or nylon, so all of the stress gets concentrated on the outer edge of the string where it goes around the corner. Sanding down any sharp edges helps.
 
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travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
Zx can actually hold more than 100 lbs tension, but it is fragile when bent around tight corners because it lacks the ductility of poly or nylon, so all of the stress gets concentrated on the outer edge of the string. Sanding down any sharp edges helps. Prestretching helps strengthen against this failure mode because it keeps the part going around the corner from traveling as you pull tension.
 
2nd Serve Ace

2nd Serve Ace

Hall of Fame
travlerajm said:
Prestretching helps strengthen against this failure mode because it keeps the part going around the corner from traveling as you pull tension.
Click to expand...

This is false in practice and in theory. When a substance reaches it's stretch limit, it breaks!

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T

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
2nd Serve Ace said:
This is false in practice and in theory. When a substance reaches it's stretch limit, it breaks!

Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
When I first started using zx, before I started prestretching it, i would break it during stringing almost every time. Prestretching solved this problem.
 
2nd Serve Ace

2nd Serve Ace

Hall of Fame
travlerajm said:
When I first started using zx, before I started prestretching it, i would break it during stringing almost every time. Prestretching solved this problem.
Click to expand...
No it doesn't. I've blown an entire mini reel of 17 black because a 12" prestretched piece won't survive 50 lbs.

Have been able to find a rule of thumb for ZX that for every inch you pull out of it, tension limit needs to go down 1 lb.

Hey, OP can disregard this and throw away time and $ if he wants to.


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T

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
12” prestretch might make it worse, but 24” prestretch will fix it. Trust me.

You can drop the reference tension by 10 lbs or more after prestretching too.
 
graycrait

graycrait

Legend
TimeToPlaySets said:
I strung 16 with no issue.
I string 17 and broke both pieces.
Click to expand...

LOL! Before reading this and about 45 minutes ago I broke a ZX 17 cross while stringing, right at the bend of the 2nd cross. It was prestretched and I was stringing at 55lbs. I said my prayers and used the remaining ZX to string the crosses as I had started with 18' for a racket that called for 17'. I figured an 18" elongation during prestretch (I don't want to be left short). So now I had about 15.5' of prestretched 17g ZX for a 16' job and made it comfortably.

Just in the last 4 or 5 months I bet I have strung ZX as a cross or fullbed 24+ times. The Russian D1 player I kept 9 rackets strung with Ash Kev x ZX for had ZX snap twice in the first 5 minutes of hitting. She also ate through the Kevlar x ZX combo in about a week and half. I have had it break on me while stringing at least 3 times during that time. All the breakage has been with 17g. The two that broke ZX crosses within 5 minutes of hitting were on two different rackets and they were ZX 17g natural prestretched. The 3 times it has broken on me while stringing lately was with 17g black prestretched. I haven't used ZX 16g in such a long time I can't compare.

For me breaking ZX while stringing is just part of the job. I try and mitigate it by checking grommets, making sure I haven't nicked it or stepped on it and always use a moderate slow crank on my NEOS 1000 at 55lbs. Today's breakage while stringing took me completely by surprise. However, "restringing" the crosses with that same piece of Zyex was trouble free. "Go figure."
 
2nd Serve Ace

2nd Serve Ace

Hall of Fame
TimeToPlaySets said:
I did some basic prestretching.
I will stick with 16 natural color.
Click to expand...
If it gets installed without issues, ZX is indestructible from that point on.

One last thing is that the reels of ZX seem to me to be thinner than the sets, so take that into account as well if you end up loving this string.

@graycrait I've also recycled ZX after about 30 hours, but it would only go in if I assumed a full elongation if it, so 40 lbs was the max reference tension.
 
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TimeToPlaySets

TimeToPlaySets

Legend
2nd Serve Ace said:
No it doesn't. I've blown an entire mini reel of 17 black because a 12" prestretched piece won't survive 50 lbs.

Have been able to find a rule of thumb for ZX that for every inch you pull out of it, tension limit needs to go down 1 lb.

Hey, OP can disregard this and throw away time and $ if he wants to.


Sent from my LG-LS993 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Are you saying not to pre-stretch at all ?
 
graycrait

graycrait

Legend
2nd Serve Ace said:
if you end up loving this string.
Click to expand...

I am sure it is because of the Delta between my skill set, age/strength and racket choices but I can't get past this Ash Kev x ZX combo. I've tried everything else in rackets and strings. I feel sort of validated in my choice of string watching this D1 gal go 17-3 in duals with it and watching a D1 12+ UTR hit with it saying I like it but can't switch this time of the season. I went down to the uni courts this morning, 57 degrees starting out, no one around 3mph wind. After warming up I hit about 200 serves with a Michael Chang Ti Longbody (28") 14x18 95" strung with 16g Ash Kev mains x 17g ZX Pro crosses 65x55lbs with about 10 hrs on the stringbed. I love serving and practice a lot - loose, long, slow to fast, chest to the sky. A good poly can give me a bit more bite when I am trying short and wide or kicking, but not enough to make me want to switch permanently. At my age you take your pleasures where you find them and playing tennis with Ash Kev x Zyex is a pleasure.
 
2nd Serve Ace

2nd Serve Ace

Hall of Fame
TimeToPlaySets said:
So, you can't string ZX at 55 ?
I am stretching but not really noticing any 2 feet of stretch.
More like a few inches, at best.
Click to expand...
ZX takes some time as you need to pull extremely hard for about 15-20 sec. and you can get 2" out, but the you need to stop and reset. Do the same thing 5 more times and 12" is pulled, but at that point diminishing returns kick in so I stop (but obviously others continue on). Fwiw, Trav does his crosses super low, so I understand what he's trying to accomplish.

Edit: Trav don't even use ZX crosses anymore.
 
P

Peppershaker

Rookie
TimeToPlaySets said:
So, you can't string ZX at 55 ?
I am stretching but not really noticing any 2 feet of stretch.
More like a few inches, at best.
Click to expand...

I string at 57 and pre-stretch but this is with 16 gauge and have never broken a string even before I started to pre-stretch. It may very well be that with the 17 gauge you have reached it's breaking point with your drop-weight machine.

Also does anyone know if the 17 gauge "ZX Pro" is in fact the same formulation as regular 16 "ZX"? I had wondered about trying the "Pro" but was somewhat vague on if it's actually the same and really didn't want to experiment all over again anyway with this string. For the amount that this string stretches/elongates I'm not sure that 16 gauge isn't actually 17 at the time the string is clamped anyway!
 
2nd Serve Ace

2nd Serve Ace

Hall of Fame
Peppershaker said:
Also does anyone know if the 17 gauge "ZX Pro" is in fact the same formulation as regular 16 "ZX"? I had wondered about trying the "Pro" but was somewhat vague on if it's actually the same and really didn't want to experiment all over again anyway with this string. For the amount that this string stretches/elongates I'm not sure that 16 gauge isn't actually 17 at the time the string is clamped anyway!
Click to expand...

The "pro" only means that it is a thinner gauge, no formulation difference or anything. And I also agree that the 16 will become the 17 just by taking a bit longer time before clamping.

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travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
Peppershaker said:
I string at 57 and pre-stretch but this is with 16 gauge and have never broken a string even before I started to pre-stretch. It may very well be that with the 17 gauge you have reached it's breaking point with your drop-weight machine.

Also does anyone know if the 17 gauge "ZX Pro" is in fact the same formulation as regular 16 "ZX"? I had wondered about trying the "Pro" but was somewhat vague on if it's actually the same and really didn't want to experiment all over again anyway with this string. For the amount that this string stretches/elongates I'm not sure that 16 gauge isn't actually 17 at the time the string is clamped anyway!
Click to expand...
I’m sure that thoroughly prestretching 16g zx turns it into 17g, and prestretching 17g turns it into 18g!
 
TimeToPlaySets

TimeToPlaySets

Legend
I strung my 2nd pack of 17's at 53 and nothing broke.
I was extra gentle with the drop weight, and did not push my luck if the weight was a bit below parallel.

I will only order 16 cream color from now on.
 
TimeToPlaySets

TimeToPlaySets

Legend
I have no clue what @TypeRx is doing to get another 2 FEET of stretch from a 20' half.
I got like 1 or 2 inches max. I just looped it around a curtain rod and leaned all my body weight into it for a minute or two.
I barely get any added length, but do feel the string pulling like a rubber band. It removes some coil, and that's good enough.
 
T

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
TimeToPlaySets said:
I have no clue what @TypeRx is doing to get another 2 FEET of stretch from a 20' half.
I got like 1 or 2 inches max. I just looped it around a curtain rod and leaned all my body weight into it for a minute or two.
I barely get any added length, but do feel the string pulling like a rubber band. It removes some coil, and that's good enough.
Click to expand...
If you are pulling on both ends at once (not sure if you are), then you are dividing your body weight lean force in half, which won’t stretch it very effectively.
 
TypeRx

TypeRx

Semi-Pro
TimeToPlaySets said:
I have no clue what @TypeRx is doing to get another 2 FEET of stretch from a 20' half.
I got like 1 or 2 inches max. I just looped it around a curtain rod and leaned all my body weight into it for a minute or two.
I barely get any added length, but do feel the string pulling like a rubber band. It removes some coil, and that's good enough.
Click to expand...

Many here are able to get ~20-24" out of a 20' run during pre-stretching, so it isn't anything unique to me. Make sure you are tying one end to a fixed object (as is, much stronger than a curtain rod!) and then use your preferred method (I use a baseball bat; string tied in a knot around the 12" from the bottom of the bat with bat head on the ground) and then lever it back. There is something seriously wrong if you are only getting 1-2". Honestly, that is what you get just from removing the coil. It takes just a few seconds to get the first 4-6" of stretch.

Some use a doorknob (I tried that and wouldn't recommend it), @graycrait uses a winch, others similar to what I do. I find it better/safer to do outside rather than inside. You also need at least 30' of runway since you have 20' of string, a couple feet of stretch, and some space to maneuver. Don't try and overlap the string and pull on 2 ends at once -- like @travlerajm said that doesn't work (essentially halves the actual pulling force) and creates another bend for the string to weaken and break on when stringing. I tie knots around the fixed point and the bat -- please don't just loop the string around something. Not only will that not be as effective it is also more dangerous.

Regarding string breaks when doing the mains, I have found that natural tends to break more during stringing then black and also plays worse than black. I have "successfully" broke ZXP mains while stringing after pre-stretching, so I am not sure if the pre-stretch helps with this aspect. It is a picky string, and this is why I don't use it as a main any longer.

On the sets of ZX that have broken -- don't toss them. Save them for when you choose to string the crosses using 2 pieces or pack them up and mail to me!

Maybe I should take a video or some pictures of how I pre-stretch this stuff. I don't really need to restring anytime soon (maybe after another 20 hours of play of so...) but can do it next time I string up if there is interest.
 
10shoe

10shoe

Professional
Y'all are far more understanding and forgiving than me. Two sets of Babolat Origin snapped on me during stringing and that was it. Discontinued. After reading this thread I wouldn't touch ZX with a ten ft pole.
 
Irvin

Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
the only time I’ve ever broken ZX is tying knots. @TimeToPlaySets how long was tension applied when it broke or were you tying a knot?

EDIT: And only finishing knots.
 
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K

kkm

Hall of Fame
10shoe said:
Y'all are far more understanding and forgiving than me. Two sets of Babolat Origin snapped on me during stringing and that was it. Discontinued. After reading this thread I wouldn't touch ZX with a ten ft pole.
Click to expand...

I had an instance of Origin breaking overnight in a 2018 Pure Aero, waiting for the customer to pick up the strung racquet. Not using higher knot tension took care of it. I had the same thing happen with a customer who brought his own Gosen string (a soft string, not a poly) and uses a Pacific/Fischer racquet.
 
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TimeToPlaySets

TimeToPlaySets

Legend
10shoe said:
Y'all are far more understanding and forgiving than me. Two sets of Babolat Origin snapped on me during stringing and that was it. Discontinued. After reading this thread I wouldn't touch ZX with a ten ft pole.
Click to expand...

There is no alternative for those with TE issues who need to avoid Poly.
Mutli frays and locks and moves and basically sucks
Gut is overrated and sucks like Multi.
So, ZX is the last exit before quitting the game.
No choice
 
TypeRx

TypeRx

Semi-Pro
I have never broken ZXP tying knots (I always hand tie regardless of the string). When I have broken it during stringing, it has been while tensioning mains (typically around 6 or 7) at 53-55lbs. Perhaps my rackets had a sharp grommet or had a sharp turn causing a kink, but regardless of the cause, it was damn frustrating.

But thankfully I haven’t had a ZXP break during stringing (or at all) for at least the last 10-15 stringings.


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bfroxen

bfroxen

Rookie
TimeToPlaySets said:
There is no alternative for those with TE issues who need to avoid Poly.
Mutli frays and locks and moves and basically sucks
Gut is overrated and sucks like Multi.
So, ZX is the last exit before quitting the game.
No choice
Click to expand...
I'm in the same boat and have been trying lots of strings. I'm close to settling on Tecnifibre Multifeel (16 natural, if it matters). It frays but does not lock (see Chris's comments in the TW Review). I have no idea why, but the mains barely wear, and the crosses shred until they break. I've played a full bed of Multifeel twice and got 8.5 and 12 hours before break. I once strung OGSM mains with Multifeel crosses, and that played similarly and lasted 10 hours. Multifeel mains with OGSM crosses didn't work. I'm currently trying Velocity mains with Multifeel crosses, and the first 1.5 hours were great.

I tried a full bed of Velocity based on the huge thread in Strings, but it locks for me within 10 minutes.
 
LoboR1

LoboR1

Rookie
TypeRx said:
Maybe I should take a video or some pictures of how I pre-stretch this stuff. I don't really need to restring anytime soon (maybe after another 20 hours of play of so...) but can do it next time I string up if there is interest.
Click to expand...

I'd really appreciate this!!
 
JetFlyr

JetFlyr

Rookie
TypeRx said:
Maybe I should take a video or some pictures of how I pre-stretch this stuff. I don't really need to restring anytime soon (maybe after another 20 hours of play of so...) but can do it next time I string up if there is interest.
Click to expand...
I’d like to see this.
 
TimeToPlaySets

TimeToPlaySets

Legend
I cut my ZX to 20 feet.
I tied the 2 ends to a doorknob and a racket throat

I pulled and learned back with all my body weight, being careful to brace my knees if case the knot slipped and I fell over.
This feels very dangerous, and could lead to serious injury if I fell. Or if the knot slipped.
I don't even know what the correct knot to use it. I just tied it like a shoelace.

I was able to pull harder on the racket than on a hand help clamp. It was like doing curls.
This time, I pulled for a solid 4 mins straight and got almost one foot of stretch !

For the other half of the ZX, I tried the pipe lever trick outlined by @TypeRx
I tied the ZX to a doorknob and a long pipe and planted the pipe on the floor and pulled the pipe towards me to tilt the pipe.
This was a GREAT mini WORKOUT. My legs were burning and I broke into a full sweat.
I pulled for 4 straight minutes and I got 13" of stretch !!
 
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TypeRx

TypeRx

Semi-Pro
This is progress. I like to pull/hold for 5-10, release, pull taut and use my foot to secure the bat/pipe from slipping back, then pull hold again. Keep at it.

While it takes some strength, it shouldn’t be a workout at all.

Also, I wouldn’t use a tennis racket for this a a strong pipe or bat (30-35” total length is good).

The first 12” is easier than the last 10-12”. Really, the last 6” are the only ones that require strong effort IME.
 
TimeToPlaySets

TimeToPlaySets

Legend
I used the racket to do a curling motion.
Pull string towards me.

I used the pipe to pull towards me.
The pipe was an insane workout.

Maybe pushing is easier.
 
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