Had anyone ripped through racket before?

ten11

Semi-Pro
I noticed some of the grommet hole is very close but are main and cross holes. Only when doing one piece, string will go through these VERY close string holes. Had anyone have the experience of ripping through the racket before? :confused:
 

rich s

Hall of Fame
I had a Head Satellite Tour MP fail between two grommets while in my bag..... and I had a very old Wilson ProStaff 6.? (teal-greenish color) tear out the ligament between one of the last mains and a cross hole while stringing....

EDIT..... in both instances the racquets were older racquets (6+ years each) and both were strung (or in the process of being strung) 2 piece
 
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Clintspin

Professional
I had one of the Head TI series do this during stringing once. It is a very light racquet with a main and cross very close. String and grommet just cut right through. I had to string it the wrong way to make it a usable racquet. Fortunately it was for a student on a High School team that I was coaching and I had purchased and supplied the racquet. It didn't cost me a whole lot and was still usable.
 

ten11

Semi-Pro
Rich, nalvarado and Clintspin, thanks for sharing. So this definitely happened before.
I am always nervous about this while stringing friend's racket. ($100 at least for used.) So now I got one more reason to use 2 piece instead of 1 piece.
 

Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
I noticed some of the grommet hole is very close but are main and cross holes. Only when doing one piece, string will go through these VERY close string holes. Had anyone have the experience of ripping through the racket before? :confused:

I have never had this happen but if you use ATW, box, or one piece patterns I think it is more likely to happen and that is the sole reason I now prefer two piece always.
 

cknobman

Legend
I ripped through one of my string grommets on a prince tour speedport the other day.

My dumb butt was stringing the crosses backwards and then tension ripped through one of the plastic cross gromments.

LOL live and learn.
 

rich s

Hall of Fame
Rich, nalvarado and Clintspin, thanks for sharing. So this definitely happened before.
I am always nervous about this while stringing friend's racket. ($100 at least for used.) So now I got one more reason to use 2 piece instead of 1 piece.

in both cases the racquets were 6+ years old..... the one that was in my bag was strung 2 piece and the one I was stringing was also two piece.....

my two greatest concerns when stringing are age of the racquet and physical condition (if it is a newer racquet)...... I always point out damage/wear to customers before I start and let them know that it is present and if the racquet breaks at/near that location when I am stringing it I will not be held responsible for it..... if they don't agree.... I don't string it.....
 

Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
I ripped through one of my string grommets on a prince tour speedport the other day.

My dumb butt was stringing the crosses backwards and then tension ripped through one of the plastic cross gromments.

LOL live and learn.

How can you string the crosses backward?
 

cknobman

Legend
How can you string the crosses backward?

Because of the ports you have to tie off your start on a specific side of the racquet (its marked) and then start weaving, I was not paying attention and started on the wrong side.
 

Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
That's correct now I understand. Actually you were not stringing backward you had your short side on the wrong side. If that happens again use your short side to run the top cross and all will be well.
 

rich s

Hall of Fame
That's correct now I understand. Actually you were not stringing backward you had your short side on the wrong side. If that happens again use your short side to run the top cross and all will be well.

Great tip.... very simple but not immediately obvious....
 

Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
Great tip.... very simple but not immediately obvious....

Thanks, but when stringing a Prince O3 or EXO3 the tie off holes are marked very clearly. If I see the tie off is on the other side it is immediately obvious to me. One side has two tie offs one for the main and another for the top cross. If the short side does not end up on the side with two tie off holes you are on the wrong side.
 

jim e

Legend
That's correct now I understand. Actually you were not stringing backward you had your short side on the wrong side. If that happens again use your short side to run the top cross and all will be well.

There have been a # of times I purposely started on the wrong side just so I can weave the top cross with the short side and that way the top and bottom cross strings are the tie off strings.Works very nice this way, but i do give myself a little more string for the short side for the top cross.
 

Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
^^I do the same thing Jim. I had one just the other day where one piece was requested so I put the short side on the right. I use 5 racket lengths for the short side when I do that.

Also one other point, assuming the butt cap was a factory install, with the logo upright the short side is on the left.
 

fortun8son

Hall of Fame
I noticed some of the grommet hole is very close but are main and cross holes. Only when doing one piece, string will go through these VERY close string holes. Had anyone have the experience of ripping through the racket before? :confused:
I have seen this several times with Head racquets strung 1-pc(not ATW)
I think this is the main reason Head usally says 2pc only.
 

dancraig

Hall of Fame
I had two or three Prince Airsticks that had a problem like that. When stringing, it was almost impossible to pull a certain string without the grommet being pulled into the frame. Then, the string would cut into the graphite as you continued to pull tension. This hole is very close to the adjacent hole. It never 'ate' all the way to the other hole, but is very close.
Even knowing this is an issue, it is still difficult to pull tension on that string while keeping the grommet from being drawn into the hole.
 

Steve Huff

G.O.A.T.
I also do it that way so I can string the top cross. Also, I use a box pattern on the Prince Rebel, which seems to be made for that pattern. With the short side string, I string the top 3 crosses. With the long string, I string the bottom cross, last main on opposite side, then start from the top at the 4th cross. Works well, although you do have hard weaves. I've done it this way and with 2 pieces at the same tension, and both players I've done it for (which I asked them to test the difference) preferred the 1-piece, box pattern. Both said the strings didn't move as much. Can't really say why that would be though.
 

Muppet

Legend
2 questions:

Is it safer to string ATW with a gut or multi string, since they have more elasticity? My thinking is that poly would not "give" as much and the impact would be delivered much more suddenly to the frame.

In my Muscleweave 200G 95, the string takes a sharp loop as it transitions from crosses to the long side outside main (USRSA ATW, by the way) near the bottom of the hoop. Do you think this frame is durable enough for this string path? Also, should I avoid stringing poly in this pattern on this racquet? I read somewhere that this is a particularly durable racquet.

Thank you
 

Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
It is not better for the frame to use any kind of ATW pattern. No matter which one you use your string at one point will be going from a cross to main (or main to cross) over a very short span and that can't be better for the frame. Two piece string gets around that problem every time.

If you use any ATW pattern you will have blocked holes, hard weaves, and or hard pulls. No matter which ATW it is it can't be better for the string as you are stressing the string more and or making it more difficult to string.

INHO two piece is faster, better for the frame, and better for the string why not go two piece?
 

Muppet

Legend
It is not better for the frame to use any kind of ATW pattern. No matter which one you use your string at one point will be going from a cross to main (or main to cross) over a very short span and that can't be better for the frame. Two piece string gets around that problem every time.

If you use any ATW pattern you will have blocked holes, hard weaves, and or hard pulls. No matter which ATW it is it can't be better for the string as you are stressing the string more and or making it more difficult to string.

INHO two piece is faster, better for the frame, and better for the string why not go two piece?

This racquet is 18x20 and it's easier weaving the crosses across 16 of the mains. Also, there are only 2 knots which are tied on the top and bottom crosses. This helps the final mains stay straighter.

But I can see your points about 2-piece being a very straight forward pattern without the potential complications of an ATW.

My Black Max 2 racquet doesn't work for a 2-piece. The recommended pattern is 1-piece, bottom to top. I really don't want to risk it, even though I have a six point mount. It has the same tight loop string path issue as the Muscle Weave racquet. Which is more of a risk for this racquet, ATW or bottom to top?

Thank you
 

Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
I agree ATW patterns do offer advantages no doubt about it.

As far as how to string your racket if given the choice of stringing by the manufacturers recommendation or using another pattern always do what you think is best. One way the manufacturer accepts responsibility and other way(s) you do. But Dunlop is not going to replace a 20+ year old racket.

If I were stringing the racket I would think about 2 piece top down.
 

Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
Noticed no one mentioned tubing the racquet where a pull-through may occur. Any reason why?

Going back to the OP's original statement he said, "I noticed some of the grommet hole is very close but are main and cross holes. Only when doing one piece, string will go through these VERY close string holes. Had anyone have the experience of ripping through the racket before? :confused:"

Therefore, tubing would do nothing to strengthen the frame between those two holes and you would still have the same amount of stress on that section between the two holes.
 

Ronaldo

Bionic Poster
Going back to the OP's original statement he said, "I noticed some of the grommet hole is very close but are main and cross holes. Only when doing one piece, string will go through these VERY close string holes. Had anyone have the experience of ripping through the racket before? :confused:"

Therefore, tubing would do nothing to strengthen the frame between those two holes and you would still have the same amount of stress on that section between the two holes.

That answers why a stringer would not re-string my older racquets. Pull-through at the throat.
 

Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
That answers why a stringer would not re-string my older racquets. Pull-through at the throat.

Not sure what you are saying. Some strings will pull through the frame when the grommet slides out while pulling tension toward the throat on the outside mains. Some Prince frames will cut through the grommet and into the frame in the throat.
 

ten11

Semi-Pro
Going back to the OP's original statement he said, "I noticed some of the grommet hole is very close but are main and cross holes. Only when doing one piece, string will go through these VERY close string holes. Had anyone have the experience of ripping through the racket before? :confused:"

Therefore, tubing would do nothing to strengthen the frame between those two holes and you would still have the same amount of stress on that section between the two holes.

Thanks, Irvin. Spot on. I am actually more concerned with the close holes than anything.
I actually thought about the tubing myself and believe it might not help much. Good to have your opinion on this.
 
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