1 Piece vs. 2 Piece

db10s

db10s

Hall of Fame
What are the (dis)advantages of each? I learned how to string 2 piece... If I can tie my knots well, there shouldn't be any more tension loss than with a 1 piece, no? I know this has probably been asked before, but I didn't find any definitive answers all in one place. Is it like a Ford vs. Chevy, Canon vs. Nikon, etc... type of thing?
 
kato669

kato669

Rookie
There, all things being equal, should be no differences or advantages other than your/customer preference.

I find myself doing 80% two piece to 20% one piece. Learning and doing both well would be great but two piece only is perfectly fine
 
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gmatheis

Hall of Fame
1 piece has less knots ... sometimes depending on your technique you lose some tension on your tie off .. less tie offs = less chances for that loss of tension.

2 piece gives you less string to pull through on half the mains ... allows you to always string top down regardless of racket pattern without doing ATW or something.

But all in all ... It really doesn't matter. I think it's more important to keep records on how you string for each person/racket and be consistent. Don't give them one piece then next time give them two piece.
 
Roger Wawrinka

Roger Wawrinka

Professional
^Drak is spot on there but I did hear that if your knots are tied tight enough and tied properly you will not lose tension even stringing 2 piece. (4 knots)

But again as said above both get the job done.


P.S not to get off topic but Drak, I use a starting clamp to start crosses but do you prefer starting clamp or starting knot?
 
drakulie

drakulie

Talk Tennis Guru
^^^ starting clamp


Edit: btw, tying your knots tight is not necessarily the main reason for tension loss. On two piece you have 4 strands of strings that will slack when tying the knot vs only two on a one piece. This is the reason one "loses" more tension on a two piece and the string bed overall doesn't stay as tight and uniform. You also have two pieces of string losing their "liveliness " vs only one piece of string losing its "liveliness". For these reasons I prefer one piece.
 
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mikeler

mikeler

Moderator
drakulie said:
^^^ starting clamp


Edit: btw, tying your knots tight is not necessarily the main reason for tension loss. On two piece you have 4 strands of strings that will slack when tying the knot vs only two on a one piece. This is the reason one "loses" more tension on a two piece and the string bed overall doesn't stay as tight and uniform. You also have two pieces of string losing their "liveliness " vs only one piece of string losing its "liveliness". For these reasons I prefer one piece.
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Good to see Yoda back. To the OP, just keep doing it your own way. Doing a 1 piece job might feel slightly different from 2 piece. For consistency, I always do 2 piece because that is how I learned. Drak is stringing for the best in the world, so very different from our situations. The starting clamp is a must have for me. Buy one now and keep it for the next 80 years. :)
 
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Lakers4Life

Lakers4Life

Hall of Fame
db10s said:
What are the (dis)advantages of each? I learned how to string 2 piece... If I can tie my knots well, there shouldn't be any more tension loss than with a 1 piece, no? I know this has probably been asked before, but I didn't find any definitive answers all in one place. Is it like a Ford vs. Chevy, Canon vs. Nikon, etc... type of thing?
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A lot of it depends on what type of machine you have or are using. If you have a Swivle Clamp machine, it's real easy. Glide bars, you need hold the first cross) with the tensioner, while you move the glide bar to the cross position. With floating clamps, it's almost impossible, but not totally impossible.
 
I

Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
It is actually very easy with flying clamps using the one piece pattern I recently posted. After running all your mains double pull the first two crosses on the short side and after finishing your long side crosses pull each of the first two short side crosses individually.
 
I

Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
I think one piece is faster and because there are only two knots you have less tension loss. With two piece the string is more manageable, allows for hybrid stringing, and always uses the manufacturers reccomended stringing pattern.
 
v-verb

v-verb

Hall of Fame
Irvin said:
It is actually very easy with flying clamps using the one piece pattern I recently posted. After running all your mains double pull the first two crosses on the short side and after finishing your long side crosses pull each of the first two short side crosses individually.
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Irvin said:
I think one piece is faster and because there are only two knots you have less tension loss. With two piece the string is more manageable, allows for hybrid stringing, and always uses the manufacturers reccomended stringing pattern.
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Good reasons why I'm trying this on the weekend.

I string low tension - 35 lbs - so I don't think the racquet will get stressed by 1 piece
 
I

Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
v-verb said:
Good reasons why I'm trying this on the weekend.

I string low tension - 35 lbs - so I don't think the racquet will get stressed by 1 piece
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v-verb I assume you use flying clamps and poly, let me know how it turns out. I doubt it will make any noticeable difference in how your racket plays.
 
v-verb

v-verb

Hall of Fame
Irvin said:
v-verb I assume you use flying clamps and poly, let me know how it turns out. I doubt it will make any noticeable difference in how your racket plays.
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Hi Irvin

You are correct in both assumptions. I'll be happy to let you know how it works out.

Thanks again for supplying this method!
 
fortun8son

fortun8son

Hall of Fame
Usually, if given the option, I prefer 2pc because I don't trip over the long side.
I do a lot of dinosaurs, so I will often do those Pro Kennex et al with an ATW so I can string top-down.
 
MAX PLY

MAX PLY

Hall of Fame
For those of you who have access, Tim Strawn just published an article in the April edition of RSI advocating two-piece. I tend to prefer two piece for many of the reasons he stated but to me it is just that--a preference--I am not fully convinced either method has substantial superiority over the other. Of course, as Tim points out, more and more folks are using hybrids--making the debate rather moot in those cases.
 
Sweet-Spot

Sweet-Spot

Rookie
One disadvantage of 2 piece is that not all frames have enough knot holes to tie off knots.... which becomes a royal pain in the butt. Happened to me today and I also saw a video where Irvin got stuck and had to get rather creative to solve the problem. What starts off as a sub 25min string job can turn into an hour long saga depending on how small those holes are.... lol

That being said, I almost exclusively string 2 piece now. I think its quicker, even with the added knots. Less stuffing around with string!
 
The Meat

The Meat

Hall of Fame
I've always been meaning to ask but has anyone noticed any decrease in tension loss if you use a 2 piece but pull an additional 5 lbs on the last two strings before tying off. Could you do that to both the mains and crosses so you can get the same tension loss as a 1 piece stringjob?
 
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Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
I would think that if the outside strings were 5 lbs lower the tension in the center would not be effected. But I have never strung two similar rackets two different ways to find out.
 
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