Tommy Haas
Hall of Fame
I know flared grommets serve many purposes. One is to keep the grommets in place in areas that are prone to backing out of the frame.
The other one seems to be at the areas of the hoop where there's an extreme angle and the flaring gives the string a smooth surface to ride against.
Are flared grommets also supposed to be where the knots sink into? If it is, won't the knot slip into the grommet? I've been playing for a long time, but always had someone string for me and I've never seen any stringer use the flared ones for their knots.
Is that because every stringer has their preferred method and pattern to use or just don't know any other method to use besides the one he/she first learned on whatever practice racquet was used?
Also, if two piece stringing is specified, does that guarantee the crosses would be strung from the top down? How do you determine if the crosses were strung from the bottom up on either a one or two piece job?
And in what instance would a shared hole be used? I see that specified in the stringing instructions of almost every racquet. What kind of racquet, pattern, and method would call for using it?
I want to learn how to spot a bad string job. Other than checking for mis-weaves, poor knots, and signs of clamp slippage damaging the string, what else is there to look for? I was told there is no hard rule to use the instructions specified by the manufacturer.
Other minor details I look for are if the strings have been straightened out and if there's any twisting of the string. I can easily tell by looking at the printed letters on the string. If they are parallel, then I know the stringer allowed it to untwist when tensioned.
Is this being too anal and if the tension is good and there's no mis-weaves, then it can be considered good to go. However, I'm string sensitive though because I value, touch, feel and control.
The other one seems to be at the areas of the hoop where there's an extreme angle and the flaring gives the string a smooth surface to ride against.
Are flared grommets also supposed to be where the knots sink into? If it is, won't the knot slip into the grommet? I've been playing for a long time, but always had someone string for me and I've never seen any stringer use the flared ones for their knots.
Is that because every stringer has their preferred method and pattern to use or just don't know any other method to use besides the one he/she first learned on whatever practice racquet was used?
Also, if two piece stringing is specified, does that guarantee the crosses would be strung from the top down? How do you determine if the crosses were strung from the bottom up on either a one or two piece job?
And in what instance would a shared hole be used? I see that specified in the stringing instructions of almost every racquet. What kind of racquet, pattern, and method would call for using it?
I want to learn how to spot a bad string job. Other than checking for mis-weaves, poor knots, and signs of clamp slippage damaging the string, what else is there to look for? I was told there is no hard rule to use the instructions specified by the manufacturer.
Other minor details I look for are if the strings have been straightened out and if there's any twisting of the string. I can easily tell by looking at the printed letters on the string. If they are parallel, then I know the stringer allowed it to untwist when tensioned.
Is this being too anal and if the tension is good and there's no mis-weaves, then it can be considered good to go. However, I'm string sensitive though because I value, touch, feel and control.
Last edited:
