QuadCam
Professional
Yup. PITA to tie off without snapping
Zx 17 natural has to be the most fragile string around. Snapped it twice pulling the knot by hand
Yup. PITA to tie off without snapping
Zx 17 natural has to be the most fragile string around. Snapped it twice pulling the knot by hand
What are you using for tensions these days?I am back on kevlar/zx on my regular racquet.
It’s working great on all stringbed metrics on my Ultra Tour.
I am really liking it at 56/50 prestretched in my UT, which is a very dense pattern (probably the densest available new on the market). And I have it leaded up to 365sw.What are you using for tensions these days?
I come and go away from the Kev/zx all the time. I'm thinking of trying it again in my 315ltds. Have a reel of 17 kev and some packs of zx lying around.
I am really liking it at 56/50 prestretched in my UT, which is a very dense pattern (probably the densest available new on the market). And I have it leaded up to 365sw.
I am going to try 50/40 prestretched on my BLX Pro Tour, which is even denser.
Monogut/monogut zx. Should be good. Not as dead or stiff as kev/zx. If I understand the ESP stringbed, because monogut (silver poly) is not nearly as stiff as kev you probably need even more differential than 10 lbs.I was thinking of going with 60/50 on my Gravity Pro (not so dense 18x20). Thoughts? And it's Crossfire ZX, not Kevlar/ZX.
What kind of knot?
Zx 17 natural has to be the most fragile string around. Snapped it twice pulling the knot by hand
Monogut/monogut zx. Should be good. Not as dead or stiff as kev/zx. If I understand the ESP stringbed, because monogut (silver poly) is not nearly as stiff as kev you probably need even more differential than 10 lbs.
That said I may have that 100% backword .
Make sure you prestretch the mains too.
Oops. Was confusing it with crossfire zx TOUR 17. Damn ashaway with their names....Crossfire ZX is Kev+/ZX
What kind of knot?
I might be misremembering but I think that is the most common knot to break zx. At least I remember it like that. The only knot is use the the parnell so I don't know much about the double knot.double knot
How different is the kevlar+ptfe? I've been using regular 17g kev/ 16g mzx for years at 60/40, prestretched at 90/60. Just learned about kev+ and wondering if it's worth checking out.
Feel - no difference
longevity - I didn't notice any
Possibly more slippery for longer but I think that depends on cross used, as some polys just dig and dent even kevlar after time
I tried Ash Kev mains vs Lux 4g crosses on more than several rackets. The guys who tried both, Ash Kev x ZX and Ash Kev x 4G, all agreed that Ash Kev x ZX played "better."
If you do a full manual prestretch with the 4g it will last a ton. Agree about zx. If it could play at 80+ lbs I would use it but it cant so I don't.Well I wasn’t one of those guys because I would take the kev main with the poly cross every time. I use either 4G or ALU Power as the cross with 17 gauge ashaway Kevlar and they both play excellent. The ZX is just too springy for me and it can snap even stringing it at 60lbs.
I put my Kevlar Mains at 62 and the poly cross at 68 lbs. this set up is one of the best control string jobs I have ever used. The ZX set up might play longer than the poly cross does, but as long as I can get a good 10 hours out of it I don’t mind restringing.
Well I wasn’t one of those guys because I would take the kev main with the poly cross every time. I use either 4G or ALU Power as the cross with 17 gauge ashaway Kevlar and they both play excellent. The ZX is just too springy for me and it can snap even stringing it at 60lbs.
I put my Kevlar Mains at 62 and the poly cross at 68 lbs. this set up is one of the best control string jobs I have ever used. The ZX set up might play longer than the poly cross does, but as long as I can get a good 10 hours out of it I don’t mind restringing.
what cross poly are you using? I'm having issues with zx snapping also
I had another hitting friend use Ash Kev x 4G. I strung the same racket he plays with with Ash Kev x 4G. He said too low powered. He normally uses Ash Kev mains x NRG2 crosses.
I had strung up 4 different rackets with Ash Kev x 4G and while initially thought it was intriguing, it just doesn't work "for me" as well as Ash Kev x ZX.
ZX is kind of maddening but I think it is the only practical cross for Ash Kev. Ash Kev x ZX is pretty fascinating and definitely not for everyone. Every time I string ZX without it breaking I breathe a sigh of relief.
I think you are right, if you are really a very strong player, I mean really strong (and I was a freestyle wrestler and weight room gym rat for years) I can understand Ash Kev x 4G. But I am 65yrs old now And when I look at all the local younger tennis players I see none that could have been a linebacker for the local football team So I think Ash Kev x 4G is a special set up for a special player.But if you hit hard like Shroud does and want the ball to stay in the court then it’s a great set up.
i forgot the conversation I was having with @kungfu5tin about kevlar...I think some kevlar have coatings. I showed him the set I got cut from reel from a local store and mentioned something about it....but I am spacing out about it now.I see a lot of people like the kevlar/zx hybrid.
Does the kevlar have to necessarily be the Ashaway one?
Is there anything special or different about the Ashaway kevlar string vs another kevlar string? Is the ashaway kevlar softer?
My tendons/elbow is kind of string-sensitive right now. I have another brand kevlar string and some monogut ZX pro sets. Was wondering if i can hybrid the 2 together.
In a word Yes. All the other aramid/kevlar strings I have tried are strands encased in some "plasticky" sort of coating. The "plasticky" coating is the culprit here I think. Ashaway Kevlar is a braided and "uncoated," not in strands or twisted strands nor is it covered in some thick coating. It rubs freely and more or less "friction free" on the Zyex providing snap back till the last day it rubs through itself against the Zyex. So there is some friction but Ash Kev x ZX never locks up. And yes the Ash Kev wears out before the ZX unless the ZX has a catastrophic failure from a nick, poorly executed knot or a damaged grommet hole.Does the kevlar have to necessarily be the Ashaway one?
i forgot the conversation I was having with @kungfu5tin about kevlar...I think some kevlar have coatings. I showed him the set I got cut from reel from a local store and mentioned something about it....but I am spacing out about it now.
Thanks man. I am officially "special".I think you are right, if you are really a very strong player, I mean really strong (and I was a freestyle wrestler and weight room gym rat for years) I can understand Ash Kev x 4G. But I am 65yrs old now And when I look at all the local younger tennis players I see none that could have been a linebacker for the local football team So I think Ash Kev x 4G is a special set up for a special player.
I think you are right, if you are really a very strong player, I mean really strong (and I was a freestyle wrestler and weight room gym rat for years) I can understand Ash Kev x 4G. But I am 65yrs old now And when I look at all the local younger tennis players I see none that could have been a linebacker for the local football team So I think Ash Kev x 4G is a special set up for a special player.
hhhmmm...so what use is pro blend then...hahahah. i'm going to use it as shoe lacesI remember that conversation. You tried some frames that had Ashaway kev/zx and liked how they felt. We ended up talking about strings/kevlar/prince pro blend. Yes, as @graycrait posted above, most other kevlar strings have a coating that end up causing friction or lock up the string bed after the coating has been worn.
If you want cheap laces with free syn gut, tw has the pro blend black on sale for $5.99. Some actually preferred playing with a locked string bed. I was a pro blend user back in the 90s, loved the control and durability. I have used the kevlar from pro blend with smooth polys before, not too bad. The string bed didn't lock up much and had a little snap back.hhhmmm...so what use is pro blend then...hahahah. i'm going to use it as shoe laces
Still might try it with the Peek strings.If you want cheap laces with free syn gut, tw has the pro blend black on sale for $5.99. Some actually preferred playing with a locked string bed. I was a pro blend user back in the 90s, loved the control and durability. I have used the kevlar from pro blend with smooth polys before, not too bad. The string bed didn't lock up much and had a little snap back.
I've asked this before but after a week or two my ashaway kevlar is super loose.
I've prestretched it, I've strung without tie the knot and letting it sit overnight, then strung the mains again at 63lbs, cross 63lbs. I've super glued the knots (but the knots aren't it because the leftover 1/4 inch hasn't moved in either a double knot or parnell.
A week or 2 later it's super loose
I've asked this before but after a week or two my ashaway kevlar is super loose.
I've prestretched it, I've strung without tie the knot and letting it sit overnight, then strung the mains again at 63lbs, cross 63lbs. I've super glued the knots (but the knots aren't it because the leftover 1/4 inch hasn't moved in either a double knot or parnell.
A week or 2 later it's super loose
Describe what you did to prestretch, and we can diagnose.I've asked this before but after a week or two my ashaway kevlar is super loose.
I've prestretched it, I've strung without tie the knot and letting it sit overnight, then strung the mains again at 63lbs, cross 63lbs. I've super glued the knots (but the knots aren't it because the leftover 1/4 inch hasn't moved in either a double knot or parnell.
A week or 2 later it's super loose
You probably hit super hard.. I would also advise you to walk the tension out. Pressing #2 main, then #3 and so on.. This will not only pull the center main tighter, it will also pull out the less than taut section outside the frame. I believe you will get a longer lasting string bed.I've asked this before but after a week or two my ashaway kevlar is super loose.
I've prestretched it, I've strung without tie the knot and letting it sit overnight, then strung the mains again at 63lbs, cross 63lbs. I've super glued the knots (but the knots aren't it because the leftover 1/4 inch hasn't moved in either a double knot or parnell.
A week or 2 later it's super loose
@2ndServe , I strung some up at 60/55 (no prestretch) 16g Ash Kev x 17g ZXP in my Prince 107G and have enjoyed it. I'm going to string up a 100" 16x19 Graphene 360 Extreme Pro tonight 55/50 (no prestretch) just to see what happens. My experiments with PPC 15L in that racket have been a disaster. When my Pure Control GT 98s arrive I'll string one up at 60/55 (no prestretch) Ash Kev/ZXP. In several of my various Rad OS's I strung it at 65/58 and it works, but now that I have the experience with the 107G playing so nicely I may throttle it down 5lbs each next time. After the last purge I am down to 55 rackets, with 16 strung with Ash Kev x ZXP.
This is ashaway 17 kev+
I've used a door knob and wrapped it around the handle of an old racket handle and prestretched it that way, I've then strung up the racket without tieing it off so it sits stretched there overnight (undone it and strung it again), I'm use a gamma progression els electric stringer and I've pulled the mains 3 times (4x if you count the night before leaving it on a racket)
I've also had 18x mains racket when I'm done with it after playing it for a few weeks, cut it off, left it with enough string to string 16x mains racket. This is prestretched I'm sure by the max by being hit with constantly for a few weeks.
In both cases I've experienced a lot of lost tension (I've grown accustomed to that particular soft old kevlar feel). I've measured the tieoff knot there is no slippage there it's the exact 1/4 of inch that I strung it with (both double knot and parnell knot). I haven't had time to hammer it, but even my old reused 18x mains to 16x mains kevlar has been prestretched well and still experienced a lot of tension loss. Yes it moves a tons and this is reused kevlar at 67lbs center mains and 63lbs . I've tried the center 8 mains 3-4lbs tighter also.
Thanks for all the tips
Been trying a lot of different strings but I keep coming back to kevlar/poly, or kevlar/kevlar (I hated this before I actually like it now), haven't really liked the kevlar/zyex, I've popped zyex a few times, stringing it, tieing off the knots a number of times, hitting overheads or serves in the sweet spot and have had zyex snap.
Is there a huge difference in pre-stretching the 16g vs 17g monogut ZX? i could stretch the 17g maybe 6-8", but the 16g i couldn't stretch it any longer at all.
My preferred combo too.I now only use 17G ZXP as a cross to 16G Ash Kev. I have used 16g ZX and have used 17g and 18G Ash Kev and 16G Ash Kev+.
After a lot of time spent stringing, trying out, money on all sorts of mains.
I can say kevlar mains is superior to every other main I've tried (hyperG, zx monogut mains 17, pros pro red devil, blackout, blackforce, Yonex pro poly tour 17, volkl cyclone 17, ghost wire 1.10).