Natural gut broke sitting in my bag

[happyandbob]

I've been out of commission from tennis for several months while recovering from knee surgery. I opened my tennis bag this week and found that two 2020 Ezone 100's strung with gut/poly at 60/55 both popped strings in the same place -- both racquets had a gut main #6 pop down near the throat. The tennis bag has been sitting in my house during this whole time.

One racquet had Klip Legend 16 mains and the other had VS Gut 16 mains. The Klip was freshly strung when it went into the bag, while the VS had about 6 hours of court time on it.

What could cause this? I wish I had thought to take pictures before I cut the strings out, but both racquets popped in the exact same place. Is this caused by some sharp edge in the grommet? Is this something I'm perhaps causing during stringing? I am very certain that I didn't kink either set of gut while stringing them. What could I be doing that caused this?

 

[lidoazndiabloboi]

I've been out of commission from tennis for several months while recovering from knee surgery. I opened my tennis bag this week and found that two 2020 Ezone 100's strung with gut/poly at 60/55 both popped strings in the same place -- both racquets had a gut main #6 pop down near the throat. The tennis bag has been sitting in my house during this whole time.

One racquet had Klip Legend 16 mains and the other had VS Gut 16 mains. The Klip was freshly strung when it went into the bag, while the VS had about 6 hours of court time on it.

What could cause this? I wish I had thought to take pictures before I cut the strings out, but both racquets popped in the exact same place. Is this caused by some sharp edge in the grommet? Is this something I'm perhaps causing during stringing? I am very certain that I didn't kink either set of gut while stringing them. What could I be doing that caused this?

Did it pop on the tie off string? If it was the one where you tied off, it could be that you tightened the the knot too tight, which can cause some damage.

 

[happyandbob]

Did it pop on the tie off string? If it was the one where you tied off, it could be that you tightened the the knot too tight, which can cause some damage.

No. The tie off string comes from the 8th main and ties off on the 7th. It's next to the tie-off hole but not involved in the knot.

 

[jim e]

In past, when a player would hit a shanked shot, a mis hit, that puts stress on the string right at the grommet. Many poly strings would snap at that mis hit, but gut just gets weaker at that spot. After sitting in bag, you later find out string snapped at grommet from mis hit you forgot about at a previous hitting session as the string was weakened at that spot. I tell all my gut string users that they have to be clean hitters or this can happen.
I typically use a small round microfiber brush that I place a lube called tri flow on it and place a very slight amount of lube inside all the main string grommets. That snap in the bag no longer happens since I used that, and I have done this for a good number of years now. I string a decent amount of natural gut and gut hybrid string jobs as well. Only need to use the lube once every few string jobs, as it helps the stress at grommet . Only downside is you need to thoroughly clean machine clamps after using it .

 

[socallefty]

I've been out of commission from tennis for several months while recovering from knee surgery. I opened my tennis bag this week and found that two 2020 Ezone 100's strung with gut/poly at 60/55 both popped strings in the same place -- both racquets had a gut main #6 pop down near the throat. The tennis bag has been sitting in my house during this whole time.

One racquet had Klip Legend 16 mains and the other had VS Gut 16 mains. The Klip was freshly strung when it went into the bag, while the VS had about 6 hours of court time on it.

What could cause this? I wish I had thought to take pictures before I cut the strings out, but both racquets popped in the exact same place. Is this caused by some sharp edge in the grommet? Is this something I'm perhaps causing during stringing? I am very certain that I didn't kink either set of gut while stringing them. What could I be doing that caused this?

It used to happen to me once in a few years when I played with fullbed gut where strings would snap overnight in the bag. Typically when my racquet was strung when I was out of town by a different stringer and not my usual one. Don’t know if they kink the string or do something different during stringing.

 

[happyandbob]

In past, when a player would hit a shanked shot, a mis hit, that puts stress on the string right at the grommet. Many poly strings would snap at that mis hit, but gut just gets weaker at that spot. After sitting in bag, you later find out string snapped at grommet from mis hit you forgot about at a previous hitting session as the string was weakened at that spot. I tell all my gut string users that they have to be clean hitters or this can happen.
I typically use a small round microfiber brush that I place a lube called tri flow on it and place a very slight amount of lube inside all the main string grommets. That snap in the bag no longer happens since I used that, and I have done this for a good number of years now. I string a decent amount of natural gut and gut hybrid string jobs as well. Only need to use the lube once every few string jobs, as it helps the stress at grommet . Only downside is you need to thoroughly clean machine clamps after using it .

Thank you! I happen to have some tri flow in my toolbox, I'll give it a try.

 

[esgee48]

Part of my process include cleaning the frame. I use alcohol first, then mineral oil on the grommets. I don’t do many NG string jobs, but no sudden breakages in the last few decades. Totally agree with jim e.

 

[ollinger]

Consider where gut strings come from -- something that was never meant to be pulled tight

 

[jim e]

Thank you! I happen to have some tri flow in my toolbox, I'll give it a try.

It doesn't take very much. I just placed a fraction of a drop on a very small brush the fits inside the grommet, and that small amount will take care of a few grommet openings. It's just enough for the string not to entirely stick inside the grommet is all. It made a big difference in premature gut breaking.

 

[happyandbob]

It doesn't take very much. I just placed a fraction of a drop on a very small brush the fits inside the grommet, and that small amount will take care of a few grommet openings. It's just enough for the string not to entirely stick inside the grommet is all. It made a big difference in premature gut breaking.

Thanks I will do that today when I restring them. It must be something related to the grommet. I checked out a couple of Clash Tours in my closet that I haven't touched in at least 18 months -- both strung with gut/poly and everything looks ok with those mains.

Thanks for the tip!

 

[Rabbit]

Unfortunately, natural gut isn't the strongest string out there; which probably contributes to its excellent play. In these larger, more open rackets, natural gut will break on its own eventually. I think Ron Yu alluded to that in a thread where someone had purchased one of Fed's frames. Ron said that the gut would break and if they wanted it restrung, P1 would do it for them.

I have recently re-converted to natural gut due to a baaaaaad experience with Yonex Poly Tour Pro which left my wrist sore. I've seen no help with anything but gut and by golly by gee, my wrist is better. I have also started to get used to gut again in my rackets and find it contributes greatly to my serve and, since I have to rein in my strokes a bit with it, my consistency.

 

[stapletonj]

Although rare, sometimes the stringing process will weaken gut. two breaks in the bag sound an awful lot like one of the following:

A. Something wet got on that part of the string of both rackets while in the bag.
B. Extreme temperature/humidity inside or outside of bag during play etc.
C. Something wrong with the machine (clamp or puller) put gouges in the string in the same place. (Were they strung at the same time?)

My thoughts,

A. If this, just gotta remember which zipper pocket you throw that sweaty wristband into. (haha)
B. Was the bag in the hot car? in the hot or cold trunk? In the hot or cold garage?
C. Inspect your puller and clamps on your machine very carefully

Just my speculations

 

[Irvin]

@happyandbob Often, if your string clamps and bases aren’t cleaned at adjusted, the clamp will drift off to the side when tension is released. Then the clamp must be pulled back into position on the next pull. It happens more on the final 3-4 strings. You may as well be kinking the string if this happens. Check to make sure you clamps and bases are cleaned and adjusted properly.

Natural gut string is actually a very strong string but it is made of many thin filaments. When the string is bent at a sharp angle (knots, grommets, clamp drift, or kinks) the outer filaments in the string are stretched too far and may break.

 

[happyandbob]

Ok, some additional data. One of my racquets, I cut the strings to relieve the stresses but hadn’t yet pulled the string out.

The same thing was happening on the other side of the racquet where the string makes the turn from 6th to 7th main. Here is a pic

It looks like perhaps the turn is severe and it’s stressing the string right where it turns toward the 7th main?

Here is a pic of that hole without strings.

For now I’m going to string with something else, maybe X1 mains perhaps.

What can be done if it’s that turn that’s stressing the gut? Would a power pad work there?

 

[esgee48]

Tubing would be better than power pad. You could also pull a thick poly scrap around those turns to smooth them out. A grommet hole normally develops grooves where the string enters the hole. Without those, the bend may be too sharp.

 

[Papa Mango]

Ok, some additional data. One of my racquets, I cut the strings to relieve the stresses but hadn’t yet pulled the string out.

The same thing was happening on the other side of the racquet where the string makes the turn from 6th to 7th main. Here is a pic

It looks like perhaps the turn is severe and it’s stressing the string right where it turns toward the 7th main?

Here is a pic of that hole without strings.

For now I’m going to string with something else, maybe X1 mains perhaps.

What can be done if it’s that turn that’s stressing the gut? Would a power pad work there?

Take an awl (or a sewing needle) and feel the inside of the grommet, there is prob a sharp lip inside. Power pad is not going to work, will have to tube it or you can try and smooth it out with a thick poly (roughs work). Had 2 breaks same spot/same racquet, one with 18g poly and another with 16 syn gut.

 

[Arak]

I guess this is one of the perks of using gut. Sometimes it snaps while playing, but many times it just snaps on its own, in the bag or not. I don’t overthink it. Just restring and move on.

 

[WYK]

I've been out of commission from tennis for several months while recovering from knee surgery. I opened my tennis bag this week and found that two 2020 Ezone 100's strung with gut/poly at 60/55 both popped strings in the same place -- both racquets had a gut main #6 pop down near the throat. The tennis bag has been sitting in my house during this whole time.

One racquet had Klip Legend 16 mains and the other had VS Gut 16 mains. The Klip was freshly strung when it went into the bag, while the VS had about 6 hours of court time on it.

What could cause this? I wish I had thought to take pictures before I cut the strings out, but both racquets popped in the exact same place. Is this caused by some sharp edge in the grommet? Is this something I'm perhaps causing during stringing? I am very certain that I didn't kink either set of gut while stringing them. What could I be doing that caused this?

I have a client that uses VS gut in the mains of his Ezone 100 crossed with poly at 57X54lbs. I actually just restrung this racquet yesterday. It is usually a monthly thing.
It never sits for months, tho. But it has never snapped on him, even in use.

 

[WYK]

So I was just stringing another frame just now that had gut in it. However, this frame had poly in it for the first half of it's life. Same EZone 100 frame, but a DR.
Something I am noticing is the grommets have much more wear on them in the frame that has had more poly. The gullys are deeper and the grommets are more opened.
I am thinking maybe this might help you? Run some poly through those grommets to form them a bit better?

 

[happyandbob]

Tubing would be better than power pad. You could also pull a thick poly scrap around those turns to smooth them out. A grommet hole normally develops grooves where the string enters the hole. Without those, the bend may be too sharp.

any pointers on what kind of tubing to use in this situation?

 

[happyandbob]

Take an awl (or a sewing needle) and feel the inside of the grommet, there is prob a sharp lip inside. Power pad is not going to work, will have to tube it or you can try and smooth it out with a thick poly (roughs work). Had 2 breaks same spot/same racquet, one with 18g poly and another with 16 syn gut.

that's a good idea. My wife actually has some sort of jewelry tool kit with an awl with sandpaper texture along its length. Maybe I'll try running that through the hole a few times. Thanks

 

[happyandbob]

So I was just stringing another frame just now that had gut in it. However, this frame had poly in it for the first half of it's life. Same EZone 100 frame, but a DR.
Something I am noticing is the grommets have much more wear on them in the frame that has had more poly. The gullys are deeper and the grommets are more opened.
I am thinking maybe this might help you? Run some poly through those grommets to form them a bit better?

Another good idea. Thanks, I have some Monogut ZX sitting around, I think that's probably a good candidate for wearing in the grommet a bit -- considering how quickly it cuts through strings when used as a cross. I'll try this on one racquet and the rough awl on the other.

 

[stapletonj]

that's a good idea. My wife actually has some sort of jewelry tool kit with an awl with sandpaper texture along its length. Maybe I'll try running that through the hole a few times. Thanks

find out where she got that! Sounds like a great tool for a stringer/tinkerer!

 

[Irvin]

any pointers on what kind of tubing to use in this situation?

Tubing will not help. Why do you think the main is breaking outside the frame between 6/7 mains?

 

[happyandbob]

Tubing will not help. Why do you think the main is breaking outside the frame between 6/7 mains?

I’m thinking the angle the string travels is too sharp and stresses the gut. Someone else above mentioned they experience the same thing with this racquet. My original thought was to use a power pad to try to change the geometry of that turn.

Any recommendations Irvin?

 

[lidoazndiabloboi]

Could you possibly be kinking the string while stringing it?

Just for reference, I string my buddies EZONE 100L, which is essential the same model as yours. I string it with Babolat VS 16/Yonex Poly Tour 16L at 56/53.
Racket #1 strung 4/30/22, next time strung 10/26/22 (about 6 months lifespan)
Racket #2 strung 5/12/22, next time strung 3/25/23 (about 10 months lifespan)

This is just to show that gut can last for a long long time. I also have a Prestige 16x19 strung with Gut/Alu back on 8/7/21, and the gut is still perfectly fine. Same with some RF97 with gut/poly strung 1/2/21, no premature breakage.

 

[Irvin]

I’m thinking the angle the string travels is too sharp and stresses the gut. Someone else above mentioned they experience the same thing with this racquet. My original thought was to use a power pad to try to change the geometry of that turn.

Any recommendations Irvin?

From the paint chips on one of the rackets it could be you’re hitting the rackets on the net. But my best guess would be as you tension the sixth main the string pull against the grommet under tension I’m not sure if that section of string was previously clamped at that point in the gripper or not but I’d change the grommets.

 

[kkm]

It helps not to kink it, but it also helps to make sure you don‘t twist it either direction when weaving the crosses. As already mentioned, natural gut is made of several fibers twisted together (like yarns that sewing thread or fabrics are made from). Twisting the string can unravel the fibers if you twist it in the direction opposite the direction of the twist. It’s not great to twist it in the direction of the twist either. For an idea of what happens when you twist the string in one direction or the other you can take a couple little bits of thread and twist one enough times in one direction and the other one in the other direction. One will unravel, and the other will become a bit shorter in length and distort horizontally.

If you see tennis racquets in any museum, the ones with natural gut will always have broken strings, and it doesn’t matter what the head size or string pattern is. I think they just dry out over time.

 

[Wes]

that's a good idea. My wife actually has some sort of jewelry tool kit with an awl with sandpaper texture along its length. Maybe I'll try running that through the hole a few times. Thanks

find out where she got that! Sounds like a great tool for a stringer/tinkerer!

I think you're talking about a "bead reamer".

I mentioned this tool around 9 years ago.
See here...

How to fix a Sharp Grommet causing early breakage?

So, I have a racquet with fairly new grommets, but had an early snap near 5-o'clock with a fairly fresh set of tour bite, which is a very durable string that I never have broken so early. The strings were barely notched, and when it broke, the impact did not occur at that location. In a closer...

tt.tennis-warehouse.com

 

[kkm]

OP(@happyandbob)’s EZone 100 has Liner Tech, so the angle of pull at the bottom of the first few mains outside the throat is much smaller than it is for most other racquets.
At least one of the EZone 100s which @WYK strung was an EZone 100 DR without Liner Tech.
As OP mentioned in the first post, it would have been good to have pictures of the actual breaks.
Since OP hadn’t played for a few months, it’s worth mentioning that a friend of mine didn’t play for a few months and when he took his racquets out of his racquet bag a couple days before playing again, he found that each had a string in the hitting area that had been heavily frayed from play, that sitting in the bag those few months broke.

 

[happyandbob]

I looked at my stringing log and this has happened 3 times now on the Ezone 100 -- these two racquets and another time last summer when it snapped between the 6th and 7th mains.

It could be coincidental, but all three times it was with Klip Legend 16 mains. I've never had it happen with VS Gut 16 or Wilson Gut 16.

 

[Sardines]

I had that problem with my Yonex SV98+, where the gut would snap at T5 or 6 spontaneously in the bag. Initially I thought it was the Luxilon, then it happened with Wilson and VS gut. After this happening over 12 times, my stringer put in leather pads to round the grommet and that stopped it.

 

[struggle]

My 2 cents......hacking and grinding on grommets should be done very carefully.
There isn't much material to work with. In odd cases like this I'd try tubing or power pads.
I'd rather add material than remove it. Graphite is hard on strings and thinning grommets
on purpose is asking for such.

Of course, there is no fast rule on this. YMMV

 

[jim e]

Like I said in past. A little lube like tri flow with a very small microfiber round brush, put a fraction of a drop on brush and that will lube a good number of grommets, and your problem is solved. Used that for years, and no more early snapping at grommets with natural gut.

 

[happyandbob]

Right now I have one Ezone with Klip Legend 16 mains and some tri-flow in the grommets and one Ezone with X1 Biphase mains. The X1 plays ok, but my elbow can tell the difference so I'll be cutting it out and probably add some tri-flow to that racquet. If it ends up snapping again at that grommet, I'm planning to try things in this order:

1. Small piece of felt between the string and the grommet
2. Small piece of leather between the string and the grommet
3. Smooth out the grommet with a piece of ZX
4. Smooth out the grommet with the bead reamer

I'm hoping the tri-flow does the job and I don't have to work my way down the list. Thanks all for the advice!

 

[struggle]

Plus one on the triflow/teflon lube.

I still need to get the brush like @jim e uses, but i use q-tips with good effect.

Now, if Klip would become available again, that would be nice....

 

[struggle]

Right now I have one Ezone with Klip Legend 16 mains and some tri-flow in the grommets and one Ezone with X1 Biphase mains. The X1 plays ok, but my elbow can tell the difference so I'll be cutting it out and probably add some tri-flow to that racquet. If it ends up snapping again at that grommet, I'm planning to try things in this order:

1. Small piece of felt between the string and the grommet
2. Small piece of leather between the string and the grommet
3. Smooth out the grommet with a piece of ZX
4. Smooth out the grommet with the bead reamer

I'm hoping the tri-flow does the job and I don't have to work my way down the list. Thanks all for the advice!

you can sliver a piece of tubing in there (just a tiny piece over the rough edge). It's been done, to good effect, but tedious.

 

[jim e]

Plus one on the triflow/teflon lube.

I still need to get the brush like @jim e uses, but i use q-tips with good effect.

Now, if Klip would become available again, that would be nice....

The brush I use is a small dental brush. It is typically used for placing bonding agents on tooth structure to bond resin fillings to teeth. You can get them cheap on the big auction site. Microfiber dental brush.

 

[Fintft]

Don't know if it was mentioned, but do you pre stretch(manually) the gut?

 

[happyandbob]

Don't know if it was mentioned, but do you pre stretch(manually) the gut?

I do machine pre-stretch 10%

 

[Rabbit]

I gotta get some TriFlow and a dental brush.

 

[struggle]

Don't know if it was mentioned, but do you pre stretch(manually) the gut?

I do, lightly, just to remove coil memory to help abit with kinking etc. 10% machine prestretch.

 

[WYK]

While we're talking about broken strings - how bout this:

That is smack dab in the middle of the stringbed. It is MSV Focus Hex at 23kg crossed with RPM Rough.
Never seen a split like it before. It's as though some of the focus hex delaminated.

 

[Irvin]

While we're talking about broken strings - how bout this:
…
That is smack dab in the middle of the stringbed. It is MSV Focus Hex at 23kg crossed with RPM Rough.
Never seen a split like it before. It's as though some of the focus hex delaminated.

I’ve seen that a lot where the poly cross cuts into a main and a ribbon of the multi breaks loose Instread of individual fibers.

 

[esgee48]

Isn’t MSV Focus Hex a copoly? Not saying that Irvin’s hypothesis is wrong. I do remember this happening with multis.

 

[WYK]

Yes it's a poly. That's how I find it odd. Loads of multis and even gut act like this. But this is a strip of the poly come off and frayed. I suspect it is from an impact with something other than a ball.

 

[esgee48]

I suspect it is a manufacturer qc issue. If a strand frays as shown, it may be due to improper fusing in a post processing step, either not enough heat or too quickly thru a heating step. If this is from a reel and it happens again, it is definitively a qc issue. If from a pack, nothing can be done except to tell manufacturer, who may send you replacement pack.

 

[Rysty]

I also have seen this happen to poly, Yonex Polytour spin. But a friend of mine had played with it for several months, the strings were totally dead.

 

[Slicehand]

the cow was still alive

 

[WYK]

I also have seen this happen to poly, Yonex Polytour spin. But a friend of mine had played with it for several months, the strings were totally dead.

I suspect it is a manufacturer qc issue. If a strand frays as shown, it may be due to improper fusing in a post processing step, either not enough heat or too quickly thru a heating step. If this is from a reel and it happens again, it is definitively a qc issue. If from a pack, nothing can be done except to tell manufacturer, who may send you replacement pack.

I'll be sure to alert Dr. Mauve
This is (checks notebook...) strung on 4-26. So not even a month on it. The reason I suspect a hard object is because it belongs to a recreational teen.
Maybe the post? A shoe? Shrug.
I'm a former college player and I can not make MSV do this in my Gravity Pro. It notches first and breaks. So maybe there is some sort of sharp shearing action goin on with this one is my guess.