Stringing natural gut 1st time

GarryClarke

Semi-Pro
Hi guys

Is there any tips on stringing natural gut as I have read you have to be careful not to damage it and it will be my 1st attempt so don't want to waste money as this stuff is not cheap.

I'm using a challenger 1 drop weight machine

Any advice would be good

Many thanks

Garry
 

smirker

Hall of Fame
Hi guys

Is there any tips on stringing natural gut as I have read you have to be careful not to damage it and it will be my 1st attempt so don't want to waste money as this stuff is not cheap.

I'm using a challenger 1 drop weight machine

Any advice would be good

Many thanks

Garry

Gary, don't want to appear like I'm stalking you but as I only recently strung up gut for the first time too I feel I should comment!

Nothing to be scared of really as most modern guts are coated. Look out for kinks (string will appear white) don't clamp it too hard and take your time, allowing the gut to stretch a little on each pull. Don't let the drop weight down too quickly and you'll be fine. Done two racquets now with no problems, both of which are still going strong.
 

GarryClarke

Semi-Pro
Gary, don't want to appear like I'm stalking you but as I only recently strung up gut for the first time too I feel I should comment!

Nothing to be scared of really as most modern guts are coated. Look out for kinks (string will appear white) don't clamp it too hard and take your time, allowing the gut to stretch a little on each pull. Don't let the drop weight down too quickly and you'll be fine. Done two racquets now with no problems, both of which are still going strong.

You stalker lol

Smirker what is your first name??? Or I will now call you stalker instead of smirker lol

Thanks for your input and I do what you've said on all the stringing I do and that,s probably why it takes me 2 1/2 hours per racket lol

Have got a rough tension to start with from PP so just have to dig deep in my pockets and shell out more dollar but it's all for the love of TE/GE lol

Cheers Garry
 

struggle

Legend
did my first recently too. really not too big a deal.
kinda gummy, softer etc. plan ahead for blocked holes, etc
as they can abit tougher with gut i guess, but i had no problems.

i did pre-stretch by wrapping a door knob and tugging the whole set. not sure if that's necessary but some do it, so i did.

it's all abit slower, more friction. was for me anyhow, but i was also being cautious as i didn't want to ruin my buddies gut.

also very stretchy, elongates alot to get to reference tension.

fwiw, it was klip legend 17

have fun!
 

jim e

Legend
I would up the tension, I actually would up the tension a signif. amount if you hit with a poly, and a slight amount over your normal string if it was a multi, or syn. gut as a starting point. Many are different with reguards to this area and you can get responses all over the place, but gut hits well at high tensions, that is a quality nat. gut as some of the cheaper ones cannot tolerate high tensions.)

You do need to take extra precautions, one of the biggest is to avoid kinks in the string(I usually do a light manual prestretch of the gut to eliminate coil memory, it makes life easier and less chance of a kink),with gut I normally string it as a 2 piece job, as there is less handeling of the string that way, but thats an individule preference.I always string the crosses top down as well even if the racquet you have allows bottom up,as the gut gets handled less on the top and thats where most of the hitting is. And the knots, be sure to hand pull only! Others here will tell you it is okay to pull with pliers or starting clamp, and that is fine but once every so often gut will get ruined by doing this as it can snap, and tying a good cinched up knot is possible using your fingers only, as there is no reason to over pull the knot as it will cinch up only so much, the rest puts extra stress on the string, learn the so called Parnell knot, as that cinches up nicely with your fingers.
The last couple cross strings you have to be very careful with as the string can unravel if it is overhandled, and if you do that, you will see it untwist, you would then need to retwist the string. This does not happen that much as it once did in the past, as todays guts have a coating to protect it so its less of an issue now,but can still happen so on the last couple crosses sometimes you need to pull the string all the way through each weave like you were sewing to keep the string from untwisting on the last cross strings, or you can pull a loop on the last couple cross strings as that will place less twist on the end cross strings as well.
Just be careful and you will be okay, just don't be rough with it , take your time and it will go well with no problems.If you rush, and pull hard when it kinks, and you can ruin an expensive piece of string, so take your time and go for it.

Oh, one more thing, if your machine has a diablo(nosecone), its best to use it, as it puts less stress on the string, as the tension jaws don't have to apply as much tension to hold the string, and the string will enter the tension clamp at the same angle. Also, if you have to pull a string twice for any reason, I will then wrap the gut two times around the diablo the second time as that way the tension clamp will be at a different spot on the string, so less wear is placed in one spot.

One more item.
When you weave the cross strings not only weave one ahead, but also pull most of the slack across the mains one weave ahead as well. I have seen some stringers just weave one ahead and not pull the slack through one ahead as well, but it is easier on the string when you do.
 
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GarryClarke

Semi-Pro
did my first recently too. really not too big a deal.
kinda gummy, softer etc. plan ahead for blocked holes, etc
as they can abit tougher with gut i guess, but i had no problems.

i did pre-stretch by wrapping a door knob and tugging the whole set. not sure if that's necessary but some do it, so i did.

it's all abit slower, more friction. was for me anyhow, but i was also being cautious as i didn't want to ruin my buddies gut.

also very stretchy, elongates alot to get to reference tension.

fwiw, it was klip legend 17

have fun!

Thanks tbuggle

And it just adds a bit of confidence that I'm doing it right in the 1st place,I take my time whatever I string as I'm in no hurry:)

Cheers Garry
 

GarryClarke

Semi-Pro
I would up the tension, I actually would up the tension a signif. amount if you hit with a poly, and a slight amount over your normal string if it was a multi, or syn. gut as a starting point. Many are different with reguards to this area and you can get responses all over the place, but gut hits well at high tensions, that is a quality nat. gut as some of the cheaper ones cannot tolerate high tensions.)

You do need to take extra precautions, one of the biggest is to avoid kinks in the string(I usually do a light manual prestretch of the gut to eliminate coil memory, it makes life easier and less chance of a kink),with gut I normally string it as a 2 piece job, as there is less handeling of the string that way, but thats an individule preference.I always string the crosses top down as well even if the racquet you have allows bottom up,as the gut gets handled less on the top and thats where most of the hitting is. And the knots, be sure to hand pull only! Others here will tell you it is okay to pull with pliers or starting clamp, and that is fine but once every so often gut will get ruined by doing this as it can snap, and tying a good cinched up knot is possible using your fingers only, as there is no reason to over pull the knot as it will cinch up only so much, the rest puts extra stress on the string, learn the so called Parnell knot, as that cinches up nicely with your fingers.
The last couple cross strings you have to be very careful with as the string can unravel if it is overhandled, and if you do that, you will see it untwist, you would then need to retwist the string. This does not happen that much as it once did in the past, as todays guts have a coating to protect it so its less of an issue now,but can still happen so on the last couple crosses sometimes you need to pull the string all the way through each weave like you were sewing to keep the string from untwisting on the last cross strings, or you can pull a loop on the last couple cross strings as that will place less twist on the end cross strings as well.
Just be careful and you will be okay, just don't be rough with it , take your time and it will go well with no problems.If you rush, and pull hard when it kinks, and you can ruin an expensive piece of string, so take your time and go for it.

Oh, one more thing, if your machine has a diablo(nosecone), its best to use it, as it puts less stress on the string, as the tension jaws don't have to apply as much tension to hold the string, and the string will enter the tension clamp at the same angle. Also, if you have to pull a string twice for any reason, I will then wrap the gut two times around the diablo the second time as that way the tension clamp will be at a different spot on the string, so less wear is placed in one spot.

Wow jim

How long did it take to write this excellent response:)

I've copied it and pasted this to my clipboard for future reference.

I'm using the standard tension clamp and I normally pull tension on the first 2 strings in the mains then clamp/starter clamp off.then string 2 mains one side then pull tension on the clamped/starter clamped side and string 2 mains.

I'm also very slow at stringing as I've only done 4 rackets so far lol
But again what's the rush as why do it wrong or damage the string and throw good money/string away.

Thanks again for your excellent reply jim

Cheers Garry
 

jim e

Legend
Wow jim

How long did it take to write this excellent response:)

I've copied it and pasted this to my clipboard for future reference.

I'm using the standard tension clamp and I normally pull tension on the first 2 strings in the mains then clamp/starter clamp off.then string 2 mains one side then pull tension on the clamped/starter clamped side and string 2 mains.

I'm also very slow at stringing as I've only done 4 rackets so far lol
But again what's the rush as why do it wrong or damage the string and throw good money/string away.

Thanks again for your excellent reply jim

Cheers Garry

Hi Gary: The way you start your mains is very good, as you do not want that 1st anchor clamp to slip and also do not want it to crush the string, as that 1st pull against the clamp is the most stress on one clamp for the entire process.
4 racquets so far, you are ready for gut, just do not rush. My 1st time stringing was nat. gut (victor imperial gut) in 1968, as the old timer that taught me said I should string my racquet with the string that I use, and after I strung it he said I could string anything after that as gut was the most delicate, as gut was not as coated as todays is.
Good luck to you, and any other questions, just post. Jim
 

smirker

Hall of Fame
You stalker lol

Smirker what is your first name??? Or I will now call you stalker instead of smirker lol

Thanks for your input and I do what you've said on all the stringing I do and that,s probably why it takes me 2 1/2 hours per racket lol

Have got a rough tension to start with from PP so just have to dig deep in my pockets and shell out more dollar but it's all for the love of TE/GE lol

Cheers Garry

It's Jim mate. Smirker was a nickname I acquired at a previous job and it became a useful alias on forums. Bit daft really but apparently I smirk a lot! I never see how these folk string a racket in half an hour, takes me 1-1.5 hours. Might be the drop weight I guess.
 

shell

Professional
Excellent response from jim3! Pretty much sums it up.

It's kind of ironic that once you get your gut strung up, it is so very durable, and will last and give you it's all until the very last thread breaks. But yet you have to be careful stringing it up. Poly seems to be so very easy to string, never worrying about half of this, yet it is so fragile once strung up.

Just watch your extra string. Don't let it kink up, be careful pulling it through. Be mindful of pulling crosses across the gut - fan it out so it is not rubbing on the same area. If you do those things and take your time, you will be just fine.

And you will have the best string in your racquet that will give you it's all throughout it's lifespan.
 

GarryClarke

Semi-Pro
many many thanks again for all your input:)

keep up the good work guys/girls as this is what makes this forum what it is.

"a fantastic place to come and learn "all things tennis" and make some new friends too":)

all the very best

cheers garry
 

retlod

Professional
Watch out for excessive wear when fanning crosses that cross the outer mains very quickly after leaving the frame (2nd, 3rd, last, etc.). Even when you fan the cross, it's still only moving along the first main that it crosses about 1 mm. Best to pull the entire length of the string through those grommets before you start weaving, then weave/fan the entire length of the string, then thread it through the other grommet. In this way, when you're fanning, the string isn't anchored on either end.

Oh, wait. I shoulda just watched Drak's video first. This is exactly what he describes.
 
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