Stringing natural gut
- Thread starter CamG
- Start date
1. Do not kink....open package and uncoil it carefully
2. Prestretch it manually (ie. not with your tension head) to get the coil out of it before feeding it through grommets
3. String it 2-piece....easier to work with two short pieces
4. Slow down your tension head when pulling tension
5. Pull knots carefully....use a starting clamp when starting crosses and just use double half hitches
6. Do crosses one ahead to ease friction (maybe use wax if too much friction)
7. If you know there will be blocked holes after you do the mains, plan ahead....use some scrap string to make it easy to move the string blocking the hole.
8. Do your first 2 or 3 crosses backwards to limit the amount of string you have to pull through.
9. If hybriding with poly crosses, tie off the poly on another piece of poly (may have to open up another grommet to tie off)
Don't rush it, and be careful.
2. Prestretch it manually (ie. not with your tension head) to get the coil out of it before feeding it through grommets
3. String it 2-piece....easier to work with two short pieces
4. Slow down your tension head when pulling tension
5. Pull knots carefully....use a starting clamp when starting crosses and just use double half hitches
6. Do crosses one ahead to ease friction (maybe use wax if too much friction)
7. If you know there will be blocked holes after you do the mains, plan ahead....use some scrap string to make it easy to move the string blocking the hole.
8. Do your first 2 or 3 crosses backwards to limit the amount of string you have to pull through.
9. If hybriding with poly crosses, tie off the poly on another piece of poly (may have to open up another grommet to tie off)
Don't rush it, and be careful.
Irvin
Talk Tennis Guru
Don't kink it
0 check the string for defects before you uncoil it.
1 don't kink it uncoil it carefully
2 string two piece and run in the top three crosses with the clamps down at the bottom before any holes at top are blocked
3 don't kink it
4 pre stretch
5 don't kink it
6 use a Parnell knot for all knots if you must use a starting knot use a VS starting knot (very similar to the Parnell)
7 don't kink it.
8 don't let it twist while pulling through the string or grommets it will kink it
9 don't kink it
10 fan the strings while pulling the crosses
11 don't kink it
12 when pulling knots do not pull too hard it breaks at a knot easily
13 don't kink it
0 check the string for defects before you uncoil it.
1 don't kink it uncoil it carefully
2 string two piece and run in the top three crosses with the clamps down at the bottom before any holes at top are blocked
3 don't kink it
4 pre stretch
5 don't kink it
6 use a Parnell knot for all knots if you must use a starting knot use a VS starting knot (very similar to the Parnell)
7 don't kink it.
8 don't let it twist while pulling through the string or grommets it will kink it
9 don't kink it
10 fan the strings while pulling the crosses
11 don't kink it
12 when pulling knots do not pull too hard it breaks at a knot easily
13 don't kink it
This is a response I gave on this topic a while back, I just will repost it here:
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.
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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