Why what to Prestretch?

[graycrait]

I've only been stringing my rackets and a couple of friends' rackets for a couple of months so I am pretty naive, but want to learn.

If you need to prestretch one string why not all of them? If not all of them then which ones must you prestretch?. If the string required a prestretch to make it better wouldn't the tennis company marketing the string say so on the package or charge more for a "deluxe" prestretched string? By prestretching isn't there a loss of elasticity?

If prestretching is a "requirement" for specific applications or hybrids which ones would those be? And how much prestretch is enough? Is it distance or time. Would a 20 lb pull over a 24 hour period be better than a 160lb guy leaning into it for 10 seconds? How much stretch for a 20' main per type of string per type of application? Would a cross be stretched as much?

How would the length of optimum stretch be determined?

By now I would suspect that somewhere there is a list of prestretch requirements per application with data to prove that prestretching is better than using string straight out of the bag or off the reel.

I would suspect there is a out of the box string that mimics whatever other string some person is convinced works better after being prestretched?

It seems to me that there are very specific applications where prestretching has been found to work well for a very short period of playing time on a particular string for a particular player, with specific skills and equipment. I'm just thinking that maybe one of the top pros has some strings prestretched for the 7-9 games he will use those strings, maybe not, but I am guessing. If so and it is commonly known that this string only works prestretched for a particular pro with his skills and equipment I would like to know what that string is so I can stay away from it.

I'm just throwing random questions at the wall to see if any stick.

Thanks.

 

[graycrait]

Never mind, found a lot of links on the subject but no definitive answers other than: makes some small sense if it is a string or hybrid that a customer knows what he likes, requests it and it is machined prestretched on the same machine each and every time. Otherwise it doesn't make much sense except in a very light prestretch to reduce coil memory. But when I see an advocate of "leaning in to it" for a short amount of time for a certain length of time makes no sense to me whatsoever. I would think that there would be a difference between a quick "heavy" stretch vs a light long stretch. I'll leave stretching to the experts.

 

[Shroud]

Never mind, found a lot of links on the subject but no definitive answers other than: makes some small sense if it is a string or hybrid that a customer knows what he likes, requests it and it is machined prestretched on the same machine each and every time. Otherwise it doesn't make much sense except in a very light prestretch to reduce coil memory. But when I see an advocate of "leaning in to it" for a short amount of time for a certain length of time makes no sense to me whatsoever. I would think that there would be a difference between a quick "heavy" stretch vs a light long stretch. I'll leave stretching to the experts.

LOL. I do a manual prestretch which I would think would be the long slow type.

Then I use the machine setting which I think is the heavy short stretch.

FWIW there is the Jet method or JC method that uses a constant pull machine and keeps tension on the string for like 20 seconds.

I can see if you are a pro stringer not doing prestretches except for certain strings....

For me I want a consistent bed and prestretch all my strings even the ones that are already prestretched.

 

[Fintft]

LOL. I do a manual prestretch which I would think would be the long slow type.

Then I use the machine setting which I think is the heavy short stretch.

FWIW there is the Jet method or JC method that uses a constant pull machine and keeps tension on the string for like 20 seconds.

I can see if you are a pro stringer not doing prestretches except for certain strings....

For me I want a consistent bed and prestretch all my strings even the ones that are already prestretched.

My certified stringer prestreches manually the full bed Babolat VS team 17 for me, b/c:
- To get rid of any kinks.
- Not all packages (even sealed) have the same elasticity (he presumes it's the freshness).
- All the full bed natural gut I got (from other stringers) that were not prestreched made a loud noise(and also played worse, especially the last one).