ORIGINAL: Straightarrow

In my opinion, there are a few important aspects of string building that are important when you're making it for someone else.

String creep is elongation of the string, that is NOT due to stretching of the string. This is slack in the string fibers and from the construction method, that show up down the road with the string gradually getting longer. When this happens, your nocking point will generally move a bit, especially on a single cam. It will also affect your draw length and draw weight. All this, makes string creep enemy number one. I can tie a string, so that creep is less than 1/8" over a year on a 100"+ string. I've measured string creep of near 2" on strings many times. Which would you want on your bow?

Serving quality varies greatly. The ideal serving is strong, stable and fits the cam groves. Although the last point usually has more to do with the manufacturer of the cam. A good serving won't separate or wear too fast. Once again, this is an area where there are great differences from different string makers. If your serving separates or your center serving moves, it can affect your bow tune. It can also expose your string to wear if the separation is severe.

Peep stability is another area where many people are going to look critically at. I don't use a peep, so it means nothing to me, but most peep users want a peep that stays put without having to resort to rubber tubing. This is tricky and often the problem is with the archer, not the string. However, a string can be made to have minimal or no twisting, while others are constantly moving.

Most archers want a string that not only doesn't require much time before they can tune the bow, but they want it to last for at least a year of heavy shooting. This is tricky, because prestretching can weaken fibers, yet not prestretching, will allow for more of the dreaded string creep and a much longer time breaking the string in. That's why you have to take 30-200 shots - to get the string creep out. This means the string is now a different length - bad! I've personally made many strings that were prestretched in the 400-500 lb range, with absolutely zero problems with durability or string creep. You can pop your peep in and start tuning immediately. Zero string creep and no break-in time.

So, yes there is a difference in string makers and you can only evaluate one by talking to some knowledgable shooters who have used the strings long term. Durability, and string creep cannot be meaningfully evaluated short term. Creep can only be detected by someone who measures the string under pressure, both when it's new and when it's replaced. I record this for all the strings I make.