Tying Serving Knots for Installing Accessories

[grandpawrichard]

I save all my old bow strings and cables. When I need serving material I use strands from one of those strings or cables. The material works great. It is small diameter so you can get a super tight knot with it. In fact, you can get such a tight knot that you will take chunks out of your thumbnails if you try to slide the knots!
I use this material for nock sets, for tying in peep sights and for tying in drop away cords. What is nice about the material is that it is
1. already waxed. (but I still add more wax to make sure)
2. It is small diameter, so knot tightness is never an issue.
3. It is free.
4. You can pretty much match the colors of your string and cables for color.

I tie my knots different than most people. (I call it the GPR Wrap )
My knots form a spiral :





Here is how I tie my knots:

1. Take a piece of material about 12" to 18" long. Wax the material with a good, sticky wax. (Do Not Use a Silicon wax! Your knots will Never stay where you tied them!!!!!!!!)

2. mate up the ends of the material, so that you have two strands side by side with a loop at the other end.



3. Place the loop end of the material under and beyond the bow string.



4. Now, bring the loop upwards and slip the tag ends of the material through the loop and pull TIGHT.



5. Always Hold as much tension on the serving material as possible. The tighter you hold now, the tighter the knot will be when you are done. You are now ready to start adding knots to form your serving for the peep sight, nock set or Drop away cords. So from here out it is a simple knot to tie.

A.Simply hold the knot tight with one hand, move the tag ends up, behind and around the sting, thus forming a loop.

B. Bring the tag ends though the loop that was formed and pull Tight.









6. Continue to add knots until you have reached the desired length.



7. When you get to desired length you have the option to:
a. Finish off the knot with a square knot
b. Build up the knot for a serving knot by back tying another layer over the top of the first layer. (you can add as many layers as you want during this step)



As you see, my GPR knots is pretty simple and it looks really neat due to the spiraling of the knots as you tie them.



Dick

[Todd_ID]

Love the photo tutorial Dick!  That is an easy way to teach from a distance.  Serving and knots on strings are not rocket science, but explaining them over the internet is tough.  Thanks for the time!

[Tom Tamer]

So once you run the tag end through the loop, the remaining knots are a series of half hitches? Curious because I've always wanted to learn how to tie on my own stuff.

[carpsniperg2]

interesting never seen it done like that

[grandpawrichard]

So once you run the tag end through the loop, the remaining knots are a series of half hitches? Curious because I've always wanted to learn how to tie on my own stuff.

Tom,
You are 100% correct on the half hitches. When you get done you finish everything off with a square knot. Then you melt the tag ends.

Dick

[grandpawrichard]

interesting never seen it done like that

Yup! It is a different way to do the servings, it's easy to do and it looks neat.

Dick

[Tom Tamer]

So once you run the tag end through the loop, the remaining knots are a series of half hitches? Curious because I've always wanted to learn how to tie on my own stuff.

Tom,
You are 100% correct on the half hitches. When you get done you finish everything off with a square knot. Then you melt the tag ends.

Dick

Thanks for the info...it'll be nice get more self sufficent at bow work.