Serving Up Secrets of the String with Julie Bergen of OCD Strings
Welcome, Archery enthusiasts and parents! We are excited to share insights from the latest episode of the Archery Parent Podcast with our special guest, Julie Bergen.
Julie joins us to share her journey, expertise, and advice for Archery parents and anyone who needs a string.
Meet Julie Bergen
Julie Bergen is the owner of OCD Strings, a business in California offering the ultimate in customization for Barebow and Olympic Recurve bowstrings. Julie's journey began with a casual interest that quickly developed into a full-fledged passion, culminating in her becoming an Archer, coach, and business owner.
Julie is a Level 4 Coach based in San Diego. She offers video coaching and sessions at Archery L.A.
Discovering Her Passion
Julie discovered Archery as an adult and quickly immersed herself in learning everything she could after purchasing her first bow with her tax return. Today, Julie specializes in what she knows best: building strings.
The Art of String Making with OCD Strings
OCD Strings was born out of a desire to perfect and craft high-quality strings for a variety of Archery styles (just not compound). Julie's meticulous approach — reflected in the name “OCD Strings” — ensures that each string meets the highest standards. Her commitment to precision allows Archers to express both style and functionality through their equipment.
Materials & Techniques
During our chat, Julie explained the pros and cons of the most common string materials - 8125, 652, and Glory Pro - each boasting unique properties and characteristics suitable for specific disciplines.
Advice for Beginners and Parents
Julie emphasizes the importance of understanding an Archer’s equipment and set-up.
Some key takeaways when ordering a custom string:
- Start Simple: Select materials that are reliable and well-regarded, like 8125.
- Customization is Key: Personalize strings for functionality and aesthetics, which can significantly enhance an Archer's experience.
- Maintenance Matters: Regularly wax strings (unless stated otherwise) and ensure to store properly to prolong the lifespan..
- Support and Inquiry: The OCD Strings blog and website offer extensive resources to help figure out the specifications required to order a string.
The Vegetarian Archery Society: A Different Perspective
Aside from making strings, Julie founded the Vegetarian Archery Society, a nod to Archers who abstain from hunting and prefer not to see it in their feeds. This society, while small, upholds the ideals that Archery is much more than just a hunting sport. (Check them out on Facebook.)
Julie reminds us that the right tools, dedication, and a touch of personal flair can take your Archery experience to new heights. It’s precision, passion, and personal expression that are at the heart of this timeless sport.
For more insights and to order custom strings, visit Julie’s website at ocdstrings.com. Whether you're curious about the Vegetarian Archery Society or wish to say hello at the Vegas Shoot, Julie is eager to support your Archery endeavours.
Where to find Julie and OCD Strings in 2025:
The Vegas Shoot (Las Vegas): March 5-9
SoCal Showdown (Chula Vista, CA): June 20-22
Cal State Games: TBA
Thank you for joining us for Episode 6 of the Archery Parent Podcast.
We’re doing this One Arrow At A Time.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TRANSCRIPT:
Julie Bergen - Precision, Passion & Perfect Strings
INTRO:
Manisha: Hello Archery Family. I'm Manisha and Welcome to the Archery Parent Podcast. What you need to know to Best Support your Archer.
Archery life can come at you quickly and there are often a lot of questions, but not a lot of answers. We are here to change that. We will share tips, how to's, and what to expect to help you navigate your new Archery lifestyle.
You'll hear from other Archery parents, coaches, and Archers themselves. We are going to do this one arrow at a time.
Manisha: Hello, Archery Family. It's Manisha of the Archery Parent Podcast. And we are here today with Julie Bergen of OCD Strings from California. Julie, how are you?
Julie: I'm very good. How are you?
Manisha: Good. Thanks for joining us. I'm very excited to have you here because you are a string maker, but in addition to that, you are an Archer, a coach, you are the founder of a very interesting society that I do want to mention. We'll just use the acronym for now, V. A. S. Just so that we're not spoiling anything...
Julie: Ok.
Manisha: ... and you are the owner of OCD Strings and you yourself are a string maker.
Julie: Yes.
Manisha: Tell us how did you become an Archer?
Julie: Well, I started Archery as an adult. I had a friend who had started doing Archery and was telling me about it and I'm like, well, that sounds really cool. So, I think I bought my first bow with my tax refund one year, and then I was all in. I wanted to learn everything there was to know about Archery.
Manisha: Sorry, what discipline did you choose?
Julie: so I am primarily an Olympic Recurve Archer. I do play around with Barebow a bit and I have a compound in my garage that is very neglected that I play with sometimes, but I am at heart an Olympic Recurve Archer.
Manisha: That is close to our family's heart as well. What made you decide to become a coach?
Julie: Just a matter of learning everything about Archery, and it's one of those things they say that if you can teach it, you understand it better. So, early on, I was taking classes, I was taking private lessons, I started teaching classes, I started coaching. I got into it pretty early, but it was, you know, looking to understand as much as I possibly could.
And I like working with people.
Manisha: And can you just share where you are a coach and the level coach that you are?
Julie: Yeah. I am a level four coach and I am in San Diego. I do coach privately down here. I do some video coaching, so not all of my Archers are local here. And I do go up to L.A. twice a month, and I'm a coach with Archery L.A.
Manisha: And, for those of us not in the U.S., what does a Level 4 coach mean?
Julie: Well, back when I first got my Level 4, it was much more intense in the training and the certification process. Level 1, 2, and 3, you can usually get locally at any old Archery range and somebody runs those a couple times a year, but when you go to the Level 4, you had to come down to the Olympic Training Center and take, these classes from Coach Lee and it was a very intensive thing.
And then at the end of it, you had to go in and basically present his methodology to him, which is intense, to say the least, but, I think they have evolved that program a bit since then. And so, there are virtual ways to do that, and it is no longer something where you have to go to the training centre to do it, but it was definitely a bonding experience for the people, in my class.
Manisha: And Coach Lee, who you're referring to, is Kisik Lee.
Julie: Yes.
Manisha: Formerly of the U. S. National team. So, tell us about the society that you have founded and why.
Julie: You were the first person to give it an acronym. I think that's a far leap for a society with five members.
Manisha: It's still a society.
Julie: But, it is the Vegetarian Archery Society.
I just got tired of looking through my social media feed and seeing all these dead animals. And, you know, I know hunting's a big thing, but I want people to know that that's not all of what Archery has to offer. And there are those of us who don't eat meat and still shoot bows.
Manisha: How can someone get in touch with you? What if someone wanted to join? What is the process there?
Julie: There is no process. It's me, two other vegetarians and - no, three other vegetarians and the two members are not vegetarians at all. They are just supporters. It's a Facebook group. You can look it up. The logo is an artichoke with a target in the centre.
Manisha: Okay. That's perfect. Perfect. Now we're going to come to why you and I are chatting.
Julie: Yep.
Manisha: You are a string maker.
Julie: Uh-huh.
Manisha: How did that come about and why strings?
Julie: Why not strings? They're awesome. Well, one of my first coaches taught me how to make strings because I wanted to learn how to fix and do everything on my bow.
And so he showed me how to make strings and I was down at his school, which on a weekend and we were working on stuff and he's kind of looking at his watch and I'm, you know, knee-deep and playing with strings and he's like, “So I have this dentist appointment I need to go to can I just leave you here to do this?”
I'm like, “yeah, that'd be awesome.” So, I was kind of hooked from the beginning, but I've always made things. I love making things. I was a flute maker for a number of years. I was a glassblower for 10 plus years. I have always enjoyed making things. So, if there's something relating to Archery that I can make, that's awesome.
Manisha: And how did OCD Strings come about? It's your business.
Julie: Yes.
Manisha: You are a vendor at the Vegas Shoot.
Julie: Yes.
Manisha: And so this is big time. How did you do that. And why did you think that, yeah, I could do this as a company?
Julie: Well, I started off making my own strings and I realized that I'm never really going to get good at this, making my own, you know, a few strings a year.
So then I started making them friends and then I started making them for more people. And then someone's like, well, you should really charge at least for materials. And so I started doing that.
But at one point it was really just an excuse to buy all the colours. I wanted all the colours. But, it definitely evolved, and I make strings for Olympic Recurve,. Barebow, and some Longbows, but I don't do compound. That is where I differ, drastically from most other string builders. I build for what I know the best, which is Olympic Recurve and Barebow.
Manisha: Is there one colour that's more popular than others? Or is it across the board.
Julie: Yeah, red and black are more popular.
Manisha: Red...
Julie: Those are not my colours.
Manisha: ...and black twisted together or individually?
Julie: Yeah, black is the most popular. Red is popular, and sometimes they're twisted together. But yeah, those are the two colours that I make sure I have lots of extra on hand.
Manisha: So we are just talking about materials and you love the colours. What goes into making a string. What are the materials? What do you have to know? What do you provide?
Julie: Yeah, so the string material itself, I buy in spools. At its base level, it is an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, which no one really needs to know, but I think what is more helpful is to talk about the top three materials I use to build strings.
And those are 8125, 652, and Glory Pro. And by the way, if anyone is interested in more of the details, I have lots of information on my website. I have some very nerdy blog posts that people want to dig into that. But, for the....
Manisha: And, mention your website.
Julie: Yeah. OCD Strings.
Manisha: Dot com.
Julie: So, yes, I have a blog with a lot of resources there and, a lot of information and research and instruction and diagrams and all kinds of stuff.
It's constantly evolving. Yeah. But, for the string materials that I, I would recommend, and that I use the most 8125, Glory Pro and 652. So, 8125 and Glory Pro are both the same base fibre, which is SK75 Dyneema, and that is by far the most popular and what most people use for Olympic Recurve and Barebow.
There is also 652 Spectra, which is a similar fibre from a different manufacturer. The vast majority of strings are those three materials and that's where I would start as a parent if I don't know what to get and there are too many options. I mean, honestly, I'd just start with 8125 because it's tried and true, most popular, you know, most of the world is shooting that at a high level.
Manisha: And can you just share some pros and cons of the materials?
Julie: Yeah, the 8125 and the Glory Pro are going to have a little less elasticity, so they're a little bit stiffer, and they'll give you a little bit more arrow speed. The Spectra is a little bit stretchier, so it will provide a slightly slower arrow speed, but it feels a little softer to draw.
So there's pros and cons of each, and at a certain level, people won't notice the difference. Once you start getting some experience with Archery and you know, once you get to the point where you can shoot two different bows and be able to feel the difference between bows, you can probably feel the difference between string materials at that point.
Manisha: How are strings customized for the particular disciplines that an Archer will shoot?
Julie: Yeah, there, there are a few things to think about. Let's start on one end of the spectrum. So, for traditional bows, often times a material called Dacron is used, which is not one of the ones I just talked about.
Dacron is incredibly stretchy stuff. It's like building strings with rubber bands. I mean, that stuff just keeps on going. So, that is good to use for older bows, for traditional bows that may, may not have reinforced limb tips because the newer materials are going to be too stiff for that bow and put too much vibration back into the bow and could cause damage to the bow.
So older and vintage traditional bows usually should be using Dacron. But aside from that, there are some differences in building strings for Olympic Recurve versus Barebow. For Olympic Recurve, we are not at all concerned about holding a crawl. We put our fingers in the same spot on the string every time.
So what makes more - a bigger difference for Recurve is to have a slick centre serving material that will come off the tab cleanly. Barebows, on the other hand, are literally counting the number of threads in some cases to set their crawl. And once they set that, they don't want that moving as they draw the bow, because that's going to mess up their aim.
So using a material for the centre serving that is a little bit grippier or that has some resin in it is something that's helpful for Barebow shooters. Barebow also have different rules they have to worry about in competition. If a Barebow shooter is shooting any kind of World Archery competition, They cannot have the top of the centre serving in their eyeline because they say that could be used as a reference point for aiming.
So for most Barebow shooters, they need some extra centre serving material on the top to make sure that it goes usually about to the eyebrow, at the crawl for their furthest distance.
Manisha: And can you share the differences in construction of these strings from a Recurve to Barebow?
Julie: The construction is pretty much the same for both of them.
Some of the older bows, will use a Flemish construction and that is different than what most people think of when they see a bow string. So there's Flemish and there's endless loop.
And with an endless loop, we'll take the material and literally wrap it around in a bunch of circles, making a continuous loop. And then the serving is applied and it's formed that way.
For a Flemish string, it's a bunch of individual sections of string material that is usually made in two or three bundles and twisted together, and wax is a big component of that because that helps keep all of those little tag ends tacked down as it is wound together.
So, because of the construction of the Flemish, it lends itself to being a lot stretchier, no matter what the material, than an endless loop string. So, Flemish is usually used for traditional or longbow; and endless loop is typically used for Barebow, Olympic Recurve, and compound.
Manisha: So I have two questions. So it's very common when someone is just beginning, they've just gone out and purchased their first setup...
Julie: Mm-hmm.
Manisha: ... for them to buy a pre-made string.
Julie: Mm-hmm.
Manisha: Is it okay for a beginner to go and just start automatically with a customized bow string? Is it okay? Is it common?
Julie: I mean, everybody has to start somewhere, but I mean, buying a pre-made string off a wall in a bow shop is kind of like, you know, putting your quarter in a gumball machine and you get the colour you get.
You don't really get to customize too much. But the more you get into Archery, the more you really want to customize your rig. And I know Archers are really weird about colours. They really want all of their gear to match and have a particular colour scheme. And that's one of the great things that we can do to customize for Archers is to give them those colour options, whether it's a single colour or - I have 25 different colours people can choose from.
They can do combinations of colours. I can put up to four colours in a string, if you really, really want. And some Archers love doing that. So part of it is aesthetic, but part of - it’s also functional because if you know that a particular colour is not going to be visible in your string blur against your riser or wherever your reference point is, that is a functional thing.
And I've had people try different colours and have to play around with colour to see what's going to work for their string blur.
Manisha: So you've talked about Flemish, you've talked about string blur, you've talked about a lot of different technical terms.
Julie: Yes.
Manisha: Are you able to offer parents a little more guidance than what we can offer on the Archery Parent Podcast for this episode?
Julie: Well, that's kind of where the blog posts came from. It was common questions that I keep getting from Archers, and so I'm like, well, let me just write up an answer. It's like, well, there are other people who could benefit from this, and maybe I should put it in a place where people can look things up and find information on their own.
I know when I was first starting, I had lots and lots and lots of questions. And I didn't want to bug somebody at the range with my hundreds and hundreds of questions. So, if there was a way I could find the answers without bugging someone, I like doing that. So, yeah, there's all kinds of information there and it's constantly growing.
As I get more questions, I am constantly adding more to the resources on the website and the blog.
Manisha: I don't know a lot about string making myself, but are your strings pre-stretched? How does that differ from perhaps a pre-made string that someone could just buy at an Archery shop?
Julie: Yeah, I don't know if it's common for strings you get in a shop to be pre-stretched, but it is important and it is different than compound materials when, when Recurve materials are pre-stretched.
Because most compound materials have Vectran in them and those strings are typically stretched at 400 pounds. And I found that if you stretch Recurve materials at 400 pounds, those strings wear out way, way, way faster. They lose that elasticity they really need, but a proper pre-stretch, whether it's compound or Recurve, is going to help, make your break in time faster.
So, you're always going to have to fine tune your brace height, when you're setting up a new string. But if it's a pre-stretched string, it's going to settle in much faster. If you bought two strings that are identical today and you put one on your bow and started shooting it and the other you put in a drawer for six months, the material itself has some memory to it.
And so the string that's been in the drawer is going to take a little bit longer to break in because even if it's been pre-stretched, it has that memory and it kind of shrinks back a little bit.
Manisha: What is one of the most important features that a parent needs to know to even start the conversation about ordering a string.
Julie: Yeah, I can guide people and help them with their string choices, but they do need to know what equipment is being used because that helps dictate what we end up deciding to build. So, the shooting style is one thing that I would need to know. Whether it's Olympic Recurve or Barebow, or traditional, or, you know, whatever that might be, the shooting style is the first thing.
And then I need to know the equipment. I can figure out what length the string needs to be if I know what the equipment is. So if you tell me you have a 25-inch riser with medium limbs, I can tell you that's a 68-inch bow and we need to build a 65-inch string.
Also, I would need to know the handedness of the bow. And not all parents know this. They know that they bought the bow and that they send their kid to practice with it. But a right-handed bow is one where you draw back the string with the right hand and the left-handed bow is one where you draw back the string with the left hand. So, that's another thing I need to know.
And then the poundage of the bow, whether it's what's labeled on the limbs or what a coach might help you actually measure. But those are things I need to know. And then, actually, one of the most important things I need to know, aside from the length, is, what nocks are being used with the arrows.
So the nock is the little plastic part on the end of the arrow that snaps onto the string. And there are so many different versions of nocks out there. I know there's a misconception out there that there is a small groove or a large groove nock. And I know that's what manufacturers label them.
That is not a universal measurement by any stretch of the imagination. So every nock is shaped differently and sized differently. And so knowing exactly what nock is being used helps me fit the centre serving perfectly for that string.
Manisha: And what if a parent has no idea? What if their Archer buys some nocks off of somebody else? What if they've just gone into the shop, bought a bunch and the parent has never even seen the packaging. How are they supposed to know?
Julie: Yeah, sometimes it's hard to tell. Sometimes they have markings, sometimes they don't. I have a big collection of nocks, a obsessive collection of nocks, really. And I have over 90 nocks in my collection or database.
I have photos, I have measurements, I have markings, I have all kinds of stuff. So if you don't know what nocks you have, you can look at the guide on the website and try to match them up and see what matches what you have. If you can't tell from that, as a last resort, I have a lot of people sending me really fuzzy photos.
So, if you're going to send me photos of nocks to help identify them, that's great. Try to maybe hold your hand behind the nock so it's in focus, because that really helps.
But, I do want to talk a little bit about why it's important to know the size of the nock, or what nock is being used, because in one respect, it's a safety issue. If you have a really, really loose nock, that can essentially be the same as dry-firing the bow in which, you know, the energy is not going into the arrow, it's going into the bow and that can cause damage or hurt people.
So, a loose nock can be unsafe. a nock that's really tight can cause the arrow to fly erratically or, you know, not the same every time. It can cause performance issues. I know that a lot of people talk about the tap test where you nock your arrow on the string and you tap the string and it's supposed to fall off, which is great, but it's not super precise because you might tap harder than I do or vice versa.
It's not something that’s as measurable as I would like. So there's another method that I prefer for measuring what the nock fit should be. I have a blog post on this with illustrations, which really helps, but I'm going to do my best to describe it to you.
Manisha: Great.
Julie: So there's three criteria. One is that when you put the nock onto an area without the nock set, you should be able to slide it up and down.
That one's pretty easy. also in that position, you should be able to twist it between your fingers and there shouldn't be rotation. So side play, basically. And then here's the logistically hard one to describe verbally. Okay, so you hold up your bow and you put on your bow square like you were measuring your brace height, right?
And you kind of see where the ruler on your bow square is in relation to a fixed point. Let's say your plunger button. So you see where that ruler is. Then you nock an arrow facing the wrong direction and then you pull that arrow in that opposite direction and see how far on the ruler you can pull before that arrow breaks free.
And so that should be about a half an inch.
Manisha: And do you have a video or a little tutorial that can share that information as well?
Julie: I have a blog post describing all of that and it has illustrations. I don't have a video just yet, but maybe by the time you air this, I'll put one up.
Manisha: Okay. What are the best practices for maintaining the lifespan of a string?
Julie: Yeah, so waxing is a big thing. some materials should be waxed and some shouldn't. So, 8125 and 652 are materials that are supposed to be waxed. So go ahead and wax those. About once a month is a good goal. Once a week is a good goal. Once a month is more reality, but the Glory Pro material that I mentioned and the Angel materials that are out there have a proprietary coating on them and they recommend not waxing them.
So they have a coating that is meant to replace wax. And so they recommend not using wax because it can make the surface of the string sticky and attract dirt, so they say not to use it.
Manisha: Can you just explain what is a serving opposed to the string? Just for parents who might not be familiar, and is there a difference in how you maintain the serving versus the string?
Julie: Yeah, so the serving you really shouldn't be doing much to that. Then, when the string is built, if it is a wax material, there is wax on the material underneath the serving already, and the serving is there protecting it, so you really don't need to do anything with the serving material. The string material is the length that is mostly visible, and that is the raw string material that, you know, is exposed and can get, rubbed against clothing or whatever and tends to break down a little bit faster because it is - it’s exposed.
But that's the reason the serving is there. It helps protect the ends of the string and the centre of the string where it makes the most contact with other things.
Manisha: What should an Archer look for when it comes to replacing a string. How do you know that it's time?
Julie: Yeah, I describe this as kind of being similar to sneakers. So you buy new sneakers and they're all cushy and comfortable and soft. And then you wear them for who knows how long.
And they, they don't, you know, bounce back like they used to and they're not quite as comfortable. But you don't really notice because it happens over time. And then you go to the store and you try on a new pair of sneakers. You're like, wow, this is what they're supposed to be like. This is what they used to be. I'd forgotten.
So, it's kind of the same with both strings. You're not going to notice like, between Tuesday and Wednesday practice that your string is not the same. It happens over time and it loses its elasticity and it feels a little bit more dead and so in general, if you're shooting, let's say once a week, you go to practice once a week and that's the only time you shoot, think about replacing your string about once a year.
If you're going to a couple practices a week, you might need to replace it more often. A lot of times Archers will be replacing their strings, between indoor and outdoor season. And for those Archers who are more competitive and shooting a lot more, they will almost always order two strings at a time.
But, I have an Archer who I've been shooting with forever. I think she started even before I was, but she shoots six to seven thousand arrows before changing her string. She's shooting a thousand arrows a week and she goes through about eight per year.
Manisha: Okay,
Julie: So every time she orders strings, she orders two strings. So she has an exact backup. The weight of the string can differ and even between spools The wax content in one spool can be different than the wax content in another spool. And if you're tuning your bow to a particular string weight, you want your backup to be the exact same as your primary string. So, that's one reason why Archers will sometimes order two strings at a time.
Another thing that people don't often know is that the different colours weigh differently, like literally different mass weight. Some spools of black, some spools of white, are pretty dry in terms of the wax content, but usually the brighter colours have a lot higher wax content and lend themselves to a heavier string, which is going to tune differently.
Manisha: You mentioned twists when you were responding to something else. Talk about twists. Why are they important? You do your own twisting when you're creating a string?
Julie: Yes. So, in general, a bowstring needs to be twisted to keep the individual strands together into one rope, essentially. If you have absolutely no twists in a string and you shoot it, have you ever tried this?
Have you ever experienced this?
Manisha: No.
Julie: It sounds crazy. The strands will actually balloon when the tension is let off and then snap back together and it sounds crazy. So, in the testing that I've done the first 10 twists don’t make any difference. So there is no reason to have any less than 10 twists in your string.
The reason you add twists to your string is to adjust the brace height. So, every string I build will come with a standard number of twists already in it. And when you get your string, you will fine tune your brace height by adding or removing a few twists. And once you find that good brace height, every time you take down your bow, you want to connect the loops together so that the next time you put together the bow, the brace height will be the same.
The fastest way to make a coach cringe is to take apart your bow and let the end loops just fly around willy-nilly and just shove it in your Archery bag because you know the next time that bow goes together the brace height's going to be different.
Manisha: And what is the best way once you have unstrung your bow, where do you keep it? You said, do not just throw it in your case.
Julie: No.
Manisha: How do you keep a string?
Julie: Every string that I sell comes in a plastic bag and that is a great way to store them. Not the most eco-friendly, but I still do plastic bags because that's the best way to store them. I do have some other storage options on my website, but the idea is that you want to keep it away from dirt, debris, other things that can stick to it. You want to keep your twists and you don't want it getting wet. Those are the basics.
Manisha: We're going to come back to rainy conditions...
Julie: Yes.
Manisha: ...and keeping a string dry, but I wanted to ask what kind of quality control - what kind of assurances can a client know that you are conducting to make sure that you have a really high quality string.
Julie: Yeah, the OCD is no joke. At its core, every well-built string needs to have even tension on every strand. So that's kind of a given, but every string is built to a particular length and every material and strand count is going to stretch a little bit differently. So I predict what that's going to be.
I measure before the string is built. I measure the finished length after the string is built. I notate all of that in a database. I measure the centre serving nock fit, the outer diameter of the centre serving, the outer diameter of the string itself. All of that goes into a database. So, if there are any issues, I have exact measurements so I can figure out what's going on.
And if that customer needs the exact same string built again, I have all of that data.
Manisha: That would be perfect for parents who call you up or message you and say, listen, this is my Archer's name…can you please just send us something?
Julie: Yeah.
Manisha: I have no idea. Just give us more. That would be definitely helpful.
Julie: Yes. I have customers who do that. Most of them are not parents. I have full grown Archers who do that: “I need this exact same thing you sent me in April." Okay, cool.
Manisha: And so just to go back, you said if a parent or an Archer really has no idea how long their bow is, how long the string is, do you have anything on your blog or on your website to show just so that they're not coming up with these sort of ambiguous specifications for you? Like, okay, well, I have long limbs and a long riser and It's by this manufacturer.
Is there...
Julie: Yeah.
Manisha: ... is there other...
Julie: yes.
Manisha: ...more concrete processes?
Julie: Yes, I have a page on my website that's basically how to measure everything on your bow.
So there's little tabs for how to measure the riser and how to measure the limbs or how to read more accurately - how to read the label on your limbs because limb labels are kind of, they’re - they don't all meet a certain standard. Some of them measure - will tell you short, medium, long. Some of them will tell you it's a 68-inch, which - what they don't tell you is that's assuming a 25-inch riser. That's not stated anywhere, but anyway, I have tabs from how to measure everything on your bow. And if you're still having problems, you can set up a consultation, a string consultation on my website.
So, that's basically a phone call or a video chat where we can answer all your questions. And I get a lot of people who are holding equipment up to the camera on their computer and say, well, it looks like this, or it sounds like this, or you know, here's what this looks like and this is kind of rubbed off, let's take our best guess.
You know, we'll figure it out.
Manisha: I wanted to ask about when an Archer is in the rain. What is the best thing to do? What are things to keep in mind as an Archer shooting in the rain?
Julie: Well, I think I'm uniquely skilled in answering that question as an Archer who started in Seattle. We get a lot of rain there.
Okay, so first thing, keep your bow as dry as possible. If you're at a competition, try to see if it'll fit under the tent so it doesn't get too wet. Once you get up to the line, if you're shooting in the rain, make sure your grip is dry. You do not want your hand sliding around in the grip, so have a rag or something to be able to dry your grip.
And, then before you start shooting that end, you want to pluck your string and try to get all the excess water out of it before you take that first shot. And then after shooting in the rain, when you get home, dry everything, everything. Take down your bow, dry absolutely everything so that you don't have any problems later.
Manisha: So, as a caveat, make sure you air things out. What Julie is saying, is no joke. Make sure you air your equipment out to make sure it's dry after rainstorms, after precipitation. It is actually really important to do.
Julie: Oh yeah, I've encountered that at USATS where we have, you know, five, six people crammed into an Airbnb and we're trying to air out everyone's equipment and find every possible surface where we can.
So, you know, have equipment and not trip over things.
Manisha: Would you like to mention any other resources that you have for beginner Archers or parents to use? You've mentioned your blog, you've mentioned your website. Is there anything else that you would really like to point out that can be really helpful for people?
Julie: Yeah, my blog has all kinds of stuff in it, but there's a section for introductory stuff for beginners. So if you know very little about Archery or bows, that's a good place to start to get some base information. And then I also have some videos on the site for learning how to do basic things like waxing your string or how to fold up your string to store it or things like that.
Manisha: Should beginners prioritize anything when they're making choices for a bow? Again, they're probably recreational, maybe they're just taking a few lessons, but they've chosen to get their own equipment. Does durability make a difference? Does ease of use make a difference? Is there something that they should be thinking of when they're ordering a bow string?
Julie: Yeah, I mean, for your first string, I would go for a tried and true material like 8125. By far the most popular, just start there as a baseline, and then if you want to experiment in the future, you can, but that's a good place to start.
If it's your first bow, go with a fun colour, if that's what you want. I mean, you're there to learn something new and try something fun, so, you know, make it your own and choose a fun colour.
A couple things to know about your first time ordering a custom string though, is that it's not going to come with a nock point already tied onto your string or those little brass nock sets, which I absolutely hate. You are going to have to do that yourself.
And so there are materials on my website that you can order with your string so that you can do that. And there's a video showing how to do that on the website as well. But you could also, you know, take that to your coach and say, here, I need a nock set. Can you help me with this?
But I do have instructions if people want to try to do it on their own. And, then the other thing for beginners is to know to check their brace height every time you assemble the bow. That's not one of those things that's one and done - you can just set it and forget it.
You need to double check your brace height because there is that break in period. And sometimes you need to make sure that it's not moved. So that's a good thing to check so that you know that you're starting from the same baseline every time you shoot.
Manisha: And how long does it take for an order to be processed? I know shipping can be a totally different animal. In Canada, we just went through a eight-week postal strike. So, we're not talking about shipping, but what is the process on your end?
Julie: Yeah, as long as I have all the information with your initial order, I can get the string out in three to five days. If there's information that's missing, or that I need clarification on, I'll usually reach out with an email. And if I don't hear back from people, I will call them sometimes, if I know that I'm not calling at a crazy hour based on where they are.
But yeah, three to five days usually and I'm going to see about maybe making some strings ahead of time for Vegas where I can just do the customized centre serving on the spot.
If people need a string immediately in Vegas, I should have some options.
Manisha: And so what days will you be at Vegas and where else can people find OCD Strings?
Julie: Yeah, primarily we are selling on the website, OCDstrings.com. I will be in Vegas the entire time I am doing a collaboration booth with Baker Archery Products.
So, I'm going to be building strings and selling strings and he builds bow vices and string jigs for building your own strings. So if you're looking for completed strings or to build your own, there's resources and equipment there.
Manisha: And can people do orders with you while you're at Vegas?
Julie: Yes.
Manisha: Okay.
Julie: Yeah, and in Vegas I'm also going to be doing a couple seminars as well. So, that'll be exciting.
Manisha: And can you share a little bit, or is that top secret about what those workshops will be?
Julie: Oh, not top secret. They haven't been announced yet, but I think I'm going to do one focusing on string materials and then the other on construction.
Manisha: And if someone wanted to get into making their own strings, is that something that you can help with?
Julie: I have had a few requests in the past and it is something that I want to get into a little bit more. There are some resources out there. There's some DVDs you can buy. There's YouTube videos, but I might be moving into that realm and trying to help Archers who want to make their own strings in the future as well as making strings for them.
Manisha: What I didn't ask you earlier was where did the name OCD Strings come from?
Julie: You know, back when I was setting up the business and I was just starting to build my own strings and building strings for others and they wanted to, you know, pay for materials. I'm like, okay, well, at some point I need a name for this thing, and I had a whole list of horrible names, and then this one just popped into my head.
I'm like, yep, that's it. It's succinct, it's accurate, and yeah, that kind of encompasses what I do.
Manisha: And I would think it offers a little bit of comfort or solace to know that perfection is what is important to you. Is there anything that we didn't touch on, whether it be about string making, about the process, about what parents need to know, or is there anything that we didn't touch on that you'd like to also share?
Julie: So for customizing a bow string, we were talking about colours, but there's all kinds of other things that we can customize for a bow string, like we can fine tune the length of the string to optimize for the brace height that you like to shoot. If, you know, as long as this isn't your first string, you can see what works for you on this bow, and then I can replicate the exact same length for a new string, so that you don't have to fuss around too much with adjusting the twists in the string.
We can customize the centre serving length and position, especially for those Barebow shooters who need a longer centre serving so that the top of the serving is not within their eyeline. We can customize the strand count. That's loosely based on draw weight, but sometimes people have preferences for particular strand counts.
One thing that a lot of people don't know is that a strand count is for a particular material. So I was talking about the Glory Pro and the 8125 being the same base material, which is SK75 Dyneema. The big difference between those is the size of the material. A 16-strand string made of 8125, decent string that you would expect.
A 16-strand string made of Glory Pro, you can probably floss with that thing. That material is tiny. And the string material itself is not round. So you're really not measuring a diameter. It's kind of more like the tape dental floss, if anyone has used that. It's kind of flattened. And so that is one of the things that people don't necessarily know about because they haven't looked, you know, at string material as closely. They see a finished string and they see it bundled together in a round form and they think, Oh, it's round, but yeah, actually that stuff is flat. And a lot of people don't realize that. The other thing that can be customized is the end serving material. There are a couple different types.
There is a twisted material and a braided material and amongst those, there's still more, more options. But those are the main categories. And in general, a twisted material is going to conform to curves nicer. It's going to be a little bit quieter when you shoot it, but it's not going to be quite as durable.
The braided material is more durable, but can be a little bit louder, and doesn't quite conform as nicely as a twisted material. So, I personally prefer the twisted materials, and that's what comes as a default on my strings, unless you customize something else, because the twisted materials are cheaper as well. And, I just like a quieter bow string.
So that's what I prefer, but even the end serving material comes in different colours as well. So one of my favourite string builds is a base colour of the string material itself. A pinstripe of an accent colour and then using that same colour for the end serving.
Manisha: And do you have any favourite colours of your own?
Julie: Oh, I have lots. Most of my bows are orange or have some orange components.
Manisha: Now, if someone is coming to you - they truly believe that this is their preference for number of strands or this is the length that they think and they give you all of their specs and you come up with some totally different information.
Have you encountered that situation where someone is, Nope, this is what I want. And you are kind of cringing, really truly believe that the product that you would provide would be different, but more to their benefit than what they think they need.
Julie: Oh yeah. There, there are quite a few people like that I've encountered. And usually I will just tell them I hear what you're saying. This would be my recommendation, but I'm happy to build you exactly what you want. Let me know how you'd like to proceed. And in some cases, you know, people want exactly what they want and yeah, I will build that for them. But usually the things that are a little cringeworthy are some colour combinations that I would not go for and people are like, yep, that's exactly what I want.
I'm like, okay, you do you.
Manisha: We won't put anyone on the spot in case they're listening, so I won't ask you what those combinations are. Is there anything else that you would like to talk about? Is there anything that parents should know that we haven't touched on?
Julie: Yeah, there's a couple things. One, learning about the bow is not as daunting as it may seem.
And I think about this in relation to my mom learning computers. She's in her 70s and she, you know, for years, she's like, Nope, I don't want to learn computers. That's not my thing. That's not what I do. And we eventually got her her own computer and showed her how to use her computer and set it up for her.
And now she knows how to shop online basically. With your equipment, it's the same thing. You don't have to know every piece of equipment out there. You need to know what you purchased and how to deal with what you bought.
So you need to know that you have a 25-inch riser. You need to know just basic things about your setup, and it's not as difficult as it may seem because there are so many options.
The other thing I wanted to mention is that Archery is - it’s not just for kids, and I know many get introduced to it in that way, but know full families of Archers: it's like two parents, three kids and 16 bows in that household. And, it's a cool thing. I didn't know about it when I was a kid. I learned about it as an adult.
And I think a lot of parents think, Oh, well, it's for my kids. That's what they do. But parents can get involved too.
Manisha: Well said. That takes us into what I have started as a final closing segment. And I think I have the perfect joke for you. Okay. And again, I've said in the past, there are dad jokes and there are Archery Parent Podcast jokes.
There is no requirement on your end to laugh. I'm just putting this out there. So since you mentioned picking up Archery as an adult - I'm the worst at telling jokes.
What do you call an Archer with salt-and-pepper hair?
Julie: A Master?
Manisha: No, a well-seasoned Archer. Wah-wah. Yeah.
Julie: Very good.
Manisha: There you go. And seasoned salt-and-pepper, I mean, yeah, that's me. Okay, I have one more for you, hold on.
Julie: Boy, I got two?
Manisha: Yes. This one is bad.
Why did the Archery club sell their vacuum cleaner?
Julie: Why?
Manisha: Because it was collecting dust.
I know. Brutal.
Oh gosh, okay, Julie, thank you for laughing at those jokes.
Thank you for being here. Thank you for contacting me and, you know, putting this idea out and wanting to share with parents and our listeners about string making, about the Vegetarian Archery Society, about OCD strings.
And I just, also wanted to include - so, on Instagram, it's OCD strings on, well, on the web, it's OCDstrings.com. And if people have questions, if they want to order, they can order directly online. Is that possible?
Julie: Yes.
Manisha: And if they have any other questions, how can they reach OCD Strings?
Julie: yeah. They can just email me at Julie[at]OCDstrings.com.
Manisha: Thank you. Any last-minute things that you wanted to share? I don't want to miss out on anything.
Julie: We have covered a lot.
Manisha: Okay.
Julie: Yeah. Thank you for having me. This has been fun.
Manisha: Well, thank you for being here. Thanks to everyone who was listening. This is the Archery Parent Podcast. What Archery parents need to know to best support your Archer. If you have any suggestions, if there are any other people that you think that we should interview.
Please let us know. I'm Manisha, that's Julie of OCD Strings. Thanks for joining us and we'll see you again soon.
OUTRO:
Thanks for listening to this episode of the Archery Parent podcast. This show is for Archery parents by an Archery parent. You can find more episodes at Archeryparentpodcast.ca. While there, sign up for our newsletter and check out our blog.
The Archery Parent podcast is hosted and produced by me, Manisha.
Reece Wilson-Poyton and Elissa Foley are our resident Archery consultants and contributors. Fact checking by Manisha, Reece, and Elissa.
Our theme music is The Stranger by Wooden Flowers, Michael Menart, and Giant Metal Crickets. Follow us on social media and YouTube for additional tips, how to’s, and what you need to know to best support your Archer.
I'm Manisha of the Archery Parent Podcast. We're doing this one arrow at a time.
