# bands tearing near pouch



## builderofstuff (Feb 14, 2011)

I'm having a bit of an issue with bands tearing on the end attached to the pouch. I'm not sure if it's something I'm doing wrong or not but for some reason I keep getting tears in the latex. The way I tie them on is by pulling the latex through the hole in the leather pouch, stretching it, and then wrapping a strip of latex around it in the normal fashion that just about everyone else uses. But for some reason I keep getting tears. Is it possible that I'm stretching it to much when I'm tying it on? Or could it be that I need to make my bands longer? I haven't had any problems with the bands at the forks, only at the pouch.

Chris


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## mxred91 (Aug 8, 2010)

Chris I got alot of tearing near the pouch when I was folding the latex in half (down the entire length) instead of using 2 separate strands of latex per side. I also use a constrictor knot with dacron string to tie the bands at the pouch.


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## NoSugarRob (Jun 3, 2010)

i think its good that the bands give out at the pouch end.... its safer ya see. All my Thera flat / tapered bands have given out at the pouch end.


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## NaturalFork (Jan 21, 2010)

Are you tapering the bands? If so they will always tear at the pouch. I have found that not tapering helps, but they still eventually tear at the pouch.


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## Tex-Shooter (Dec 17, 2009)

Make sure your fork tips are smooth. The pouch pushes the rubber into the fork tips bruising it and causing it to prematurely tear. It also could be old rubber. Now, having said that, the bands almost always tear at the pouch first anyway. -- Tex-Shooter


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## Rayshot (Feb 1, 2010)

Tex-Shooter said:


> Make sure your fork tips are smooth. The pouch pushes the rubber into the fork tips bruising it and causing it to prematurely tear. It also could be old rubber. Now, having said that, the bands almost always tear at the pouch first anyway. -- Tex-Shooter


I always read Tex's posts with his experience and nothing to prove demeanor. Trying to learn as much as I can.


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## Flatband (Dec 18, 2009)

Don't pre-stretch them as much when tying.

Make sure your cutter is really sharp.

Don't use too light an ammo.

Try 100% Soft cotton string as a a test to tie with instead of the latex.

Could be old stock or defective rubber also.

Hope one of these things help! Flatband


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## builderofstuff (Feb 14, 2011)

Thanks for all of the suggestions guys. I'll try some different methods of tying it on. At the moment all of my shooters are using to separate bands per side. I've had it happen on my bent frames as well as on the commercial shooters that I've put flat bands on. I've been shooting marksman steel shot with them, but I don't remember the diameter, I know of the two choices I had at the store it was the larger of the two. So maybe as Flatband suggested maybe the ammo is to light. It could also bee that I'm pre-stretching the bands to much when tying them on, which could explain why they don't tear at the fork end because when I tie those on I don't seem to stretch those like I do the ends at the pouch.

I really appreciate all the input guys, it's helps tremendously, and as a newbie without the help of the members of the forum I'd be going at this stuff blind most of the time.

Chris


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