When I am building a new bow or replacing the strings and cables on an existing bow, I’m looking to find the perfect feel or get it back to the exact measurements that I need. Sometimes, getting it perfect, requires some tweaking and one quick way to achieve this is by twisting your strings & cables.
Every string manufacturer has their way of measuring and a process to get the, finished, target length. Every set of strings has to start at a longer measurement and then be twisted by the manufacturers formula to get them perfect. When your new bow arrives, or you install your new set, you may need to make some fine adjustments to get that perfect feel or hit your marks. Your adjustments can be as simple as adding a twist to one cable to get your cams in perfect time.
It is just common sense that if you add twist to the string, it makes it shorter. If you take twist out, it makes the string longer. Doing this to the cables, had a totally opposite effect. If you add twist to the cable/cables, it shortens the cables and this will do 2 things – lengthen the draw length AND increase the draw weight.
If you find yourself needing to make the minute adjustments, I think you should always add twist to the string/cables and not take twist out. Adding twist doesn’t allow the string or cable to ever “relax”. I think taking twist out, allows that string/cable to “unwind” just a bit and it takes it longer to settle back in. Adding twists to the string/cable just tightens things up a bit more. Adding twist can be done to make small adjustments. If you are needing to add or subtract 3/8” or more, you probably need to change the draw length modules or you need a cam change on your bow.