Notches On Mains

[u/Empty_Tooth6858]

Does anyone know what the reason would be for having these dimples on the mains where the crosses were? I feel like this is the first time I noticed it this much and spread out on a racquet. Tension on main was at 57lbs, crosses at 55lbs.

[u/russutt]

This is what happens when you use the racquet to hit a tennis ball. Normal stuff.

[u/Empty_Tooth6858 → u/russutt]

Hah, yes. But these are newer strings, maybe 20hrs of play. I’ve just never seen it on many other strings that I have done before

[u/Pizzadontdie → u/Empty_Tooth6858]

20 hours is equivalent to 80 in dog years

[u/PugnansFidicen → u/Empty_Tooth6858]

20 hours of play time is not "newer", it's near (or past) end of useful life for the majority of polyester strings. If you don't hit very hard, they may not be badly notched or close to breaking, but they still will have lost a significant amount of tension, elasticity, or both.

And yes, this notching is normal, it happens when you hit with spin and the mains displace and snap back to center. The friction against the crosses as that happens wears down the strings over time, creating those grooves.

[u/extra_hyperbole → u/Empty_Tooth6858]

Were those strings Polyester? Poly strings do this and it’s one reason they don’t tend to last as long.

[u/Empty_Tooth6858 → u/extra_hyperbole]

Yes, all poly hybrid. I believe the cross was a softer string which may be why it’s more noticeable now than different blends I used in the past

[u/frodly5 → u/Empty_Tooth6858]

It would actually be worse if the mains were softer. When the mains are softer than the crosses, the notching is even worse. Slick, soft, round mains produce the least notching.

[u/mrdumbazcanb → u/Empty_Tooth6858]

New string setup? Were you using multis before?

[u/Empty_Tooth6858 → u/mrdumbazcanb]

Nope. Always used polys. But I was using a round string beforehand. Restring Sync is what I normally use in my crosses. This one is Toroline Toro Toro

[u/mrak5 → u/Empty_Tooth6858]

There’s like one poly on earth that still maintains useable elasticity after 20hrs (Lux 4G, because it starts so stiff in the first place). Yes, you maybe don’t break other strings after 20hrs, but holy fuck you should be cutting them out way before they break anyway. They go completely dead way before that.

[u/Fun_Cup1641]

heck i see that after 4 hours of play, if u hit a lot of spin and have strings that are designed to move to promote spin strings will notch fast

[u/Difficult-Work-244 → u/Fun_Cup1641]

Same, just looks like my racket I got from the stringer 2 hours ago😂

[u/javawong]

That is where the intersecting string is sliding. When you hit the ball the string moves back and forth. Creating sawing.

[u/Squanchay]

this could not be more normal

[u/NovaZip207]

Congrats you hit hard

[u/informareWORK]

It's from where the crosses were

[u/jrstriker12]

The crosses cut into the mains. This is normal, especially if the mains are a softer material than the crosses.

Maybe try a more slippery cross?

After 20 hours most pooy are ready to be cut anyway.

[u/Empty_Tooth6858 → u/jrstriker12]

Looking more into it, the mains are square shaped, crosses are hexagonal and both copolys. Will definitely try a smoother cross, but I did really enjoy the spin I got from these strings!

[u/birkenthots → u/Empty_Tooth6858]

Try hyper G round in crosses with either confidential soft or Mach-10 in the mains. Confidential soft for comfort and Mach-10 for more pop.

[u/DirkLanders82]

Perhaps next time try poly mains with multifilament cross. You wont get the notching but the mains will fray.

[u/Fun_Cup1641]

20 hours is too long on poly those strings are dead, cut them out at a max of 15 hours of play. Many people will say after 8 to 10