There are functional custom pockets out there, and then there are pockets that are simply nice to look at. Of course everyone once in a while, there are pockets that meet both points head on. It’s like the Holy Grail of traditional stringing and it’s all about super custom pocket perfection!
How is this achieved? What kids of variations work well together? What purpose do they serve? To get it right, you have to nail the string job on a couple of different levels.
Custom Pocket Perfection
The first question you need to ask is, why am I doing this? This is not a rhetorical question, where you ponder existence and creation of man, but a practical one. WHY are you stringing the particular type of pocket you are stringing?
In my example, I have a wide head (a Brine Edge X), so I wanted a pocket that snugged the ball in a channel. I also wanted to string a low pocket, that could merge into a mid pocket, so I knew I needed structure and movement. I settled on a six shooter variant (learn how to string a six shooter here), which uses crosslace where I want the pocket to be softer, and sidewall where I want the pocket to be stiffer. Diamonds should be small as I decided to use stretched soft white leathers.
The head was also a good choice because it had holes on the sidewall where I would need them. Always make sure the pocket you want to string matches up with proper holes in the sidewall!
The next question is, what features in your pocket will you change, and WHY? There is a center track of sidewall to keep the two centers tightly together, like they would be in a pita pocket. I also used the sidewall on the outer six shooter portions to create a stiff “continued sidewall” that goes much deeper than the legal two inches, but without breaking any rules.
The ideas is to make the traditional stringing function more like a mesh pocket, which has more “travel” than many traditional set ups, while keeping a nice low pocket.
You want to enter this quest with a plan. Some things may change along the way, but think about why you’re stringing whatever you’re stringing, and how it relates to the head you are using. Make sure the holes will suffice. Take your time! And then post the glorious photos to Instragram or Facebook and tag us and mention us in your comments. We want to see you work! What do you think of ours?!?!
Traditional Bonus Video
String League week 1 is off and running! Check out Throne of String’s challenge for SL!
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