Method for molding high strength facing

The method of making a reinforcing facing for a game racket having an open frame connected to an elongated handle by a throat area which comprises:

• impregnating a tow of substantially continuous, substantially parallel high Young's modulus fibers with a synthetic resin;
• arranging said tow in a mold having an open frame area connected to a handle area by a throat area;
• molding said tow into a substantially U-shaped cross-section in the frame area, modified through the throat area to a substantially rectangular cross-section in the handle area;
• impregnating at least two sheets of high Young's modulus fiber cloth with a synthetic resin, said cloth having from about 0 to 50% woof fibers and from about 50 to 100% warp fibers;
• placing said at least two sheets of fiber cloth over said tow in said mold so as to contact the base of said U-shape and cover the frame area, handle area and throat area;
• placing said sheets of cloth with the warp fibers in each succeeding layer in the frame area at an angle of at least about 45.degree. to the fibers in the preceding layer and placing said layers of cloth in the handle area at an angle of at least 30.degree. to the fibers in the preceding layer, the warp fibers in all layers in the handle area being placed at angles of no more than about 60.degree. to the handle centerline;
• and
• applying pressure to said mold and hardening said resin to form a unitary facing comprising fibers in a resin matrix.