Your bowstring is easily the most important party your bow, so why do we take it for granted. Whether it’s a compound, recurve or longbow regular string maintenance is extremely important. With a good waxing you’ll get all the energy that your bow can give. Simple maintenance like a good wax and oil will allow you to get the most out of your compound bow.
How Often Should You Wax Crossbow Strings?
There is no exact answer as to how frequently you should wax your crossbow strings. It’s really going to depend on how frequently you use your bow. There’s no real set frequency that you need to wax your strings. Most lube crossbow wax directions tell you to wax every 5-10 shots, but that’s normally a little bit overkill. You’re better off playing it by ear and looking at your strings to see whats working.
When To Wax Your Strings
I like to wax my strings whenever I notice a little bit of fraying going on. A little bit of lube on your strings will extend the life and save you a lot of hassle. There really isn’t one brand of wax that beats out the competition. My go to crossbow wax is Barnett’s Outdoor Crossbow Lube and that’s mostly due to its availability. For a few bucks you’ll have enough wax to last you years.
Where to Oil and Wax Your Strings
You’re going to want wax all the exposed strings and cables. The biggest mistake I see beginners make is putting wax on their center serving. Instead you’re going to want to put oil on your rail, never wax. I’ve been using TenPoint’s Crossbow Flight Rail and Trigger Lube but it’s a bit expensive. It’s honestly no better than a can of ballistol, but I don’t want to skimp on such an expensive piece of equipment.
You’re going to want to occasionally put a drop of oil on your cams just to keep everything moving smoothly. You’re also going to want to put a couple drops of oil into your trigger box. The easiest way to lube your trigger box is to place a few drops into your safety. Switch it back and forth applying oil liberally. With a few drops of oil and a little wax your crossbow will be ready to go whenever you need to use it.
How to Wax Your Strings
So you know you need to wax your strings and you see all kinds of fraying. So how do you actually wax your strings? There is no set way to wax your strings. You’re just going to want to apply wax liberally everywhere you see exposed strings. It’s just like rubbing on a glue stick apply evenly throughout the strings. After you run your stick over the strings don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty.
Use Your Fingers to Further Apply Wax
After you’ve applied the wax with your crossbow wax stick you’re going to want to rub it in further. The easiest way to do it is to just rub your fingers across the strings. Rubbing in the wax as you go along the strings. Some people like to rub in their wax with a rubber glove, but that’s just one more thing to slow down your shooting. Plus a little bit of wax on your fingers will make them feel good all day long.
How Often Should You Lube The Crossbow’s Rail and Cams?
You aren’t going to need to oil your crossbows rail and cams as often as you wax the strings. When you lube the rail you don’t want to put a bunch of oil on there. I normally apply a little bit of TenPoint Rail and Trigger Lube every 75-150 shots. You’ll normally be able to tell when you need to put a little oil on your rail.
How To Apply Oil To Your Crossbow Rail
To apply oil to your rail just put one or two drops on both sides of the rail. Use your finger to rub it into the whole length of the rail. After applying the oil you should definitely be able to tell the difference. You’ll notice that the crossbow sounds a lot quieter and runs smoother than before. With a little bit of maintenance your crossbow strings should last for years.
