If you’re an archer or you hunt with bows, the compound bow has to be more than just equipment for you. It must be something you should take the best care of. Pretty much like any sportsperson, you must look after the thing that makes you what you are. It is for this reason that it is essential to give the compound bow maintenance guide a read.
There are multiple reasons why the maintenance of your compound bow is essential. First of all, only by proper maintenance can you ensure its durability. Also, to keep it at its best at all times, you need to make sure that you do not take it for granted and let it go out of tune. Pretty much like a musical instrument, you have to keep your compound bow “in tune” to get the best out of it.
A compound bow is the modern equivalent of the standard bow and is a lot more advanced. That means that its maintenance also has to be more advanced. There are a lot of benefits of buying a compound bow. However, it also comes with a lot of maintenance complications. Given that you are dedicated to archery, you’re sure to make the maintenance easier for yourself by going through the measures thoroughly.
In this article, we will breakdown every aspect of its maintenance. That will give you all the information you need to complete the maintenance of your compound bow with perfection. We will list all the different facets involved ranging from the tools to the correct steps to ensure its operation.
Steps To Ensure Proper Compound Bow Maintenance
To begin with, you need to make sure your compound bow is well-tuned. While buying a compound bow, you should buy the one that suits your size. That way, you will be well aware of the exact draw length that will come in handy in the long run and give your compound bow the durability you expect from it.
Riser
The riser is the central component of your bow, and it connects all parts to it. Always check the riser and its components before every use to ensure its safety. Always check the following points:
Grip
Check that the grip is secure. Some of the grips are molded into the riser itself. However, others have them as an attached part, either with glue or screws. Ensure that there are no cracks, wobbles, or any other movements in the grip.
Limbs
Checking the limbs and their connection points to the riser is a crucial step that you should not overlook. Both the top and bottom limbs are under extreme pressure when the bow is drawn. Therefore, you must check for cracks or signs of play or wear in those areas.
Check them for wobbling, and ensure the bolts are tight every firing session you use it.
Accessories
As all of your accessories are usually attached to the riser, you want to check them all for two things. They are:
- Tightness. – Ensure that there is no play or movement in any of the parts. Not only will a loose sight be dreadful for your aiming, but a loose or wobbling arrow rest can cause stray arrows. That is certainly not something that you want!
- Erosion. – When parts start to wear down, things can go very badly very quickly. Ensure that you keep an eye on all of the accessories for wear and replace them at the earliest opportunity.
Strings
When it comes to the maintenance of the parts, the bowstrings are by far the most important of them all. Keep checking them at regular intervals to ensure that they don’t get damaged. After all, the bowstrings are the part that requires constant checking and repair if they develop a problem. As soon as you find frayed threads, visit a bow technician to either get it repaired or replaced. Only by taking proper care of the bowstrings can you keep your compound bow at its best all the time.
It is also suggested that you clean and wax the bowstrings after every four sessions to keep them at their best. You might also wax it a little more at every two sessions, but it is not always necessary. But if you hear any unusual noises or little sounds while shooting your compound bow, make sure you get it checked with a technician at the earliest opportunity.
The above points are immensely important because if you shoot your bow with a damaged or frayed string, it can prove to be very dangerous. Also, the cable should be fastened to the cable guard if you want to maintain the balance and accuracy that your compound bow gives you while shooting.
Temperature
Furthermore, you need to keep your compound bow away from intense heat and extremely low temperatures. Keeping your compound bow in an enclosed space in high or low temperatures can lead to limb failure and can also cause damage to the strings.
Make sure you buy a compound bow case to carry it around and keep it safe from the adverse effects of heat and other harsh weather conditions. You can also take further advice from technicians to ensure that you do not allow your compound bow to get damaged in any way possible.
Limits
While shooting the bow, never draw it more than you should. To know the limits, you should get a measurement done and be careful about how far you draw your compound bow. That is immensely important as being irresponsible about this can seriously damage the bowstrings and cause them to break. With practice, though, you will learn how far to pull the strings each time.
The arrows, on the other hand, should be cleaned more often, as they require more attention when it comes to cleanliness and keeping them dry and free of dirt.
Now that you know the basics of taking proper care of a compound bow let us now outline the tools that you need to have with you. Some of these tools of maintenance are an absolute must-have if you’re to ensure that your compound bow works well in the long run. So, without further ado, let us list and describe these maintenance tools for you.
Maintenance Tools Required For Your Compound Bow
For your bow to continue working optimally, there are specific tools you need to keep. These are maintenance tools that should be forever on your list whenever you visit the market to look for maintenance tools for your compound bow. These tools are not only crucial for the tuning of your compound bow, but they also come in handy in setting it up. So, make the kit up, and store it in your case, if you have room.
1. Bow Vise
This particular tool makes it easier for you to work on your bow as it keeps your hands free. Many archers tend to ignore this tool and end up finding great difficulty in managing to work on their bows. Whatever you’re doing with your bow, a bow vise makes it easier for you, and you should keep it in your compound bow maintenance kit.
2. String Care Kit
As already mentioned, the bowstrings are by far the most essential part of your compound bow. Hence, you must have a kit to take proper care of the strings. The string care should contain wax, a cleaner, and revitalizer that you will need to use on your strings to keep them working well in the long run. Waxing your bowstrings at regular intervals is sure to make them last longer and work well for you.
3. The Arrow Saw
An arrow saw is sure to come in handy when you want to make new arrows. It might be a little more expensive and is a costly investment. Yet, it is one of the most essential maintenance tools you can have in your kit to repair the damage and arrows and making new ones.
4. High-Quality Glue For The Arrows
Instead of running to the repair technician all the time, it is better to invest in high-quality glue for your arrows. All you will have to do then is watch a few tutorials to repair the arrows that might get damaged. Also, applying the perfect arrow glue can make a lot of difference in how the strings come off and how easily they can be repaired again in the future.
5. A Laser Alignment Tool
It can be a pretty complicated and demanding task setting up a compound bow. That’s why many professional archers always keep a laser alignment tool with them at all times. These tools help set up your compound bow with a lot more ease and speed. So, if you’re a professional archer or planning to become one, make sure you have a laser alignment tool in your compound bow maintenance kit. It might also be an expensive investment, but it is one of the best choices you can make to get rid of the complication of setting up your compound bow.
6. A Fletching Jig
If you wish to repair the damaged arrows and make new ones all by yourself, a fletching jig is the one thing you unquestionably need in your kit. Making your arrows by yourself with the help of a fletching jig will also save you a lot of time and money. So, if you’re a professional archer, it is a must-have for you. Whenever your quiver empties, you won’t have to run to the store and can help yourself by making new arrows.
7. The Grain Scale
Another one of the maintenance kit essentials, if you wish to make your arrows, the grain scale helps you in the perfect measurement of the new arrows you want to build. It also comes in handy when measuring the overall performance of your compound bow along with all the arrows. All you need to do is invest in a high-quality grain scale, and you’re all set to make your arrows with precision.
8. A Paper Tuner
Another must-have in your compound bow maintenance kit is a paper tuner. They make sure the arrows come out of your bow with precision and the way you want them to. It helps in keeping things tight enough to ensure the entire process of shooting an arrow is gone through with ease.
9. The Allen Wrenches
When it comes to tuning tools for your compound bow, Allen wrenches are essential. Any archer would want to have them in the maintenance kit. They don’t come at a very high price, and you can, hence, invest in multiple of them. They’re easily misplaced, so it is always better to have a spare few so that you don’t have to run to the market time and again.
10. A Bow Press
There are now compound bow models that might not necessarily need a bow press. However, you will still see them in the maintenance kit of most professional archers. It comes in handy for you in such a way that you can work on your compound bow without any fuss. With the help of a bow press, your bow will stay in the position you want it to make it easier for you to make any changes you want to make in your bow to make it better and long-lasting.
More Tips For Compound Bow Maintenance
Apart from the equipment that you need to have in your maintenance kit, there are other less talked about maintenance tips you should know. These tips are fundamental, but you cannot afford to ignore them at any cost. You have to keep them in mind and take care of your compound bow accordingly.
Never “Dry Fire”
To begin with, you should never dry fire your bow at any condition. But if it happens accidentally, you should check it right away for any damage is caused to the bow or the strings. The quicker you seek help from a bow technician, the better it will be for your compound bow’s life span. As already mentioned, you should keep checking your compound bow at regular intervals to nip any problems in the bud instead of letting them grow worse with time.
Case
It cannot be emphasized enough that your compound bow should always be kept in a case whenever you’re carrying it. In some places, the law states that you must make sure you have a compound bow case to take it with you. So, it is not only a maintenance tip, but something that will make sure you’re on the right side of the law, and your bow stays safe.
Just ensure you are not storing your bow wet as this can lead to some issues.
Regular Inspection
Apart from these basic tips, you should also perform a regular inspection of your compound bow. These inspections are termed ‘mini-inspections’ because they won’t take much time, and you can go about the process with ease. All you need to do in these inspections is occasionally check the grip if it is still stable enough for proper and precise shooting. All the accessories of your compound bow should also be tested if they’re at the right place and working well in tandem with one another.
Furthermore, the bowstrings should also be checked at regular intervals, as mentioned above. Given that you keep all these factors in mind, you’re sure to take good care of your compound bow and make sure of its durability.
Finding The Best Compound Bow Maintenance Kit Online
Now that you know about the several measures you can take to ensure your compound bow continues to work well in the long run, all you need to do is get equipped with all the necessary tools and the maintenance kit. To make things easier for you below is an ideal maintenance kit. It contains a trio of products that can ensure that your bow gets the rejuvenation it needs.
Scorpion Venom Compound Bow Maintenance Kit
This maintenance kit for bows is among the most reliable products you can find on the internet. It contains:
- A string cleaner for all kinds of string
- Bowstring fluid for coating
- Lubricant for the overall smooth working of your compound bow.
All the products in this maintenance kit work perfectly well in all kinds of climate and are odor-free.
Pros
- It works well in all weather conditions for your compound bow.
- Easy to apply and absolutely hassle-free to use on your compound bow.
- All you need is to apply it a total of 4-5 times to ensure that your strings are clean.
- It works well even with advanced bows of the highest quality.
Cons
- When applied more than advised, it can dry your bowstrings out and cause problems while shooting.
Know More About Compound Bow Maintenance
Even after going through this guide, you should look for further tips on how to care for your compound bow. Yet, if you’re a beginner, all the points and products listed are an absolute must-have in your maintenance kit.
Conclusion
You must keep a tab on any damage that may occur. Only by making sure there is nothing amiss with your compound bow can you ensure its durability. Even a new bow, when not taken care of in a proper manner, can lose its performance earlier than usual. So, it is not just about longevity but the efficiency of your compound bow.
Make sure you leave no stone unturned when it comes to maintenance. By going through this guide, you will not have to visit the bow technician as often.
