Help!!!! I'm brand new to archery and bow hunting (taking my bow safety course in just under 2 weeks). I got a hand me down bow (PSE Team Fitzgerald) from my brother in law. It fits me well, I've taken it to a pretty good archery shop a couple of times. Draw length is good, sight is pretty good. Well... I got myself down to 1 decent arrow after losing fletchings on about 6 arrows (due to old, worn out glue) and losing 2-3 arrows using an old, ****ty release that let go of the string mid draw and then bending a few, due to my target falling over with arrows in it!! (Can u tell that I'm a rookie?) Anyways, I went back to the archery shop and got some new arrows (Easton 400 carbons, 30 inches and I have a draw length of 29 inches) Well, the pro at the shop had to adjust my release a bit to get it so it would only raise up/drop down (it's a drop-away) in the final inch or two of draw. Well, now I can't get the bow to shoot consistent because for some reason the part at the end of the release string that slides along that shaft (sorry I don't know the terminology), won't slide smoothly in it's new position. It makes it almost impossible to draw and when I shoot, I can tell that it's friction is affecting my arrow speed, because they're hitting 6+ inches below where I'm aiming. (And before all this mess my sight was right on) (Also when a guy at the shop put some wax on to temporarily fix it, I was again shooting very close to where my sight picture was) I'm basically writing to ask what I can do to get that part of my bow flowing smoothly again.(wasn't a problem until this recent tweak of my set up) Now the wax that the pro put on has actually started clogging up the works! So... what can i use? Wd-40? Mineral oil? Grease? What can i do to get this bow shooting smooth again? I'm getting soooooo frustrated. Thanks, Matt
Hey Matt, could you post a picture or something? I have some ideas as to what you're talking about but not completely sure. There are a lot of guys on here that know a ton more than me so maybe one of them have it figured out.
Here are a couple of pics Here's where I'm talking about. Hopefully in the second pic u can see a little of the wax build up
Ok, I see now. Did you install this? I just put a new rest on my bow and got a new one for a bow I'm getting Friday, and they both attach to the downward string. I can see why that wouldn't be very consistent though. If that is correct, i wouldn't use wax. Wax will clump and harden. Take all the wax off, wash it down real good good, and put some graphite on it and cycle it a few times. Most of those should be teflon coated. I wouldn't use wd-40 or anything, not sure that would be very good for your strings.
where to get graphite? What does cycle it a couple times mean? Does that mean draw the bow a few times or just manually slide that piece (what the heck is it called, anyway?) along that shaft a couple of times? Sorry for being so clueless, thanks for all help (previous and future)!
for a newbie, answers just create more questions!!! I'm confused about the "don't use wd40 because it might damage your strings" I thought that part that I'm talking about doesn't come in contact with the strings. I'm talking about the straight black rod that the black piece slides back on when pull the bow and then it pulls up the drop away release when I get close to full draw. I'm going to trust the wisdom of other more experienced hunters, but could some one explain this in a little more detail for me please? Because this problem started before the wax was put on, so I'm not sure what needs to be done. I'm concerned that just cleaning the wax off will put me back to where I was when this problem began. (Started having trouble drawing and with arrow accuracy after rest was adjusted. Then took it to shop, wax was added and it shot smoothly and fairly accurately and I could draw it fine. Then I think the wax built up and it's back to hard to draw and inaccurate) So... someone who's knowledgable and patient, please help me understand what is or could be going on here and whether this should be easy to fix. P.S. If this helps, prior to my rest being adjusted, if u look at the picture, that little slider piece used to be located an inch or two to the left of where it was adjusted to.
You can buy graphite at most hobbie shops it comes in a little tube, and usually only costs 3 or 4 dollors. Yes cycle means draw,but always have an arrow on the bow just in case the string slips out of your hand. The pice on the bow that your arrow rest string is atached to is your cable guard slide, and the guard is the cable guard, and there are no stupid questions. If you dont know something then just ask, you cant get answers without asking questions. Go to this link it has all of the info you will need to understand how a compound bow works. http://www.huntersfriend.com/bowselection.htm
Oh, and you're right that the slide does not contact the strings, but the wd-40 is messy. Also, little more on the graphite, it's a powder that works as a dry lubricant. You may be able to find it at more than hobby shops though, walmart or most any tractor supply should have it, but it is cheap. Ask any question at all you want, no matter how dumb. We all had to start somewhere.
thanks, i'm just about to start the cleaning phase. I'm going to start with getting the bulk of wax off, then go to some rubbing alcohol to get it very clean. Then I was thinking of lightly sanding the rod and wiping it down again with alcohol. Then I'll check and see if it draws smoothly. If it seems like it still needs a little more love, I'll try the graphite lube. Sound like a good plan of action?
Okay, A few things here to get started. The rod is a cable guard. The sliding piece is a cable slide. What you referred to in the original post as a release is actually the rest. Yours is an NAP drop away. You've got some good advice so far. Get that wax off the cable guard and wipe it down real good with some alcohol. See if that solves it. If not check to see that your slide is smooth (no burrs). If that's all good and you still have a problem then you may want to polish the cable guard. Don't sand it with anything more abrasive than 600 grit Emory cloth and make sure you clean it again afterward. I wouldn't bother with the graphite as it's just a band-aid solution to the real problem. The slide should move freely on the cable guard without lubrication.
Have never seen the drop-a-way rest cord attached on the cable slide.. I thought they went on the down cable... This would be a more exact drop and actually quicker movement as apposed to the slow slide back.. Just my thoughts... I've been wrong before.. I have had several drop-a-way rests and all have been on the down cable..
Ok, cleaned it with alcohol, rubbed graphite grease on the cable rod and moved the slide up and down it a bunch to get it worked on. it's back to drawing more normally, but my grouping is way off. I'm going to take it back to the shop. I was shooting fairly tight groups before the "pro" tweaked my bow. I need to get back to shooting with confidence that any deviation of the arrow is my fault for a crappy shot. It sucks when you are shooting and you know that misses are a combination of user error and equipment nonsense!!!
If it was mine i would serve the draw the string into the downward moving cable. Its just a lot better set up. More consistent of a cycle.
Im not sure as I have never seen a cable slide that looked like that, but could it possibly be that the allen bolt(?) in the side of the slide is making contact ith the cable rod? It looks possible, might be worth looking at?
Can't. The control cable on that rest is actually a steel cable. I've used those rests a bit and the system is actually a pretty good one the way it is.
