How To Store Your Compound Bow-|Easy Guide|
redzwan12Introduction-Store Your Compound Bow
Once you have a hobby, you make sure that you have the right things and you take care of them well. For archery, knowing how to store compound bows properly is an investment worth taking. These bows don’t come cheap and require dedication when it comes to storage. This article will explains about how to store your compound bow. It should be noted here that it is very important to store your compound bow the right ways to prevent damages and also injured your body and hands.
Listed below are the 8 tips you can follow to make sure your bow is in top shape before you store and use it next time.
To Hang or To Store Away?
The first question you need to ask yourself is how long will you be storing your bow. Will it just be for a month or for an entire season? Another question you might want to ask is whether or not you have an appropriate location where you can store your bow. These questions are essential when you’re deciding on the method you’re going to use for storage.
If you want to hang it, then it’s best to hang the compound bow on its riser. This doesn’t compromise any part of the hardware and is a sturdy part of it. You can choose between guitar hangers or bike hooks for your bow. However, if it’s going to be stored for a long time, then the next tip will give you an idea of what case to choose.
Choose The Best Case
Before anything else, you should ensure that you have the best case for your bow. With bows being one of your prized possessions, finding the right protection is necessary for good storage. You also want to make sure that the case will be suitable for your activities; if you’re always on-the-go, then you should have a case that should be comfortable and durable to bring everywhere.
It should also have enough storage for your arrows, as well. The exterior should be strong and hard-wearing material to ensure the case lasts long enough and won’t break down along the way. Another important characteristic the case must have is that it’s able to withstand falls and hits. Just like the bow, a good case is important, as well.
Have The Essentials
After finding the right case, you should have the essentials for storage. These essentials are the locks and bow string wax. Let’s start with the locks. Locks keep you safe, especially against shooting it without an arrow or dry-firing. This lock will prevent somebody from having an injury caused by a bow that exploded due to frequent dry-firing.
Another essential you should have is a bow string wax that will really strengthen your string, prolong its life, and prevents it from absorbing water. Choose a wax that’s not scented so that you stay undetected when you go hunting, after all animals have a strong sense of smell.
Inspection Before Waxing
Just before you get into waxing, you have to first inspect your bow for any damages. Leaving it damaged and untouched for a long time can be devastating for you and your bow; that’s why an inspection should be a priority. For the most part, this involves the hardware of your bow. Starting off with the limbs; most limbs of compound bows are laminated. Check for any division or layers, you can also use a cotton ball for this.
For its frame, look for possible cracks or twists. The screws and the bolts should be tight and the bow sight, rest, and quiver should be mounted properly. If you find any damage, you should take it to a professional and have it checked.
Correct Waxing
Before your bow goes into its home for a long while, it should have been waxed properly. Waxing is an important step before storage because it maintains the quality of your string. Contrary to popular belief, you shouldn’t use other materials, like leather, to put wax on your bow other than your hands. Your hands will provide just enough heat to push in the product into the string without damaging it.
Over-waxing is also a thing; so before you put on a new layer of wax, remove the older layer. You know a string is properly waxed when it feels sticky but leaves no reside.
Lubricating your Cams
After you’ve thoroughly waxed the string of your bow, you should let it sit for a bit. The next thing you need to do is to lubricate the axles with oil. Now, you might think it’s ready to be stored but a good tip would be to shoot it before storing.
This is one of the best ways to work the wax into the strings and the oil into the axles. If you can’t shoot your bow, you can also just pull back the idler cam a bunch of times to really let the product seep in and be absorbed by the bow.
Store In The Right Location
These bows need to be stored in a place where they won’t accidentally be dropped or wet. Even if you waxed the strings or placed it a sturdy case, these bows can still be quite vulnerable. It’s also important to note that bows should not be exposed to extreme heat and cold. Storing it in a place where it’s not so moist is also a good option.
These extreme temperature conditions can seriously damage strings and compromise the entire bow. All in all, the bow must stored in a place where temperature is just right and won’t go to extremes.
Long-Term Storage
In comparison to an off-season storage for your bow, leaving it untouched for years on end must have a different kind of maintenance. The strings must be unstrung by a professional, or if you can do that yourself, that would do.
When the strings are unstrung, you have to tightly wrap it and make sure it doesn’t get too moist. Drastic temperature changes can damage strings, as mentioned earlier. Every now and then, you should also check up on the bow as well to ensure that no rust has formed on it. Don’t store your bow inside silicon gel packets because they only introduce moisture and make your bow rust.
Conclusion
These tips guide you on the things you need to do before and during the storage of your bow. The most important thing is that you know just how long you’re going to store your compound bow, so that you can make sure that it’s stored appropriately. Following these tips assures you that your bow will be in good shape.
