Bow Walker
07-01-2011, 09:46 AM
1. The archer's basic tool kit and what it should contain. Every archer (target or hunter) should have a few basic tools on hand at all times. The tool kit could save your day of shooting or hunting. Here is what it should contain - at a minimum;
A set of quality Allen Keys. Adjusting/tightening all the various Allen screws - sight, quiver, limb bolts, arrow rest, and any others.
A tube of string wax. A dab into the screw heads keeps them from becoming rusty, a dab on the screw threads secures them from vibrating loose.
Spare parts. Arrow nocks, inserts, a few vanes, a tube of glue, tips, d-loop string, rubber peep tubing, extra release, a length or two of fiber optic thread, some serving thread, and a lighter.
2. Getting arrow tips to stay tight on the shaft and not rattle during flight. Arrow tips will sometimes come loose due to the torque imparted on them when they strike the target. Loose tips can have a negative affect on accuracy, and you don't want to glue them in permanently so try the following;
Apply some string wax to the threads of the tip and screw in securely, the tip will not be prone to backing out of the insert - yet will not be locked onto the arrow shaft permanently.
3. Getting wrinkled plastic fletching or vanes on an arrow back to being straight and even. Sometimes one vane (or all of them) will get wrinkled and misshapen through usage - passing through a target or being slapped by other arrows striking alongside of it. You don't have to re-fletch, just do the following;
Carefully apply heat to the vane using a lighter or a hair dryer. Run the heat up and down the vane without staying in one place too long or you will burn the vane. The heat will restore the memory of the vane and straighten it up very quickly. The hair dryer method will take longer, but is safer to use.
4. Adjusting bow poundage either up or down. If you want to increase or decrease your bow's poundage, without having to take it in to the pro-shop, you will need a set of Allen Keys - which is something that every archer should have in his/her basic tool kit anyway. Adjust the poundage by doing the following;
Insert the proper sized Allen key (wrench) into the limb bolt. Make sure that it is properly seated (to prevent stripping the hole). Take note of where the wrench is in relation to the bow limb. That is, is the wrench at 3 o'clock, 9 o'clock, or wherever? This is your mark.
Turn the Allen wrench in the desired direction (in or out) one full turn. Do the same on the opposite limb.
Now you have adjusted your bow's draw weight by approximately 3 to 5 pounds - either upwards or downwards, depending on whether you screwed the limb bolt in or out.
DO NOT BACK THE LIMB BOLT OUT SO FAR THAT ONLY A FEW THREADS ARE GRIPPING. The vibration of shooting your bow can (and likely will) make the threads come lose and you will end up with a catastrophic failure - your bow will literally blow up in your hands.
LEAVE AT LEAST 4 TURNS OF THE LIMB BOLT INSIDE THE NUT.
5. What do you do if you have to replace your D-loop in the field and you're alone - worse yet, you don't know (or can't recall) how to tie the knot? Is your day ruined? No. Print this picture off and carry it in your gear. The knots are over-sized to make it easy to see how they are tied.
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/d-loopcolage1.jpg (http://javascript<b></b>:;)
A set of quality Allen Keys. Adjusting/tightening all the various Allen screws - sight, quiver, limb bolts, arrow rest, and any others.
A tube of string wax. A dab into the screw heads keeps them from becoming rusty, a dab on the screw threads secures them from vibrating loose.
Spare parts. Arrow nocks, inserts, a few vanes, a tube of glue, tips, d-loop string, rubber peep tubing, extra release, a length or two of fiber optic thread, some serving thread, and a lighter.
2. Getting arrow tips to stay tight on the shaft and not rattle during flight. Arrow tips will sometimes come loose due to the torque imparted on them when they strike the target. Loose tips can have a negative affect on accuracy, and you don't want to glue them in permanently so try the following;
Apply some string wax to the threads of the tip and screw in securely, the tip will not be prone to backing out of the insert - yet will not be locked onto the arrow shaft permanently.
3. Getting wrinkled plastic fletching or vanes on an arrow back to being straight and even. Sometimes one vane (or all of them) will get wrinkled and misshapen through usage - passing through a target or being slapped by other arrows striking alongside of it. You don't have to re-fletch, just do the following;
Carefully apply heat to the vane using a lighter or a hair dryer. Run the heat up and down the vane without staying in one place too long or you will burn the vane. The heat will restore the memory of the vane and straighten it up very quickly. The hair dryer method will take longer, but is safer to use.
4. Adjusting bow poundage either up or down. If you want to increase or decrease your bow's poundage, without having to take it in to the pro-shop, you will need a set of Allen Keys - which is something that every archer should have in his/her basic tool kit anyway. Adjust the poundage by doing the following;
Insert the proper sized Allen key (wrench) into the limb bolt. Make sure that it is properly seated (to prevent stripping the hole). Take note of where the wrench is in relation to the bow limb. That is, is the wrench at 3 o'clock, 9 o'clock, or wherever? This is your mark.
Turn the Allen wrench in the desired direction (in or out) one full turn. Do the same on the opposite limb.
Now you have adjusted your bow's draw weight by approximately 3 to 5 pounds - either upwards or downwards, depending on whether you screwed the limb bolt in or out.
DO NOT BACK THE LIMB BOLT OUT SO FAR THAT ONLY A FEW THREADS ARE GRIPPING. The vibration of shooting your bow can (and likely will) make the threads come lose and you will end up with a catastrophic failure - your bow will literally blow up in your hands.
LEAVE AT LEAST 4 TURNS OF THE LIMB BOLT INSIDE THE NUT.
5. What do you do if you have to replace your D-loop in the field and you're alone - worse yet, you don't know (or can't recall) how to tie the knot? Is your day ruined? No. Print this picture off and carry it in your gear. The knots are over-sized to make it easy to see how they are tied.
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/d-loopcolage1.jpg (http://javascript<b></b>:;)