A Couple Techie Questions

[nchunterkw]

1) Marks on my arrows - I fletched some Horton Carbon arrows with the 3" Quickspin Quickfletches the other day. They shoot great - durability is a bit questionable though, but when I was done I noticed a rust colored film on the left side of the rail on my Vortex. Figured out is was from the wraps on the fletchings, and was able to scrap it off. Then I noticed that all the arrows I'm shooting have a mark where it rides on the left edge of the rail. It seems to only be on that side and only on the last inch or so of the shaft. It looks like it rubbed through the wrap on one arrow after only 5 shots or so. Any ideas what is going on? At first I thought the moon nocks might be causing it, but my Firebolts with flat nocks have the mark too.

2) String care - what should I be doing? I have Excal serving wax that I use on the serving every 50 shots or so - after I shoot, but what should I be putting on the string? I have some Bihning string wax I used on my other crossbows, but wasn't sure what to use on the Excal.

[gerald strine]

It is one limb is a little more powerful than the other or the brace height is not even on both sides.
I think all Excaliburs do this to some extent my Equinox wears the bolts on one side a bit also but shoots great groups .
A fletching jig may be a better option than wraps.

[masboy]

could be your not keeping the string centered when cocking the bow .I use the daltons wax on everything .

[gerald strine]

Excalibur wax is good for the whole string.
I like Daltons wax better soaks in real well no scent and slippery it is also good for the whole string.

[nchunterkw]

Gerald,
I saw a post somehwere on here about "tiller" and figured this is what is was. And my thinking is a little more FOC will help it a bit since it's showing up on the back part of the arrow?? FOC on the arrows I am shooting now is probably only 8-12%

Masboy,
Using the cocking aid every time. Is there something I can do to pull the string more evenly than that? I put the stock to my right side when I cock it, and am right handed.

How about flipping the string?

[Ont_Excal]

How about flipping the limbs?
To see if it is the limbs, switch them out left for right.
Then test fire and view the result.

[masboy]

when I,m trying too poke holes at the range I always make sure I get the rope cocker started nice an even like the brace height marks and keep the hooks pushed tight against the rail as I pull up all the way. if I don,t I will shoot too one side a lot. one arm always seems too pull a little more so I try too bring it up nice and even. works for me

[vixenmaster]

Yer arrow retention spring maybe pushing down abit cause the wear mark. I don't use wraps & my arrows get wear grooves worn into them.

[Ont_Excal]

I don't worry about marks, but do like to see marks on both sides of the rail.
Shooting will always wear on something and I can live with it as long as it's only cosmetic and does not affect accuracy.

[Ont_Excal]

I don't worry about marks, but do like to see marks on both sides of the rail.
Shooting will always wear on something and I can live with it as long as it's only cosmetic and does not affect accuracy.

I was worried about shaft integrity. We all know how glass is cut, will etching carbon arrows be affected the same way? I rotate my fletches also so any wear will be even.
Hank

That I don't know. I guess it all depends on how much clear finish is protecting the carbon fibers.

[Dash]

Its normal to have marks after quite a few shots. But if you cut through a wrap with 5 shots, I'd also check the rail channel for any nicks if you see no other problems. Thats not normal wear.
I had very small nick on the inside edge rail channel when I got the Ibex, and it marked the arrows straight away. It must have been hit in transit. I sanded it carefully away and had no probs since.

[Ont_Excal]

This thread is growing quite nicely.
I doubt flipping ths tring would do anything.
I use a cocking rope and when I first got the bow I marked the edge of the rail on the serving so I could tell if I cocked it with proper alignment.
By the time those marks wore off I felt confident in my ability to keep things lined up.

Did you rotate your shafts shooting position on the rail or do you have a cock vane that is always down?

Is the fletch helical or offset too much and contacts the rail causing the wear?
I agree, after only 5 shots should not be so much wear.

[nchunterkw]

I have a bunch of Horton bolts I am trying to use up. Tey have moon nocks and a cock vane. Maybe I should just dump them. I am going to be shooting today so I will look at the spring, and check out the rail. I have some arrows I've not shot so I should be able to use those to check for wear.

[Ont_Excal]

I have a bunch of Horton bolts I am trying to use up. Tey have moon nocks and a cock vane. Maybe I should just dump them. I am going to be shooting today so I will look at the spring, and check out the rail. I have some arrows I've not shot so I should be able to use those to check for wear.

Do not dump the shafts.
Remove the nock and replace with flat nocks.

A simpler solution is to file or sand the moon off and create a flat spot.
Then you can rotate the arrow.

[nchunterkw]

Update after a long day of shooting.
Checked out the rail for obvious nicks - nothing
Checked the spring and it looked ok as well
marked the string R and L of the rail
Cocked the bow "righty" and "lefty" saw maybe a slight difference in where the marks ended up but it was hard to tell.
Picked 2 arrows with no marks on them to shoot. - These have moon nocks
Cocked the bow "righty", shot 1 arrow - saw the mark. It starts about 3/8 " to 1/4" from the back end of the arrow. More arrow than that extends behind the start of the rail.
Cocked the bow "lefty" - shot other arrow - saw the same mark.
Took the scope mount and retainign spring off and sanded the starting edge of the left rail a bit. Re-assembled - shot another arrow with flat nock- mark still there.
Repeated above - reassembled - mark still there but starts a bit further back on the arrow.
Accuracy is not a problem.
Did some more shooting - running an experiment checking penetration of different weight arrows into ballistics gel. Part of that included about 20 shots with an Al Easton 2219 arrow that had no marks to start with. Accuracy great - velocity very consistent - but at the end of the day it had the small mark on the left side as well. But because it was Al I could also see an even smaller mark on the right as well. Not as distinct but still there.

My overall conclusion is that it has to be something at the very start of the rail. It is virtually impossible to get to that without taking off the trigger mechanism and I don't want to do that. That and there seems to be a little left-ward pressure at the start of the stroke. My short term fix for the Quickfletches is to just trim the wrap at the back of the arrow. I'll try to post a pic tomorrow and maybe see what Excal says..