Hello and 3 Newbie ?'s

[JT of PA]

Hello,

My name is JT and I live in Pennsylvania (PA). Friday night my wife game me my first crossbow an Ibex with the aluminum mainframe. (A wonderful and surprising birthday present).

I shot a crossbow my nephew won a couple weeks back and really enjoyed it, (first time shooting a crossbow). What I did not like was the cams and multiple strings. My tastes run to simpler more elegant designs and perusing the internet found the Excalibur site and the bow I wanted. Two messed up shoulders had me rethink the choice of the heavier poundage limbs. Assembled the bow this afternoon and came up with three questions.

- 1 ... The Rope Cocking Aid ... are the brass wheels suppose to spin? Mine don't and the rope just slides along them and the wheels stay fixed in place.

- 2 ... I placed the carbon fiber arrow that came with my bow in the channel of the aluminum mainframe. As the arrows moves in the channel there seems to be too much scraping. I took the arrow out, ran my finger down the channel and it is a bit rough. 1,000 grit wet/dry sandpaper okay? My nephew's crossbow has a camo film over this part of his bow and it is much smoother.

- 3... Peep sight. Is there an after-market or another Excalibur sight that gives 3 pin points with a fiber optic end? The peep sight I received only has a center, fiber optic and the top and below point is of black plastic.

I look forward to adding the S5 accessory to the bow and reading more of this forum and learning how I am suppose to wax the strings, serving, rails ... oh my!

My background is firearms and this is a new adventure and new style of tool to learn. It was odd to not be able to detail strip the new purchase and clean and lubricate the internals. Guess crossbows don't need as some upkeep as firearms.

If anyone has any information a new guy could benefit from please feel free to point me in that direction.

Best Regards,
JT of PA

[awshucks]

JT of PA:

1st off, welcome to the forum! My answer to your questions as follows;
1 I always thought the wheels should spin freely until a few weeks ago when I had Danny Miller [USA warranty rep] held captive in a truck cab [Boofest trip] lol. He says it doesn't matter.

2 Suspect it's your nock you are feeling drag, please check them carefully.

3 Wait a bit, there's a guy on here that converts them to what you are after [3 pins]. In the meanwhile, try using the top of bottom post for 30 yds w/ your pin 'on' at 20 yds.............

[Deerstalker]

"- 1 ... The Rope Cocking Aid ... are the brass wheels suppose to spin? Mine don't and the rope just slides along them and the wheels stay fixed in place."

I looked at my rope cocking aid & both brass wheels turn BUT not spin. It appears that the brass wheels are stuck hard to the shafts without a bearing and in fact the shafts turn inside the rope hook housings. I believe that you can see this by holding, (pinching), the rope tight around the brass wheel and rotating the rope hook housing and looking at the shafts.

[vixenmaster]

I say if'en Deck of rail is abit ruff use valve lappin compound or jewlers rouge. I don't knowed how fine wet/dry sand paper comes. It needs to be really smooth & no dips or waves in the arrow channel

[mr meat]

Welcome to the forum!

[georgiaboy]

Looks like the guy's answered your question's...i'll just say welcome to the forum!!

[mooboy]

Welcome!
Here are some string and serving tips I have learned, dont lube the rail. I use Daltons string wax and most on here will agree it is the best going. Normally I will wax my string when every the main part of the string gets fuzzy or its going to rain before a hunt, that could be 200 or more shots. For the serving I normally put a tiny bit of wax on it every 20-40 shots. Then turn your string over once every 40-80 shots or at the end of your practice shooting session, so you use the other side of the serving. This will give you the longest serving life possible. Also when cocking pull the string up slowly and soon as you hear the click of the trigger claw engaging stop pulling on the string, if you pull too far past that click you will get significantly more serving wear.

Do you use the string wax on the serving or get serving wax?

I was looking for serving wax at a local hunting shop and was told not to wax crossbow servings because it gets on the rail and gums stuff up.

The excalibur videos do suggest waxing the serving though. So, what's the consensus for the serving, wax or no?

[awshucks]

The excalibur videos do suggest waxing the serving though. So, what's the consensus for the serving, wax or no?

Wax lightly w/ Dalton's..........

[Ont_Excal]

Do you use the string wax on the serving or get serving wax?
The excalibur videos do suggest waxing the serving though. So, what's the consensus for the serving, wax or no?

I wax the serving with Dalton's wax every 150 to 200 shots while out on the range and wipe down the rail.
I keep everything clean when I go out hunting.

[mooboy]

Thanks guys. I will see if I can find any Dalton's wax in town.

Looks like I'm one of a few newbs to ask that very question this week! Maybe I should stop asking questions at the hunting/outdoors shops and just ask here instead - then I wouldn't have to ask twice

Deer opens here in Two Days!

[mooboy]

Dalton 2000 High Speed Bow Wax or the Dalton Dual Purpose Crossbow wax?

[Ont_Excal]

My Dalton's label says.......High Speed Bow Wax Conditioner. Don't see anything with 2000 on it. The website shows three types but I don't see much difference between the first two.
Dalton's website shows the crossbow wax as new.
Having used his product, I would say that they are all of good quality.

http://www.daltonarchery.com/cross-bow-wax.php