How-To: Crossbow String Maintenance

The friction and high draw weights of modern hunting crossbows place a lot of stress on the bow’s string and cables. This requires you to pay close attention to wear and tear, as well as follow a simple, yet important, system of string maintenance to ensure both safety and consistent accuracy.

First and foremost, before every shooting session or trip to the woods, take a moment to check that the strings and cables are free of debris, and remove anything that shouldn’t be there. Little chunks of debris, mud, and whatnot can cause unwelcome wear. You should also periodically clean the string. If you’ve used lower-quality string wax in the past, residue build-up can occur, and should be removed before a new application of a premium wax. Use a clean, dry cloth to wipe the string down, but don’t use cleaning solvents, as these can damage the string fibers.

Photo courtesy of Bob Robb.

While checking for debris, inspect the serving – which protects your strings and cables where they contact the bow’s cams and rail — and cables for signs of excess wear and tear. If the serving shows any signs of unwrapping, it’s very important to take it to your local bow shop immediately and have it re-served before shooting. If this inspection shows fraying or other issues with the strings and cables themselves, you may need to replace the entire string.

As you shoot your crossbow over time, normal wear and tear on the string is inevitable. There may be some minor fraying, which is no reason to panic. To help mitigate this problem, you should periodically wax the string with a light application of premium-quality string wax to the strings and cables of your bow. Always use a high-quality bowstring wax specifically designed for crossbow strings. Just gently work the wax into the exposed part of the string with your fingers, taking care not to overdo it. Excess wax attracts dirt and debris, so when done, wipe the excess wax off with a clean microfiber towel.

Lubricating the flight rail is essential to both increase a string’s lifespan and enhance the performance of the bow by reducing the high degree of friction that will cause center serving wear. There are any number of inexpensive rail lubricants on the market designed specifically for this purpose. Every manufacturer has different guidelines as to how often you should lube the rail. If it looks dull and dry, it’s a good idea to lubricate it. Remember when you lube the rail, more is not necessarily better. There should be a little bit of a sheen on the rail but the lubricant should not be piled on. Using just enough to make the top of the rail look glossy is the right amount. A good general guideline would be to lube up every 50-60 shots, but I personally grease my rails every dozen shots or so.

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