Rest
Mathews recommends measuring off the side
of the riser at the rest attachment hole to the center of the arrow shaft 13/16
of an inch. Adjust the rest as needed
for proper arrow flight. A center-shot
tool is not needed. Arrow tip may point
slightly left of string when set up properly on a right hand bow.
Center
shot is dictated by shooters form and arrow spine, if bow is at it proper
specs. You will however want to check
the idler wheel for lean when bow is at full draw. If it is leaning you need to put a few twists
in the yoke of the cable on the opposite side that it is leaning towards, this
will get it to stand straight up and down. Remember that this is checked at
full draw. If your idler wheel has a lean this will indicate an
incorrect center shot and also produce a corkscrew effect to your arrow while
in flight. Also keep in mind that it is
not always possible for any given
shooter to get a bullet hole due to their form.
Be concerned with tight groups; don’t let the paper tuning be the only
determining factor. You will also find
on a few occasions you will need to do the complete opposite of what a tune chart will tell you. In other
words, go with a lighter spine rather than a going heavier.
When an arrow flexes as it leaves the bow
the flex is mostly in the vertical plain.
This makes the tip of the arrow point downward and is then below the
plane through the rest and nock. The
arrow flexes up between the rest and the nock end. With the mass of the point below the
horizontal plane through the rest and the nock as it recovers, the arrow will
tend to displace itself lower than where it started out because the heavier
part of the arrow (the point) has more influence on the center of balance than
the rest on the arrow. The small
differences in spine and point weight will result in differences in recovered
height. An arrow with a point right at
the source of support (the rest) when it flexes, stays closer to the horizontal
plane (line between rest and nock) because that heavy point doesn't dive down
below the plane as if flexes.
In selecting arrows from the
Easton selection chart
use the hard cam column.
Most hunters cut their
arrows to protrude 1 inch beyond the rest support.
To test for vane clearance
over you rest, put lipstick on the rest and look for marks on the vanes. Lipstick on the top edge of a vane will give a good
indication of any surface contact...it will be very evident as to what the vane
is kissing. If you use a lipstick brush
instead of taking it straight off the tube, you have more control over where it
goes and there is less waste. Also,
lipstick is odourless, unlike other powder sprays like deodorant.
Release
Wearing a wrist sweatband
under a release prevents slipping.
Use graphite to lube your
release.
Hold the release behind the
trigger when drawing the bow to prevent accidental triggering.
Bow Specs, Cams Strings Timing
For
the Outback bow the priorities in getting it to spec are:
1)
Make sure Axle to Axle is at 31 1/2
2) Make sure cam is in proper rotation
3) Brace height will fall out but should be between
7 3/8 and 7 5/8
For
other Mathews bows, brace height and cam rotation are the setup priorities, the
ATA will fall into place on its own. The
only model I prefer to have you chase ATA is the Outback.
One
full turn on a limb bolt will change draw weight two to three pounds. Be sure to never exceed more than five full
turns out on each limb bolt from max poundage when shooting the bow. When pressing the bow, Mathews recommends
turning the limb bolts out 7 turns.
Loosen the setscrews when adjusting limbs.
Cam Timing
Line
the two holes up on the cam with a straight edge. You want the two holes to run
parallel with the bowstring when bow is at max poundage in the relaxed
position. If your straight edge points towards your riser, put twists in cable
at cam end. If your straight edge points towards your string or gets closer to
your string you twist both ends of string equal amount of turns. If you do not
twist string evenly (both ends of string), the top half will fight the bottom
half of string and peep will constantly want to rotate.
An
easy way to check is to use a piece of long string. Tie a few knots on one end (or tie it to a
small lock washer) so it won't pull thru the cam hole. Then thread it through the outermost hole and
up through the bottom limb slot. Just hold the string up by the idler wheel
limb and move as needed until the string is centered on the middle of the
second hole on the cam. Measure the
distance between this string and the bowstring at the idler and cam and twist
cable and bowstring as needed until the distances are equal.
Anytime
you twist string and cable you will have altered nock point and peep height and
will have to retune.
For
every twist you put in the cable you need to put 2 twists in the string to keep
the cam in the same position. [one each end ?]
In
place of the factory rubber stop at the local hardware try using 1/2 X .194 x
1/2 Nylon spacers with the right size hole in them to fit the screw. You can also sand one side flat and get the
draw length just right for yourself.
Also plastic shrink-wrap tubing for Radio shack, or plastic tubing from
the hardware store also works well.
Bow
is not in press under pressure when checking cam rotation. Bow should be at max poundage in the relaxed
position (limb bolts turned all the way in), out of press. If you need to make an adjustment you then
back poundage (7 turns) off, put in press make string or cable adjustment take
bow out of press turn limb bolts back to max poundage and check rotation
Mathews recommends the Apple
double pull press and the
Sureloc press. (Apple Super Pro or the
Sureloc X-Press).
As
viewed from left side of bow, twisting string only rotates cam
counter-clockwise. Twisting cable only
rotates cam clockwise. To raise brace
height and keep cam timing the same, twist top and bottom half of string equal
number of times and put approximately the same number of twists in cable. If the split part of cable starts to twist
upon itself, twist each split half of cable in the opposite direction.
Correct
Cam rotation and brace height assures draw length is correct for cam and bow will hit max poundage.
To
check your idler wheel alignment (lean) hold the bow with the string facing you
and the idler wheel up. Take an arrow
and hold it along one side of the idler wheel and see how it lines up with the
string. If it angles out from the string
then you need to add twists to one side of the yoke or the other. Also check it at full draw. To confirm this test gently apply pressure to
one of the yoke cables to see if the arrow lines up. Then press the bow add the appropriate number
of twists to your one side of your yoke. Typically it should not take more than
4-8 twists to get everything perfect.
Always
check the idler wheel for lean on all Mathews bows when bow is at full draw,
not at rest If you have a slight lean,
put a few twists in yoke of cable opposite side it leans towards to get it to
stand up straight at full draw.
The
reason the idler wheel alignment is checked at full draw is to have you look at
whether it is either the yoke system that needs to be adjusted, or whether you
are torquing the bow. It maybe a yoke
system that needs adjusting or it could be a form issue.
Brace Height
Brace
height is measured from center of burger button hole to the inside of the
string with suppressors on, as the bow would be shot.
Brace
height can also be measured from the deepest part of the grip to the inside of
the string, but this assumes the factory grip has not been changed.
Brace
height determines the amount of preload on the limbs before being drawn and
therefore determines peak draw weight. Cam
rotation is also very important when it comes to poundage, tuning aspects,
noise and vibration.
Brace
height below spec will result in lower draw weight. If the cam is under rotated it will also
result in a loss of draw weight.
If
the top suppressor is being bent back check the ATA and brace height of the
bow. If the ATA is longer than spec. or
the brace height is below spec. the string will be pushed into the suppressor
harder and it will cause early wear.
Rubber string dampers – C
for Cam end and I for Idler end.
Arrow Speed
For
every 3 grains of weight you add to the string you will lose 1 FPS. For every 3
grains of weight you add to your arrow, you will lose 1 FPS. For every 5 pounds
of draw weight that you go down you will lose 9 FPS. For every inch of draw
length you go down, you will lose 10 FPS.
Roller Guard
If
your string moves forward from the roller after the shot this is because your
bow is not at correct brace height. When
your brace height is under spec, the string and cable do not have proper
tension backwards to keep them on the roller.
This is adjusted by twisting string and cable to get it corrected.
If
you are using a non-factory string and cable which have thicker servings, you
will also see wear here as there is not enough distance between rollers and
guard.
ATA
If
you want maximum speed and performance, set brace height to spec, with the cam
correctly timed and limb bolts bottomed/tightened down. ATA is less important, except on the Outback.
Draw Force
Since
both the Outback and the LX reach peak draw weight at about 18" AMO draw
length and the LX has a 1"
shorter brace height the slope of the front side of the DFC of the Outback is very slightly greater by a fraction of a pound
per inch draw. This is verified by DFC comparisons and should be hardly
perceptible from one bow to the other. Since
both bows have basically the same SE/PDF they also tend to have the same rate of let-off on the back
side of the DFC if both bows have the same
rated let-off. However, if you happen to
be comparing an 80% to a 65% let-off bow
there is a difference in the slope of the
backside of the DFC in that the 80% let-off cam comes down a little quicker. Naturally the DFC is different with different draw lengths
and peak draw weights. But with the same peak draw weight the slopes
of the front side and backside of the DFC are
pretty constant as draw length varies.
Draw Length
AMO draw length is true draw
length plus 13/4". It is an
industry standard back from the no broad head clearance riser days.
A way to estimate draw length
is based on your wingspan (arm spread).
This is measured by standing with your shoulder blades against a long
wall. Keeping your shoulders relaxed and
down (do NOT hunch up) raise your arms to a "T" formation making sure
both arms are extended and level to shoulder height. Have someone mark the wall
at the tips of the middle fingers. Measure this distance to the nearest 1/8
inch. The following table give you an
estimate of your draw length:
69"=27"
70"=27
½
71"=28
72"=28
½
73"=
29
For
every inch of wingspan over or under 71" add or subtract 1/2 inch from
28"of AMO draw length. This
estimate is based on an average finger length and assumes you are built
proportionally. . If your fingers are extra short or long, add or subtract ½”
from wingspan accordingly. If you have broad
shoulders you must also reduce the estimate.
This estimate also assumes
the use of proper form: That is to say,
both shoulders are down and relaxed, head is erect, chin is level, bow arm is
relaxed & unlocked. Also, no leaning back at the waist, no tucking the head
back to reach the string, tip of drawing elbow even with or very slightly above
the plane of the arrow, and the drawing elbow in line with the arrow when at
full draw when viewed from behind.
String and Cable
The string
affects axle-to-axle length and the cable affects brace height.
The
more weight you add to the string through accessories the more string
oscillation you will create therefore the more noise and vibration you will
have.
All
servings are 62 braid with end servings being .018 and center servings being
.024.
String
and cable need to be set to exact length before twisting blindly to rotate the
cam. When you get a factory string and cable for a bow, you
always need to put a certain amount of twists in it to get the bow to
spec. You cannot just take them out of
box and install and expect it to fall into place. The cable controls max poundage. The tiller is set
by maxing out both limbs and backing off equally, not measuring.
You
measure a string under 100 lbs pressure from the furthest points outside to
outside. Keep in mind that without the
proper pressure your string will be ½” short and the cable will be ¼” short.
When
the string lengthens under pressure it is called structural elongation. When pressure is applied, each strand in the
string tends to move toward a center point.
This creates a smaller diameter of the entire string, thus making it
lengthen. However, when you take away
the pressure, the strands move outward, away from the center point again. This overall process is called stretch. Stretch will always return to its original
shape and length. Creep, on the other hand, is the result of stretch
becoming permanent. When a string
creeps, it lengthens indefinitely and needs to be twisted to attain a previous
length. Creep is often mistaken for stretch and vice versa.
The
yoke on new cables are un-served and thus must be twisted when put on the bow.
For a right-handed bow you twist the right yoke 12 times and the left yoke 9
times.
Cables
are measured without the separate twists in each side of the yoke. Each side is twisted the same during measurement. However, twisting them differently only
adjusts the idler wheel lean. All
twists put in a cable yoke are clockwise in direction.
You
would have to put about 45-50 twists in your string and about 10-15 twists in
your cable. Two twists per inch the best way to figure out how many twists is
needed.
It is
normal for non-factory strings and cables (e.g. Winners Choice) to have thicker
serving diameters that change the radius of the cam and idler, resulting in a
change in let-off, draw-length and a poundage loss.
Except
for the Mathews LX, Conquest, and Black Max, all Mathews’ bows now come with
1425x standard. 1425x provides
exceptional speed with low stretch. Most black and
white Zebra strings are still made of our former Zebra material, 8125. The reason for this is that many people still
like the bright lustre of the 8125 white.
8125 has high-speed qualities but offers more stretch than 1425x. 452x is available
only on request. Made with Vectran, 452x
offers very low stretch qualities but compromises speed by 3-5 fps. To determine what
material you have on your bow, bows with nocks are fitted with shrink tubing
over the nocks. The shrink tubing will
say either Zebra or Tiger. If your
bowstring is not fitted with nocks, then you will have to judge by the age of
your bow. Again, standard material on
all new bows is 1425x, starting with the 2004 models. LX has 8125 and Conquest bows typically have
Tiger. There is more information at www.zebrastrings.com.
The
LX has a 22 strand Zebra while all others are 18 strands for the Zebra and 22
for the Tiger with 24 on cable.
Zebra
strings (starting from the beginning of 2004) are made of 18‑strand 1425x
material. Prior to 2004, the Zebra
strings were made of 18‑strand 8125 material, except for the strings on
the LX and Black Max which had 22‑strand 8125 material. Because the new 1425x material is larger in
diameter, these strings are all made in 18 strands. You can order replacement strings for the LX
in 18-strand 1425x material.
The
1425x is a material that falls right in between 8125 and 452x. The advantage of 1425x is less stretch
without losing speed.
Tiger
strings are made of 22-strand 452x material that has very low creep, but is
about 4fps slower than 1425x.
For overall performance,
Mathews recommends 1425x.
Unfortunately,
there is no way for you to determine if your string is Tiger or Zebra just by
looking at it unless it has a speed nock with the name on it, or if you count
the strands. For the LX the string is
brown and white; if the white is a bright white then it is a Zebra, if it looks
ivory then it is a Tiger string. For the
legacy, you should count the strands; 22 strands for Tiger and 18 strands for a
Zebra.
Speed
nocks in the right place may increase bow speed and you have to experiment a
little to find the right spot. They are
brass nocks with shrink tubing over them.
Some
models of Mathews bow have speed nocks on the string, others don’t. This is because Mathews makes strings to
maximize each cam's potential performance.
Since cams perform differently and have different specs’ not every cam
will be faster with a speed nock. For
the HP cam, Mathews found that it performed more efficiently without nocks than
with them. On the other hand, some cams perform better with speed nocks like on
the MQ-1. It all just depends on the
cam.
Shrink
tubing over the speed nock not only provides good aesthetics to the string, it
also protects the nock from possible flying off the string.
Signs
of string creep is a nock point higher than you started with and your bow will
impact low, your draw length will increase, your max poundage will increase.
Signs
of cable creep is a decrease in poundage.
Other points mentioned above aren't as prevalent due to the cable being
much shorter in overall length.
The
string will creep more than the cable because it is longer.
Twist
the string an equal amount of turns on both ends to shorten and keep
balanced. Do this until your string
measurement is to spec. Twist the single
loop end of the cable until the measurement is in spec. When done and mounted max out your limbs to
see what max poundage is. If it's not
quite up to the stated max you can add a few twists and poundage will build up
quickly.
One
side of the yoke usually has a little more twist than the other because the
idler leans and you have to twist one side of the yoke more than the other to
straighten it out. To check draw bow and
look up at the idler at full draw the string should track straight off the
idler if it is running off to one side or the other you'll have to put more
twist in the opposite side that it is running to.
Draw
the bow back and hold at full draw, look up at the idler wheel and make sure
that it is visually standing straight up and down in relation to the end of the
limb. If it is leaning slightly, put a
couple of twists in the yoke of the cable opposite side it is leaning towards
to get it to stand straight up and down.
Tiller
You
don’t measure tiller on a one-cam bow.
The limbs are either max down or backed out equal turns with nothing to
measure
Grips
Mathews
uses 3-M weather-strip adhesive and it can be taken off if you want with a
little heat from a hair dryer. Heat the
grip area of the riser, and then wiggle back and forth. It's best to heat the riser; wood is an
insulator.
Quivers
Distance from center of bolt
to top of quiver:
2 Piece 4 ½ “
2 Piece raised 6 ½ “
1 Piece det. 7 ½ “
Maintenance and Lubrication
String
Zebra recommends applying
wax to your string frequently with any silicone based string wax or other
synthetic based wax. Doing so will help
protect against abrasion, help to bundle the strands and extend the life of your
bowstring. You should always check your string before you shoot and if you
notice any broken strands it should be replaced immediately.
Zebra
string recommends using any silicone-based wax like BCY's ML6 and Dalton wax conditioner.
To add your string loop,
start with a 4 1/2" piece of 1/8th-inch diamond braided nylon cord. Fray
the ends slightly, then melt the fibres just enough to get a nice mushroom, as
this will keep the knots from slipping.
Tie the loop on as shown in fig.1.
Once you get it fairly tight, check to see if an adjustment needs to be
made to your starting length. After you
get it on your bowstring, make sure you cinch it down tightly by running a
screwdriver into the loop and pulling with enough force to seat the knots. You can use the loop without the brass crimps
– the loop will stay in place, and it makes it easier to adjust your nocking
point up and down by twisting the loop around the serving – move up and down
like a nut on a bolt.
Peep Installation
Draw your bow and have
someone help you mark the string in alignment with your eye. You may try tying an elastic band on your
string, and drawing the bow to get an idea of where your peep should go. Just move the elastic up and down till it
looks about right. Then you will have a
good idea where to start your peep
Any peep sight you decide to
use should be installed so that an equal number of strands is on each side. If
not, it will set to one side and may not ever roll around to your eye
consistently.
Tie the peep in with serving material or
dental floss above and below the peep. Slide the knots to within an inch of the
peep. When the peep isn’t rolling to your eye just slide the knots away from
the peep and move one or more strands of the bowstring from one side of the
peep to the other. Keeping the same number of strands on each side, continue
adjusting until the peep rolls correctly to your eye. Don’t forget to slide the
knots back to within and inch of the peep when you finish adjusting. And don’t shoot your bow without tying in the
peep or you risk having the peep jump out into your eye.
Waxing the serving area of
the string that wraps around the cams will attract and collect dirt and grit,
which will prematurely wear your serving out and cause problems in those
areas. The serving in those areas is
what protects the string, so waxing there is not necessary. Just wax the exposed string areas to keep the
strings fibres from separating and fraying.
To
apply the wax, rub it on the string and use either your fingers or a piece of
leather to rub the wax into the string and heat it up. Be careful not to overheat. Then take a piece of string and wrap it
around the bowstring and pull it down the string to remove any excess wax.
With
the black lightning wax, you use a little peace of paper, to rub it in. If you use your fingers (at first) they will
just take most of it off, where as the paper pushes it down into the fibres.
Nock Point Installation
As a general rule, the nock
point should be set perpendicular (90°) to your arrow
rest or somewhere within ½” above the 90° point. This guideline is a starting point – you may
need to move your nocking point as you fine tune.
Nock Removal
To
remove a broken knock, heat a small wood screw and quickly screw it into the
nock. You don't need to screw it in very
far. By essentially melting your way
into the nock you avoid expanding the nock and putting stress on the nock
insert or the shaft. Let the screw/nock
cool and you can pull easily the nock out.
Bow
Put
dry graphite between the limb and pocket insert contact points and under the
limb bolt head. The graphite burnishes into
the pores of the plastic and paint and stays put. Also molybdenum-disulfide dry powder like
molylube works even better.
Dry
lubricants are preferable because they do not attract and hold dust, dirt and
grit.
To
prevent the string sticking to the suppressors, put Scent-Away powder on them
and they will not make any noise.
If
the QCC bushing click, put dry graphite lube behind them and they will be
absolutely quiet. You may need to remove
the QCC’s and sand them flat.
The
cable guide bearings are sealed and self-lubricating, no need to do anything
with them.
Seven
full turns is what Mathews suggest before pressing, but do not shoot with them
in that setting. Backing poundage off is
most crucial with the bows that have the shorter limbs. Always be sure use a
dual roller, double pull press when pressing your Mathews bow. Do not use center pull presses.
Position
the arms as close to the limb tips without touching the cam and idler. Bottom rollers should be positioned just below V cut in
limb with top rollers coming down on end of riser.
When
pressing the LX put the rollers just inside of the dampers on the riser (not
towards limb cup).
The
brass bushings in the riser are threaded and can be removed, if there is part
of a bolt from the stabilizer in the brass bushing just have a shop use an
easy-out to remove the broken bolt part and also cam be used to get the old
brass bushing out and they can replace it with a new one.
QCC's
are the black buttons that yoke of cable hooked to. They are made through a process called
injection moulding. Sometimes after this
process there is a ridge of plastic left around the axle hole on the side that
goes against the limb. This will dig
into the side of the limb slightly and create a click noise when bow is drawn. You need to take
them off and sand the side smooth that goes against the limb and you will not
have this issue anymore. Lubrication is just a very temporary fix.
Limbs
For
maximum draw weight, tighten down the limb bolts or back it out 1/2 turn. Most people shoot them tightened down which
won’t hurt anything.
When adjusting limb bolts
alternate one turn on top and bottom.
A bow
will always operate at peak efficiency with the limbs bottomed out, as more
energy is transferred to the arrow instead of being converted to resonance by
the gap that a non-bottomed out bow will produce. Also, the bow will be quieter due to that
same principle.
Older
compound bows having composite limbs made of wood and glass. One could expect
these limbs to take a permanent set with use and they could become noticeably weaker over the life expectancy of a high
performance bow. With this being the case, it was reasonable and in many cases necessary to
replace both limbs even if only one had failed or became damaged.
The limbs on our bows today are laminated from all high strength composite materials
including the cores making them not only stronger but also much more durable. Today's bow limbs
maintain their flexural characteristics over the entire life of the bow and replacing
only the damaged limb no longer results in a flexural mismatch. With our modern
bow limbs, as long as the replacement is the specified equivalent to the
original, the consumer will be assured of the same consistent performance that
they enjoyed prior to incurring limb damage.
The
high inertia limb pockets are machined of brass and each cup weighs ½ lb. and
aid in stability (target shooters ).
The
standard limb cups are 2 oz. each and the brass are 9 oz each. Going to the brass cups adds 18 oz. or 1.1/8
pounds and aids stability. The brass
limb cups are not made in the V Lock cups.
Sights
The ring helps keep you consistently centered in the
peep. It also helps keep your anchor the
same shooting pins at different distances.
It also allows you to use a larger peep more accurately. Adjust your
sight bracket in and out or change your peep size until they appear to be the
same size.
On
Mathews bows, when set up properly and sighted in, the sight pins will be to
the left of the string by 3/16". This
is due to the flex in the limb through the draw process.
Try
to do away with the peep and you will adjust very quickly. Install a kisser button to help you achieve
your same anchor point consistently.
Try blue fibre optic in you
sight to reduce blurring.
Technique
When
you draw until you can't pull anymore that is called "pulling against the
wall". Most people pull against the
wall and use back pressure to trip their release. This keeps you from punching
the trigger.
Pulling
against the wall will help keep your anchor point the same and ultimately
shrink your groups.
FX Tuning
you
can't set the cam rotation with the cam in the # 2 draw post, the only time you
can set or check the cam rotation is at max poundage and in the longest draw of
the cam, so what you do is set or check the cam rotation in the longest draw
and if you need to shorten the draw then you do so but again you don't go back
and reset the rotation in anything but the longest draw, if you do you are
adding back the draw that you have taken away when using the draw post because
you are twisting up the cable and that adds draw. Also you can only check or
set your brace and axle to axle at max poundage.
you
are right once the bow is set into spec and you shorten the draw by moving the
string on the draw post you DON'T go back and reset the cam or any other of the bows specs.
AMO Speed Rating
The Archery Manufacturer's Organization set this standard for evaluating arrow
speed. To discover the AMO Speed a bow is set at 60 pounds, with a 30-inch draw
and shooting arrows that weigh 540 grains. For today's compounds, speeds over
240fps are considered fast while anything under 220fps are relatively slow.
Anchor
You should draw the bow and hold the string in the same location every
time--(anchoring) the bowstring. Many people who shoot with fingers use the
corner of their mouth as an anchor point.
Archer's Paradox
Describes the movement of the arrow as it bends and flexes around a riser when
released.
Armguard
Placed on the arm that holds the bow, an armguard protects your arm from being
slapped by the bowstring on release.
Arrow Length
Arrows are cut to a specified length. Measured from bottom of nock to the end
of the arrow shaft.
Arrow nock
The notch at the end of the arrow designed to fit around the bowstring and hold
the arrow in place on the string.
Axle
The axles are the shafts on which a compound bow's cams rotate.
Axle-to-Axle Length
The distance from one axle of a compound bow to the other. This is an important
number because it tells you two things: 1) Generally if you want a finger bow,
it should have an axle-to-axle length of at least 42 inches to avoid drastic
finger-pinch. 2)A really short axle-to-axle length makes the bow more extreme
and a little more difficult to shoot but may make it faster.
Blunt
An arrow tip that is not pointed. Usually used to hunt small game or to stump
shoot.
Bow Press
A device used to hold the bow in a bent position so you can work on the bow or
remove its string.
Bow
Square
Used to measure brace height or to align nocking points.
Brace Height
Is the length of a direct line from the back of the grip to the string of a
bow. Generally, the lower the brace height, the faster the bow is. It is faster
because the shorter brace height means that the power stroke is longer. But,
because a shorter brace height provides a longer power stroke it can be much more
difficult to shoot accurately.
Broadhead
Arrow tips meant for hunting big-game. They generally feature at least one-inch
of cutting diameter and may be fixed blades or mechanicals.
Brush Button
For recurve and longbows, these rubber round items are placed on a bowstring to
prevent brush from catching between the bowstring and the bow.
Cable Guard
Holds the cables to the side to ensure arrow clearance.
Cable Slide
Fits on the cable guard and helps the cables move smoothly across the cable
guard. New Teflon cable slides are said to add speed to your bow because they
reduce the friction greatly. Pure Teflon is a clear or milky white color. If
the slide is not white, it's not Teflon.
Center Serving
The center portion of the bowstring is wrapped (or served) to protect the
bowstring from damage, either from the release aid or from the string hitting
the cable guard.
Center Shot
Is the point that places the arrow shaft directly in line with the string
grooves on compound eccentrics or the center of the limb tips on recurve or
longbows.
Creep
The arrow moving away from the wall or your anchor point as you aim or get
ready to release.
Cresting
The colored designs on the end of an arrow shaft. Cresting tools are available.
Deflex
Design where limbs or riser are angled toward the archer. Deflex designs are
generally slower but easier to shoot accurately than reflex designs
Draw Length
The distance at full draw from the nocking point to the back of the grip. The
AMO draw length is the distance from the nocking point to a point 1 3/4 inches
past the back of the grip.
Draw Weight
The amount of force in pounds required to draw the bow.
Eccentric
The cam or part of the bow that is designed to control the stored energy of the
bow.
Efficiency
The amount of kinetic energy of the arrow just as it leaves the bow divided by
the potential energy that went into drawing it, multiplied by 100.
Fletch
The plastic vane or feather that is at the end of the arrow used to stabilize
the arrows flight path.
Grain
The measure of weight usually used when weighing arrows or arrow tips. 7000
grains make a pound.
Helical
refers to the way fletching is laid on an arrow. Rather than straight, helical
fletching curves slightly around the arrow shaft.
IBO Speed Rating
The International Bowhunter's Organization has a speed rating that is generally
measured with a bow set at 70 pounds, 30-inch draw and shooting a 350-grain
arrow. Today's fastest bows will shoot over 310fps using the IBO rating.
Insert
The adapter that is placed into a shaft to make a nock or arrow point fit the
shaft. Outserts are the opposite, they
fit around the shaft. Some people believe outserts make an arrow fly less true,
but if all other factors are the same, outserts shouldn't effect an arrow's
flight much.
Kinetic Energy
Kinetic Energy = (arrow weight) / 450,800 x (arrow speed). Kinetic energy
measures the level of penetration your arrow possesses.
Kisser
Allows you to anchor consistently by placing the kisser on the bowstring and
making sure it touches the same part of your lips each draw.
Nocking loop
Loop placed around nocking point. This protects your
string from being damaged by the release aid but the downside is, it reduces
speed slightly and some people find it difficult to quickly attach their release
aid to it when "the big bucks a' comin"
Nocking Point
Location where arrow sits on the bowstring.
Nocking Points
Objects placed on the bowstring used to keep the arrow in place and keep the
nocking point consistent.
Peep Sight
used as the rear sight of a gun is used. The peep sight is placed on or in the
bowstring and the sight pins and target are viewed through the peep. Sight pins
should be centered in the peep. Small peeps help you gain accuracy but don't
let a lot of light in. Hunters generally apt for larger diameter peeps.
Quiver
Holds arrows, the most popular for bow hunting is the bow-quiver which holds
arrows on the bow. But some say that makes the bow too heavy and makes it
harder to hold the bow steady in the wind. Other options are hip quivers and
back-quivers.
Recurve
a bow design which features limbs that bend away from the archer at the tips.
Reflex Riser
Features a grip which is closer to the archer than the ends of the riser. This
results in a short brace height and a longer power stroke. Thus creating a
faster bow but generally more difficult to shoot than deflexed risers
Shelf
The part of the riser that is cut out and where the arrow rests.
Power Stroke
Refers to the motion of the bowstring after it is released. The longer it is,
the faster the arrow leaving it. But the longer the power stroke, the longer
the archer must hold steady after releasing the string.
Serving Jig
Tool used to wrap center serving.
Shoot-around Rest
Rest which features the arrow shaft sitting on the rest and as it is released
it bends around the rest.
Shoot-through Rest
Shooters using release aids use shoot-through rests. These feature two prongs
holding the arrow shaft. When the arrow
releases, the cock vane flies through the two prongs.
Spine
Refers to the strength of the arrow shat and its ability to resist bending and
to recover after bending or experiencing archer's paradox.
Stabilizer
Placed on a bow for the purpose of reducing torque and shock after releasing
the arrow. Also, it helps level out the bow and hold it steady prior to
releasing.
Tiller
To measure the tiller is to measure the perpindicular distance from the
bowstring to the points where the riser and limbs meet. The tiller is the
difference in these two measurements.
Torque
is to turn the bow to one side when aiming or releasing the arrow.
Valley
When at full-draw, the area between a compound's wall and the point where the
let-off ceases to exist.
Wall
Term used to describe the back of the drawing motion of a bow. A solid or hard
wall is when the drawing motion comes to a sudden and precise end. If the back
of the drawing motion is nondescript, it is called a soft or mushy wall. A
solid wall is usually preferred because it makes it easier to anchor
consistently. Now, some bow companies offer a draw-stop that helps make the
wall more solid
Virtual
Mass
SE/PDF
