Stop waxing your bowstring??

[Pfranchise]

I stumbled upon a video a while ago on YouTube with a guy claiming everyone should stop waxing their bowstrings. I’ve only been making strings for a year so I don’t claim to be an expert but this guys logic seems a bit flawed. I’m curious to see what everyone thinks about this guys point of view about waxing. I’m especially curious about what all of you string makers think about this. What is your take on waxing your bowstring? The video has compounds in it so I can’t post it here, but if you want to watch it just go to YouTube and search stop waxing your bowstrings.

[Sam McMichael]

What were his reasons for not waxing the string? It may just be a mistake on my part, but it seems that well waxed strings don't fray as quickly, especially in the string grooves of the bow. I think I'll stay with the wax.

[Terry Green]

 heaven

Don't wax your bow string, don't shoot sharp broadheads, don't shoot tuned equipment, don't use a Nock point, don't shoot the bow weight you can shoot accurately, don't shoot this method of aiming,  don't have any experience whatsoever in hunting yet make sure you give advice on broadheads for grizzly bears, don't do anything that will keep traditional bowhunting masculine -make sure you keep it feminine, don't shoot that method of aiming, don't respect our pioneers, don't respect our Pioneers methods, don't respect their accomplishments, don't shoot Broadhead Arrows with Fletchings, don't pay attention to our history just rewrite it to suit your needs, don't don't don't don't don't.....

I

[Broken Arrows]

I watched the video. The information doesn't pertain to our type of archery.

[nineworlds9]

I got two minutes in and turned it off. Much of the information on the internet is "partly true" which in some ways is more dangerous than outright falsehoods. True, with the current top tier materials waxing is not really a must.  They are prewaxed and so resilient compared to older materials. I personally rarely wax my current grade Fastflight strings, it's maybe a couple times a year a light touch up, more for cosmetics and weather than anything. Honestly some folks WAY overdo it even on the older materials, I've seen strings just caked up with wax that isn't necessary.  There was definitely some, what my generation calls "broscience" in that video. I think the truth lies in the middle. 

[McDave]

Bob Lee used to have a section in the video they send with new bows showing how to take the string wax off the part of the string that lies in the string grooves to cut down on string slap noise.  It isn't on their more recent video, so maybe they've changed their minds?  I wax my strings, but I stop short of the part that touches the string grooves, for that reason.  Personally, i haven't tried to remove the wax that was already on the string from that part.  I wish there were more authoritative information about string waxing.  I feel like I wax the string simply because it's something we've always done, without really having any solid information to base it on.

[Terry Green]

 the only reason to remove string wax in the grooves of a recurve is because it's noisy ...yes I've done that many times.. you wipe out the grooves and you just kind of burnished a little bit ...but you don't remove it all as you can't really remove it all...

what you are removing is the excess, yes people, the excess... you can put too much on ... too much of anything is not good and in bowstring wax too much can make your recurves noisy on the draw....

That does not mean they're going to foreclose on your house if you wax your bow string, or take your first child, or exile you to Siberia, excetera excetera excetera.

And no, my comments were not directed at this topic starter.

[LBR]

First, regardless of the type of bow, we all use the same types of string materials.  Even those "other" bows used Dacron not that terrible many years ago and there's a lot of them still around.  Lots of us today use the same string materials on our longbows and recurves, even self bows, as those other guys.

Wax was originally more to waterproof the string.  Linen, silk, natural fibers, sinew, squirrel hide (squirrel hide was used by some Indian tribes as a bow string) etc. would absorb water.  Modern materials (even Dacron) won't.  Today's wax is to aid in durability.  It's a lubricant.  That's why modern string wax is silicon based and very soft and slippery.

I don't use or recommend straight bee's wax, because it's hard and doesn't do the job nearly as well.  Modern blends are very soft, work in to the string easily, do the job of lubricating much better, don't get sticky nearly as quick or as much (so it's not so noisy on the draw)...and the excess shoots out quick.  It's cheap and you'll probably loose the tube before you use it up.

I've seen the video mentioned and discussed it with the guy who made it.  I'll just say we have different opinions about wax and using it. 

To me it's just common sense...bow string manufacturers wouldn't offer waxes with their names on them if they thought they were a bad product.  All string material comes from the factory pre-waxed--it's required to properly process it in to bow string material.

It's also easy to get the info. straight from the horse's mouth.  BCY is easy to contact (www.bcyfibers.com).  They aren't the only string material manufacturer, but they are by far and away the largest, supplying 85% or more of the world's bowstring material.

The one possible exception to the "wax rule" is Angel Majesty.  This material has a coating that's supposed to eliminate the need for wax.  IMO the coating wears off after a while, and you either need to wax or replace the string.  Angel is a very small Japanese company and from what I have seen the demand for their material is very low.

To keep this all tied into bow hunting...try going hunting without a string on your bow!     To me the string on your bow is like the transmission in your truck...you don't think much about it until it goes to crap, then you realize that no matter how expensive the truck, no matter how big the motor, without a working transmission it's a hunk of scrap...just like your bow is just a stick without a string on it.

I love to talk strings, and want to thank TG for allowing these discussions on a bow hunting forum. 

If anyone has any questions about strings or string materials, or if you need help contacting BCY to get information direct, just let me know.

Chad

[Mark R]

Amen Chad, if you shoot alot you already know how fuzzy your string can get without waxing, the new wax is much softer and melts quickley, new material does'nt show as much but still last longer with waxing when needed. I have a B 50 string on my 60# longbow thats been on there for 6 years and still fine, without waxing it would have been replaced years ago. By the way Chad should I change my Longbow string even though it looks and works fine, how long is B50 good for if properly cared for

[LBR]

As far as shelf life, keep a material out of the sun and it will last indefinitely...it won't rot.  As far as using it...if it's not showing any signs of wear, it should be fine.  There's not really a set time or number of shots.  I know some companies say "replace after this long/this many shots", and it's not a bad idea considering the cost of replacing a string vs. what could happen if one breaks...but for me common sense works just fine.  If it looks worn, replace it.

[Roger Norris]

Every bit of shooting I do is in preparation for hunting. I shoot in 3D leagues year round (not during hunting season) and shoot THOUSANDS of arrows per year. I am psychotic about bow noise...twang, arrow slap, whatever.

Never once has too much wax been an issue for me. Like Terry mentioned, when shooting a recurve, I do keep my string grooves clean, but I have never not waxed or tried to remove wax for any reason.

[Cory Mattson]

This thread start is irrelevant to shooting real bows and real bowhunting and does not belong on Tradgang.
 

[Pfranchise]

Cory would you care to elaborate further? Real bows and real bowhunting? How is it irrelevant? Please explain.

[Yooper-traveler]

I believe Cory is talking about the type of "archery" equipment hanging on the wall behind the gentleman in the video.  A clean, waxed (but not too much) string to me is as much a ritual of preparedness as shooting a stump on the way to my stand.

[LBR]

The type of bow it's going on is irrelevant as far as the information goes.  The materials are the same, the wax is the same, the purpose in using wax is the same.  We need to wax our strings for the same reason any anyone else.  You have to maintain your transmission whether you are driving a sports car or a log truck.

[McDave]

Come on, people, the guy has a question about string waxing.  It doesn't matter where he got the question; maybe he got it while watching his clothes going round and round in the dryer.  I've had questions about string waxing myself, and would welcome anyone who wants to give it some study.  In the Bob Lee video I reference above, they studied removing the wax from the ends of the string that contact the string grooves of the traditional bows they make, so this is a legitimate question to ask in traditional archery.  I notice they didn't follow up on that video, so maybe they decided it wasn't such a good idea, but I’m glad they were curious enough to ask it.

[Pfranchise]

Your exactly right McDave, it doesn’t matter where I got the question from. And no I didn’t follow up about the video because some people can’t see past the compounds on the wall apparently. If you watch and listen closely the guy doesn’t mention a specific type of bow, he is talking about bowstrings and caring for them or not in his opinion. Just as Chad said the type of bow is irrelevant, last I checked stickbows used strings too. McDave as you referenced in your previous post, I’m just looking for some information about waxing other than it’s whats always been done. That’s why I asked the question and was hoping for people to share what they do and why they do it. If I’m doing something I want to understand why I’m doing it myself, not just because everyone else does it too.

[Roger Norris]

Your exactly right McDave, it doesn’t matter where I got the question from. And no I didn’t follow up about the video because some people can’t see past the compounds on the wall apparently. If you watch and listen closely the guy doesn’t mention a specific type of bow, he is talking about bowstrings and caring for them or not in his opinion. Just as Chad said the type of bow is irrelevant, last I checked stickbows used strings too. McDave as you referenced in your previous post, I’m just looking for some information about waxing other than it’s whats always been done. That’s why I asked the question and was hoping for people to share what they do and why they do it. If I’m doing something I want to understand why I’m doing it myself, not just because everyone else does it too.

Well, it kinda matter where you got the question from. If it's about wax on compound strings, the application of that string related to the bow is COMPLETELY different from a string on a recurve or longbow.

You should wax your traditional string. With a recurve, it makes sense to keep wax out of the string grooves, not only for the noise but because wax holds dirt and grit,and can wear your string out in the string grooves. This applies to longbows also,in the nock grooves.

But you will shorten your string life if you ignore waxing it from time to time.

[McDave]

It's clear from the OP's question that he was not accepting the video at face value, since it was a video aimed at compound bowstrings.  It raised a question in his mind and he wanted to know what we, as trad string users, thought about waxing.  Again, where the question originated from is irrevelant to the question he was asking us.

[Roger Norris]

Ok Dave, I would say his question has been answered then. I'm not sure who you are, but you seem pretty confrontational. Typical conversation here on Tradgang is a little more relaxed.

Have a nice day.