A Step-by-Step Guide to Restringing Your Crossbow Like a Pro

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Do you want to know how to restring a crossbow like a pro?

It may seem intimidating, but restringing your crossbow is an easy and necessary task that can be accomplished with the right tools and some patience.

With this step-by-step guide, you can learn how to restring your crossbow correctly and safely, so you can keep your bow in top condition for years to come.

You’ll be able to understand the proper technique for stringing and unstringing your crossbow, as well as the tools and materials you’ll need to get the job done.

So if you’re ready to learn the secrets of restringing your crossbow like a pro, let’s get started!

How To Restring A Crossbow

Necessary Tools And Materials

There are a few tools and materials you will need to string your crossbow.

Stringer – A crossbow stringer is a device used to hold the bow in an open position while you replace the string. They are designed to keep the bow open safely and securely so you can restring your crossbow without risk of injury. There are many different kinds of stringers available, including manual, crank, and drop-away models.

Bowstring – You will need to purchase a new string when you restring your crossbow. You can ask a local archery or crossbow shop if they can recommend a brand and model of string that would be best suited for your crossbow.

Bowstring Jaws – Bowstring jaws help you to position the bowstring through the limbs and cables of the crossbow.

Bowstring Wax or Lubricant – Stringing a new bowstring is easier when you use some kind of bowstring wax or lubricant on the string and cams of the crossbow.

Crossbow Bowstring Maintenance Kit – Some kits include all of the above tools and materials, but it’s always recommended to have extra string wax and bowstring lubricant on hand.

Safety Considerations

Safety should always be a top priority when you restring your crossbow. While this task is relatively safe, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Always wear eye protection and gloves when you are working with the bowstring and cams of your crossbow.

Make sure you keep the bowstring, cams, and all other parts of the crossbow away from your body while you are working with them.

If you are using a drop-away stringer, make sure the device is fully retracted and the bowstring is properly retracted before you begin working with the bow. If the bowstring is extended while using a drop-away stringer, it could cause the device to malfunction and cause serious injury.

Make sure all of the screws, bolts, and cams are tight. This will help to protect the integrity of the crossbow.

Unstringing The Crossbow

Before you restring your crossbow, you will first need to unstring it. Unstringing a crossbow is the process of releasing the bowstring so that you can remove the limbs from the bow.

You will need to unstring the crossbow before you can string it back up again. There are several different ways to unstring a crossbow, but this will vary depending on the type of bow you have. To unstring your crossbow, follow these steps:

Loosen the limb bolts – This will allow the limbs to move freely while you are unstringing the crossbow.

Retract the bowstring – Retract the bowstring until the limbs are open enough to remove the bowstring.

Loosen the string retainer – This will allow the string to slide freely off the bowstring.

Remove the bowstring – Now that the bowstring is off the bow, you can remove the limbs from the bow.

Store the bow in a safe place – Place the bow in a dust-free and dry location until you are ready to string it again.

Restringing The Crossbow

Once you have unstrung the crossbow, you can begin the process of restringing it.

Restringing a crossbow requires you to wind a new bowstring onto the cams of the crossbow.

Before you begin restringing your crossbow, make sure that you have properly prepared the bowstring. Always make sure that you fully unroll the string before restringing your crossbow.

This will help to prevent abrasion and cuts to the fingers while you restring your bow. To restring your crossbow, follow these steps:

Place the bowstring on the cams – Place the bowstring on the cams and position the string so that the centerline is aligned with the centerline of the cams.

Tension the bowstring – Once the bowstring is in place, begin to tension the bowstring.

Move the string retainer to the locked position – Once the bowstring is fully tensioned, move the string retainer to the locked position.

Lock the bowstring – Lock the bowstring in place by tightening the string retainer.

Test the draw weight – Now that the bowstring is fully tensioned and secured, you can test the draw weight to make sure it is correct.

Lubricating And Waxing The String

Now that you have finished restringing your crossbow, it’s important to maintain the bowstring. Restringing the bowstring will create additional wear and tear on the string.

This can cause the string to fray or break prematurely. To help protect your string, you should wax or lubricate it after every few uses. To properly lubricate and wax the bowstring, follow these steps:

Remove the serving – The first step is to remove the serving from the string.

Clean the string – After removing the serving, you will want to thoroughly clean the bowstring.

Apply wax or lubricant to the bowstring – Next, apply a light coating of wax or lubricant to the bowstring.

Adjusting The Draw Weight

After you have restrung your crossbow, you will want to check the draw weight of the bow. The draw weight is the amount of force needed to draw the bowstring all the way back.

Your crossbow should be set to the recommended draw weight for your specific model. If the bow is too loose or too tight, you will want to adjust the draw weight accordingly. To properly adjust the draw weight of your crossbow, follow these steps:

Remove the bowstring – Before you can adjust the draw weight, you will need to remove the bowstring.

Adjust the limb bolts – To adjust the draw weight, you will need to adjust the limb bolts.

Re-string the bowstring – Once you have adjusted the limb bolts, re-string the bowstring.

Check the draw weight – Now that the bowstring is fully tensioned and secured, you can check the draw weight to make sure it is correct.

Final Steps For Testing And Maintenance

Now that you have restrung your crossbow and adjusted the draw weight, it’s time to test the bow and perform some maintenance. Here are some final things you can do to test and maintain your crossbow:

Test the crossbow – Test the crossbow to make sure that everything is working properly.

Replace worn or broken parts – If anything seems to be worn or broken, you will want to replace the part.

Store the crossbow in a safe place – Once you have finished testing and maintaining your crossbow, store it in a safe place where it will not be damaged.

Conclusion

When you know how to restring your crossbow, it becomes much easier to maintain the bow.

This will allow you to keep your crossbow in better condition for longer and save money in the long run.

If you ever need to restring someone else’s crossbow, you can use this guide to do so safely and efficiently.

Finally, remember that safety should be your top priority at all times when working with crossbows.

With this knowledge, you can restring your crossbow like a pro and keep your bow in tip-top shape for years to come

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to restring a crossbow?

Restringing your crossbow depends on the type of crossbow you have, as well as the materials used to restring it. Generally, you can expect to pay anywhere from $30 to $150 for a professional restringing.
If you decide to restring the crossbow yourself, you can expect to pay anywhere from $5 to $50 for new string and cables, depending on the type of crossbow you have. The cost of the tools and supplies necessary will depend on what you already have and what you need to purchase.
If you have a compound crossbow, the cost of restringing will usually be higher than for recurve bows. Compound crossbows require special tools, and the strings and cables tend to be more expensive.

How often do you need to restring a crossbow?

Depending on how often you use your crossbow and the conditions it’s exposed to, you should restring it at least once a year. That said, if you use your crossbow a lot, you may need to restring it more often.
It’s important to make sure the string on your crossbow is in good condition so it doesn’t snap or break when you shoot. Over time, the string can become worn out or brittle due to weather, UV exposure, and friction from shooting.
You should also inspect your crossbow strings for signs of wear and tear after every use. If you notice any frays or nicks in the string, it’s time to replace it.

Augene Allen

Augene Allen is a man of many talents and accomplishments. A graduate of Special Forces, Ranger, SCUBA, Jumpmaster, and Helicopter Flight Training Schools, he has dedicated his life to service - first as a Sheriff's Deputy for 30 years, then as a SWAT operator for 24 years. He is also a Firearms and Defensive Tactics Instructor, Technical Collision Investigator with 2,306 DUI arrests under his belt, and owner of CrossFit Pierce County for 6 years. In addition to all this, Eugene is an Ironman triathlete and currently an avid cyclist. Though he's retired from the military now, Eugene still lives in Tacoma, WA with his wife and two cats.