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As Excalibur ads state, they are a model of symplicity. There is less to go wrong with them than any other crossbow. There is only one string, no cams, no cables, no cable slides etc. Limbs and strings are the only items that may fail and the failure rate is often attributed to abuse. As a general rule, I can fix anything on an Excalibur within an hour without special tools. The only backup you really need to keep at home is an extra set of limbs and a string that has been broken in. Having said that, it is better to have a backup bow than parts.
In regards to the strings that come with a new Excalibur crossbow, the string that comes with the bow is a perfect starter string. It is a basic string that is long lived, fast and very reasonably priced. When you buy your bow, get a second string for backup. Using it will help you decide if you really need a custom string or not. It works well enough for 90% of Matrix owners and puts meat on the table. Using it the factory string will also tell you if your latches are going to damage your new custom string. It’s a great practical string but my strings will lower shock and noise as well as look good. My strings take anywhere between 20 to 50 shots (depending on which string you choose) to stop creeping significantly and the factory strings take longer.
String Care
Wax the whole string every few hundred shots and let the wax sit overnight or longer. At the end of a day of shooting wax the serving and allow it to soak in overnight and remove any excess before shooting. I do not recommend any wax in particular but look for a soft, non tacky wax. Having silicone in the wax is nice but not super important. One wax may be a bit better than another but there is no huge difference between waxes. Being soft allows it to be absorbed easier than a thick/hard wax which is especially important to the string fibers under the serving. Any excess wax will rob speed from your bow. Also, any real excess wax may end up in the trigger unit which may preclude the use of your bow until the bow is sent in for repairs. Any rubbing in of wax should be done with your finger or thumb. Using a hairdryer or leather may get the string too hot. When waxing the string just wipe the wax on, do not rub the wax into the string hard at all because it may remove the string dye or make the string "hairy". The string loops are often forgotten but they take a lot of impact so don't forget to wax the loops when waxing the string. The purpose of the wax is to reduce frictional wear of the center serving at the deck and the latches that hold string back, prevent water from entering the string and to prevent strand against strand friction. Put on only enough to make the string or serving look wet. You never want to coat a string or serving.
Once in a while take side off and rotate it half a turn then do the other side and rotate it the same way. The purpose is to wear the serving on both sides of the string and get more mileage out of the serving.
Brace height
How do you raise the brace height? Take one side of the string off and while looking at the side of the bow that you just unstrung, turn the string counter clockwise. Twisting the string keeps the serving tight and bulks up the string at the end of the serving preventing the serving from sliding out and causing serving separation. With a Flemish string if measure the brace height and you turn the string one turn at a time you will see a difference and know if you are going in the correct direction. The factory string is a bit different. It takes several twists to make a measurable difference. Both my strings and the factory strings all need counter clockwise turns to increase the brace height. Both strings should start with a high brace height. I want my strings to start off a little more than 3/8” from the string stops. The factory string should start off almost 1/2” from the string stops. Most Micros and Matrix bows should have a gap between the serving/string of 1/4” to 3/8”. Bulldog bows should be kept 2” from the end of the mainframe/rail. Too low is bad and higher is ok.
Rough Latches
If you have rough latches that are damaging your center serving, it’s a simple fix. However, without removing the latch and having it under a loupe or microscope, it’s trial and error. In order to be more definitive on a latch repair, you have to identify the defect and then confirm the fix visually. Below is the process that I use if I do not disassemble the trigger unit and have the latch in my hands.
I use 5mm wide high quality abrasive mylar backed abrasive strips made by 3M. I get mine from Lee Valley Tools. I use 15 micron (approx. 1000x) removes steel quite quickly; the 5 micron (approx. 2500x) refines the edge to usable keenness; and the 0.5 micron (approx. 9000x) gives it a mirror finish. https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/tools/sharpening/sheets-and-belts/33004-3m-micro-abrasives-for-sharpening?item=54K9301 This material does not break easily but if you go at the polishing to hard and too fast, the adhesive will melt and let the grit roll off. But it follows contours better than paper backed abrasives and the grit is very consistent. They come is sheets and I cut them on a simple small paper cutter that uses a blade that slides. I place the paper grit down to preserve the life of the blades.
Place something like painter’s tape in the trigger unit opening as shown to prevent debris from entering the mechanism. Then latch the trigger. Push the tape into the nooks of the trigger latch keeping in mind that you want to prevent grit etc from causing you grief by getting onto your moving parts.
Point the trigger unit opening downwards to prevent debris from falling back into the trigger unit.
Do not hold the strips in a way that points directly away from the latch. Keep your hands apart. Keeping your hands close together will narrow the latch finger contact area. If you keep your hands apart you will apply more even pressure and keep the shape of the latch fingers. Polish one latch finger at a time. Trying to polish both fingers at the same time will not address the surface of the fingers that contact the string/serving.
I use the very fine abrasives because I’d rather have the contact surface as smooth as possible. It makes a difference.
Most of the defects are not near the tips/ends of the latch fingers. Most if not all defects are located from the mid point to where the fingers come of of the latch. You can and should polish close to the tips of the latch fingers but it isn’t as important as the upper end because the string isn’t held by the ends of the latch fingers.
You can use a cord with a green polishing compound but be aware that you can easily create a groove. I do at times use the kernmantle of a cord because it flattens but I have also destroyed a latch because I created a groove. So you are best to stay away from a cord or the kernmantle. I never use a Dremel. You just cannot maintain a flat surface in a confined area, working on a very narrow surface with a little round felt tip. A Dremel also shoots a whack of polishing compound everywhere. If you use a Dremel, you’re an idiot.
Defects that cause damage to your serving can be as small as a pin prick. In order to have optimal serving life, the surface has to be perfectly void of imperfections. A defect the size of a period you see here in these texts will eat up a serving in just a few shots. A mirror smooth surface is what you should be working towards. There is nothing better than to have the latch in your hands so you can inspect with a high powered loupe or microscope. However, disassembling your trigger will void your warranty. I highly recommend against it. In some cases it will put your safety and others at risk. Having the trigger unit out of your bow and in a vice with padded jaws is second best. Working on your latches with the trigger unit still installed in your bow is awkward at best.
Below is where you need to concentrate your polish work
Below is the trigger opening taped up and latches engaged and in position for polishing.
Below is how you should hold the abrasive strips to avoid making the contact surface more narrow.
Below is how you should not hold the abrasive strips.
Here is a simple and inexpensive jig that pretty well anyone can make. You can mount it to a wall with hinges to keep it out of the way. You can put short 2X4 pieces on the bottom for stability. You can store it like you see it or disassemble it and store it as a small bundle of parts.
I use a green die spring about 22 mm long which is available at Amazon to maintain tension. I also use an inexpensive crane scale to make sure I am getting 400 lbs of tension. Each spring is a little different. This one give me 350 lbs when it is fully collapsed and another 1/2 turn give me 400 lbs.
I use a threaded rod and joiner to extend the hook for different string lengths. A joiner rather than a nut is used to tighten the string. Use MoS2 on the threads. Together with the MoS2 and the joiners the threads may last a person a lifetime. Do not use oil or antiseize on the threads because it will let the hook spin and can cause the a Flemish to become completely undone! I use at least 2 washers at each point.
If you end up with elceapo threaded hooks, they will bend out enough that your string will pop off. If you see your hook start to distort stop. Take the hook to a vice and take the bend at the hooked part out.
If you can mig weld then this is a better jig that I use. Having an open top makes life easier. The one inch spacing between the horizontal give me the flex I want. The closer together, the more flex you get. I’ve tried different spacings and this is what I like because it stores tension along with the die spring. I inadvertently left out the short pieces that act as the base.
At the moment the best serving tool is the Outerlimit serving tool. It is available at Lancaster Archery and sometimes Ebay. The very best center serving available today is 0.036” Angel Majesty. I think Danny Miller is the only one that imports it. 740 483 2312. When you order it, get an extra spare spool and spool half of the Angel Majesty onto the spare spool. It is pretty much impossible to get enough tension when your spool is full. A half spool is far more manageable.