Thanks for the information man. So I will do what your doing. So you use polygrip for 6 inches. What diameter for the 6 inches. I'm new to all this so is polygrip a brand? What does bcy stand for, is it a brand? Do you remove original serving before putting the 6 inches of polygrip on? Thanks
I purchase the Poly Grip .025 and the BCY .030 from 60X Custom strings.
Both products come on spools. I purchased a serving tool from EBay.com
where the spool fits and one can add tension when doing the serving.
The names I give is what the serving is called on 60X website.
Poly Grip is $10.95 a spool. BCY .030 is $18.95 a spool and is available in
several colors. Click on "bowstring building" then "serving material".
Poly Grip bonds well to the bowstring and to the upper layer of the BCY .030.
I would not just use the Poly Grip by itself for serving in the arrow latch area
as it does not stand up to wear like the BCY .030. Some areas of the bowstring
that is not in the latch area, I have over lapped worn or separated serving areas
as a re enforcement.
60X also sells pre built bowstrings and or bowstring and cables sets. Click on
"Ready To Ship Crossbow" then select the brand of crossbow, then the series.
Select bowstring or string and cables. One has a few color choices or go custom
colors which will cost a bit more and takes time to build.
The serving tool is on sale for $13.94 on EBay and shows the 2 brass bars.
One gets the tool but the spool is just for demonstration. Pay attention how
the serving is installed on the tool. This helps create tension. One tightens
the wing nut on the spool bolt to increase tension.
Usually the original bowstring serving has separated as the bowstring was
not under enough tension before the serving was installed. If one does not
have the adapters for a press to install the bowstring to add tension, some
times I put a round screw driver up right in a vice. Put one end of the bowstring
on the screw driver and use a ratchet strap in the other bowstring loop and then
the other end of the strap is anchored to something solid. Using a ratchet strap,
one can adjust the tension.
I mark the bowstring with white out where I want to start and end the serving.
I do not do back serving like videos show. At the start, I make a loop around the
bowstring and pull it very tight, leaving a tag end about 2 or 3 inches long. To
hold this in place I use a pair of needle nose vise grips with rubber hose over
the points and clamp it onto the tag end as it lays along the bowstring. Install
the serving as one normally would. I start on the left side and go over the top
of the bowstring to the right.
When I am almost done the serving as I would go over the top, bring the serving
through the loop and pull it towards the served section. I roll this very tight using
needle nose pliers. I do two more loops like this pulling tight toward the preceeding
loop. I leave a small tag end. Go back to the start and install two more loops the same
way, pulling very tight toward what you have served. Trim the tag ends short but leave
a wee bit. To these small tag ends, I add a wee dab of Gorilla Glue and let it set up. I
go right around the end of the serving with a wee dab of Gorilla Glue. This is added
insurance against serving separation. All the serving ends get this wee dab of Gorilla
Glue whether my own servings or manufactures.
I have found too many bowstrings that were not under enough tension prior to adding
the serving. Due to this, the serving has separated.
I lightly lube the bowstring, cables, serving and a lite coat on the rail with Trident Silicone
Grease available on the internet. This is a high quality product that does not dry out or
gum up like wax but stays moist. A wee bit goes along way. Shooting 8 shots before
removing my arrows I may lube every 8 or 16 shots. A small paint brush works well to
get into small areas when applying the Trident.
Wishing you all the best.
Take care.
