String Wax -My two scents.

Yeah, yeah, terrible pun, but it needed doing.

There’s a lot out there about waxing your bow string (not a euphemism). I favour the apply wax, rub in with fingers, remove excess with a loop of thread method.

(I can add to the pile of internet stuff out there about this if anyone wants)

There’s also a lot of debate about how often you should wax your string(s). Some say every time you shoot, some say every week, some say every 3 months etc etc.

Me? I go with “wax it when it doesn’t feel like there’s wax on it anymore.”

I picked up some new wax the other day, Flex Archery’s Sense & Feel wax. As the old Bearpaw stuff I’ve been using for a while was running out.

This wax is scented (hence the pun in the title) and depending on the scent you pick coloured differently. I went with the black “forest” scent.

First impressions are the packaging is a bit basic and cheap. It holds the wax in ok, but having to push it up and down directly, rather than using a wheel in the base (glue stick style) is a bit stiff and awkward.

The wax itself rubs into the string very quickly, I was surprised by this. There was very little friction generated heat by the short time it felt like it had all worked in.

 

The excess removes pretty well with the loop of thread method. Just be aware that rather than gather round the thread for easy removal in one lump like other waxes, this stuff shreds and gets everywhere (like in my camera…).

As for the colour and smell. The colour does make your string look a bit grubby, especially if like me, you are using black wax on a white string. If using a coloured string, this is probably much less noticeable.

The smell is a little overpowering when you first open the wax, and if you draw your newly waxed string soon after application. However, this does wear off soon to a light odour, about the same level as the mint dental floss I use for knocking points. It also doesn’t trigger my asthma, which is a positive.

Finally, the string doesn’t seem to have rounded and smoothed out, after running the thread over it, as well as it did with other waxes and still feels a little lumpy. Also the wax doesn’t feel as hardwearing, but this is hard to judge now and I will update later with how well it lasts.

Overall, a bit ‘meh.’ I’ll probably use it until it runs out, or until one of my preferred shops gets the Bearpaw stuff back in stock.

Oh yeah, and the name… Did they get Durex’s marketing people to help them decide on it?