When I first started bowhunting, I wanted so badly to be a bow mechanic. Unfortunately, I’ve never been able to take things apart and put them back together, at least not without a few “extra” screws still on the table. A couple of my buddies could swap cams, twist yokes, tie in peeps, re-serve strings and tie D-loops faster than a jackrabbit on a date. Me, I could shoot my bow, and when I had a problem I had to take it to them or a pro shop. Sound at all familiar? I wanted to tinker and customize, but I didn’t know how.

Here’s how I got started:

• I bought a 5,000-rpm Cabela’s arrow saw at a yard sale for $50 (it normally retails for $165), Bitzenburger fletching jig, and some Blazer vanes and glue from Bohning. It took a lot of questions and some trial and error, but before long I was building my own arrow shafts, which gave me immense satisfaction. Today, I fletch a lot of arrows and enjoy experimenting with different vane and wrap combos. After some long-distance fixed-blade broadhead testing out of a Hooter Shooter, I really like Bohning’s 3-inch X-Vane on a 4-inch Bohning wrap.
• By watching countless videos on YouTube and doing a lot of experimenting, I learned to tie my own D-loop. I know it may not sound like much, but for those of us who are mechanically challenged, it’s a BIG deal.
• I became an expert at waxing my bow string. I massage the wax in, then I wrap dental floss around my string and cables, pull tight and remove the excess wax. This method helps the wax penetrate the string and removes gunk that would otherwise gather dirt.
• I swapped out factory-installed limb dampeners with colored ones from LimbSaver and Bowjax.
• I was a bow-cleaning machine. Through the use of rubbing alcohol, toothpicks and Q-tips, my equipment was spotless.

I could tinker and customize without having a mental breakdown.

Today, after years of hands-on trial and error and help from some very good friends, I can actually set up and tune my own bows. I can tie in peeps and re-serve strings, but things that came so easily to many were a nightmare for me. If you love bowhunting and bowhunting gear and want to become more involved in tinkering with and customizing your own equipment, my advice is to start small and learn as you go.