Care and safety

Store and haul your Oneida

Heat is the enemy. Keep the bow out of hot vehicles, wipe it down after wet trips, and take the weight off if it will sit six months or more.

  • Difficulty Moderate
  • Time 15 minutes
  • For All Oneida lever bows

Every Oneida. The take-the-weight-off steps differ by family.

All how-to guides

We're still double-checking this guide against how we do it in the shop. If anything doesn't match your bow, stop and text us or call 270-318-2020.

Before you start

  • Never leave the bow in a closed vehicle or trunk in summer heat.
  • Unlock the timing system before turning weight bolts, or you can damage it.

Steps

  1. Store the bow cool and dry, never in a hot vehicle or trunk.
  2. Wipe the metal with a little light oil after wet or humid trips.
  3. Discovery: oil the hinges each season before storage.
  4. Relax the weight if the bow will sit six months or longer (Discovery: any long layoff, to keep cables from stretching).
  5. Unlock the timing system first: the slotted-wheel screw on 1980s–90s bows (bottom on 1990-on right-hand bows, top before 1990, reversed for left-hand), the hub on a Black Eagle, the orange screw on a Kestrel.
  6. Back both bolts out the same number of turns, switching every 2 (Kestrel: 1), and write down the count. Stealth and Discovery have no timing screw but still switch every 2.
  7. Ask us how far to back them off for your model; the manuals give no storage number.
  8. Turn the bolts back in the same count before shooting, then check tiller and brace height and lock the timing screw or hub before drawing. Stealth: watch each limb stays seated.
  9. Discovery: check every cable is in all three slides before drawing.
  10. Watch car doors and trunk lids; they commonly knock an outboard limb out of line.
  11. Keep the string from rubbing on anything in transport.
  12. Look over the string and cables before the first trip after storage.

Tips

  • Tape a note of your turn count to the riser.