whats that smell?

[bcmuledeer]

when I fire my vortex there is a smell almost like gunpowder. Is this normal? My buddy came over and shot his tenpoint, same smell. What is that? Are we doing something wrong.

[Boo]

Bill answered that question earlier. It is the aluminum nock dragging along the rail. I was doing some testing with a Kodabow and shot 6 arrows with plastic nocks with no smell and it appeared as soon as I used an arrow with an aluminum nock.

[bob1961]

smokin crossbows ........bob

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[awshucks]

smokin crossbows ........bob

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Why do I hear the theme song "Dueling Banjo's" when I read that Bob? Mebbe we need a 'DB' icon?

[bob1961]

strange that i shoot alum arrow's with alum nocks and don't smell gunpowder .........bob

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[GaryM]

I smell it all the time but never could figure out where it was coming from. Glad it's nothing important. Gary

[Pydpiper]

I love that smell! It ranks right up there with the smell of a warm shotgun barrel.

[Vormax]

Smells good no doubt
But does it also mean more rail wear and tear ?

[Pydpiper]

Smells good no doubt
But does it also mean more rail wear and tear ?

Nah. If you look close at your rail you will see there is one side that is wore more than the other (just the anodizing), it shows as a silver finish up one side of the groove. That is the limbs showing a minor imbalance, one is pulling slightly harder than the other forcing the arrow to one side or the other, very normal. That minor wear is what is making the smell, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it.
The nock is softer than the rail, you will see the wear on the nock long before the rail. Have a close look at a well used arrow, you'll see.
I just wish the smell came in a bottle.

[Dash]

What wax do you use ?
I never smelled anything from the equinox at all untill recently. The day I started using that Dalton wax it started. The same with my Ibex. It definately gets into the string better than the other stuff I have used. But it gives off a smell after every shot. But even my girlfriend can smell it seconds after I fire an arrow off. She also described it as a gunpowder/firecracker smell. Must be caused by the friction of the waxed serving accross the rail at high speed.
I have no wear on the rails, use carbon arrows, and nylon nocks.

[lscha]

I love that smell! It ranks right up there with the smell of a warm shotgun barrel.

That's just what I was going to say!

[bob1961]

now if it smelled like real black powder burning we have something really going on then ....gotta love flintlock burning in the cold winter morning air as you seen your deer had dropped in it's tracks after the smoke has cleared .......bob

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[Pydpiper]

I don't use wax of kind.

What wax do you use ?
I never smelled anything from the equinox at all untill recently. The day I started using that Dalton wax it started. The same with my Ibex. It definately gets into the string better than the other stuff I have used. But it gives off a smell after every shot. But even my girlfriend can smell it seconds after I fire an arrow off. She also described it as a gunpowder/firecracker smell. Must be caused by the friction of the waxed serving accross the rail at high speed.
I have no wear on the rails, use carbon arrows, and nylon nocks.

[Pinpoint]

I have also noticed that smell from my pheonix. I have just been using the excalibur wax that came with my package. I'm with you Pyd, bottle that stuff up!!

[Galgo]

I always thought it was the wax until Bill replied. Then switched to Lumenok and no smell. I kinda miss it...