Using a compound bow provides more accuracy and power, allows you to stand at a longer distance from the target and still be able to shoot it, and there’s room for customization depending on your personal preferences.
But you don’t always have to buy a new compound bow as some older models can be used after a little refurbishing. So, can you repaint a compound bow to restore its look?
Repainting your compound bow is possible as long as you have access to the right tools. As a matter of fact, every single part of your compound bow can be easily painted to the color of your choice. Some people paint their compound bow in their favorite color, while others prefer to choose a color that provides adequate camouflage for efficient animal hunting.
You’ve come to the right place because, in this article, I’ll explain step-by-step how to repaint your old compound bow and make it look as good as new without ruining any of its parts. So, keep on reading.
When should you consider repainting your compound bow?
There are several situations where repainting your compound bow might be a good decision. It might be a cosmetic decision that only affects the way your compound bow looks. However, in other cases, it might actually impact your bow’s performance.
- If you’re buying a second-hand compound bow, you might have to repaint it to restore its look. Most compound bows cost more than $500 or even $1000. This might not be the most affordable option for a beginner, especially if you’re yet to decide on the right archery setup that works best for you.
- If you’re practicing archery as a team member, you might want to repaint the different parts to match the way other compound bows look. By following the same colors and theme, your group will have a better sense of belonging, and the audience will be able to identify the members when they’re standing to aim at their targets.
- Repainting different parts of your compound bow might be necessary to get rid of the glare. All the accessories on your compound bow have glare to them. This includes the bow’s sight, rest, quiver, cams, cable guard, and limb pockets. When the sun shines, the glare produced is likely to affect your ability to target animals while hunting because different animals will be able to see the shining parts.
- Repainting your compound bow in camouflage paint will also help improve your odds while you’re hunting. Camouflage allows you to blend with the surroundings, so the animal you’re targeting is unable to detect your presence.
How to repaint your compound bow in 5 steps
If you’ve made up your mind about repainting your compound bow, you need to follow the right steps. This way, you can guarantee that you won’t damage your bow, and the paint will look good for a long period.
This process can take a few hours. Here’s what you need.
- Clean rags or pieces of cloth
- Paint solvent or mineral spirit
- Paint scraper
- Dish soap
- Water
- Tarp
Step 1: Remove all the old paint
Before repainting your compound bow, the first step is to remove all the old paint. Applying a new layer of paint on top of an old one can result in a bulky finish, and since archery is all about the details, it might impact your shooting accuracy. Moreover, when the paint is uneven, your compound bow won’t look as good as you want it to be, which contradicts the purpose of repainting it in the first place.
Mineral spirits and paint solvents will work perfectly to get rid of all the traces of the old paint. All you have to do is to add a little amount into a bowl and dip a clean cloth into the solution. Use the cloth to loosen the paint and rub gently to remove it.
This process might take some time, and you might need to add more solvent or mineral spirit to make sure that you’ve removed all the paint. If the paint seems too stubborn to get rid of, soak a piece of cloth in the solvent, and wrap the area you’re trying to remove the paint from.
Step 2: Scrape away the residue
The cloth and the mineral spirit or solvent will loosen most of the paint but won’t 100% remove it. This is why you need to use a paint scraper.
The sharp edge of the paint scraper will remove all the residue, and since the solvent has already loosened up the paint, your job will probably be easy. Hold the scraper and scrape gently against the bow until you’ve removed all the paint.
Step 3: Clean the bow
You can’t repaint the bow unless it’s clean. Having some residual solvent or grease on your compound bow’s body will result in an uneven finish.
This is why you need to clean the bow thoroughly. Mix some dish soap with water and soak a clean cloth in this solution, then wipe the bow’s body several times to make sure that you’ve removed everything. With almost all the paint gone, any small stuck particles will be easy to remove.
Use a clean, dry piece of cloth to dry the bow. You can’t repaint your bow while it’s still wet, so you need to dry it well before moving on to the next step. You can also let it dry in the sun for a couple of hours.
Step 4: Repaint your compound bow
Grab your compound bow and use a clean rag or piece of cloth to wipe it to make sure that it’s free from dust or any other particles. Next, pick a paint spray can of the desired color and lay your bow on a table or any other flat surface after covering it with a tarp. This will make the clean-up process easier and faster and will guarantee that your paint job won’t be messy.
Shake the spray can well before using it and hold it at an adequate distance away from the bow’s body. Next, spray the paint and move the can back and forth until you’ve covered every part of the bow.
Make sure that the side you’re spraying is completely covered with paint, and then let the bow air dry. It usually takes one or two hours to dry, and you shouldn’t touch it before that so you don’t mess up with the paint.
Step 5: Repeat the process
Flip the bow over and start repainting the other side. Follow the same steps and make sure that you’ve covered all the spots on the other side. Let the bow dry for an hour or two.
After it has completely dried, hold the bow in your hand to spray the sides. You might need to use an old box to keep it on its side until it’s dry.
Examine the bow from all angles to see if you’ve missed any spots. Then, you can apply another coat after the first one has completely dried to achieve the desired color.
Final Thoughts
Whether you want to change or renew the look of an old compound bow, repainting it is a job that you can easily finish independently. It takes time, but it’s totally worth it. You can learn more about compound bows by reading this article.