The Stinger bolts I have been waiting for - hybrid carbon fiber and aluminum!

[@fletchedevolution]

Apparently the retail packages that will be shipped will have the threaded parts secured with thread locker so that the parts do not loosen in use.

[@berndk.7723]

It's certainly not a thread locker they use. It is a special adhesive or an epoxy because you can not loosen it by applying heat to it. If you try loosen it by a heatblower you'll for sure ruin the carbon of the bolt. (I should apologise for my poor english, I haven't being using it for appr. 35 years. Became kind of rusty 😊)

[@Kjk-lb1ox]

I don’t see these for sale on their site…am I missing them?

[@fletchedevolution]

@@Kjk-lb1ox I was just on their US site (steambow.com) getting links for a video I did, and also did not see them. I know they have stock at their US headquarters in Denver, but apparently not their full product line yet. Their US site says to contact them if there is something you want that is not yet listed. I would try that route to at least get some information.

[@Kjk-lb1ox]

@@fletchedevolution ok thank you for the quick reply. I have a stinger 2 coming Friday. I also have an olight Baldr S light/laser I want to mount. I was thinking of doing it on the bottom rail. Do you see any issue with that?

[@fletchedevolution]

@@Kjk-lb1ox I think that would be perfect! It's where I would mount it for sure, and is where I mount a pistol light when I run a light. Intuitive operation below the string and deck, lile I want. I don't like reaching up through the cocked limb to operate a light or laser, you are just asking for a bruised or broken finger.

[@Whowhatwherewhy]

Going to miss your channel. You really helped me so much Best to you. Thank you

[@lalalalalalalalala60]

The new Steambow bolts look COOL!!!

[@archstanton4142]

if you take the nocks out of the blue ones you can slide in some push-bike outer brake cable in, which adds weight and I think it also strengthens it as the coil construction will compress on impact and keep the bolts straight. it seems to work as I haven't had a bend since doing this. It must be brake outer cable as the gear outer cable does not have the coil construction.

[@albaniansuperiorshqipetari8055]

I'm so glad I found this Video I wanted this info about bolts

[@timokomulainen]

It's a shame the retail bolts cannot be disassembled. I've been thinking about learning how to make bolts of my own, so I could exchange between different tips, like is customary with ordinary crossbow bolts, and perhaps even have some kind of a system of adjustable weights. Do you have any experience of this or know relevant information sources, so I wouldn't have to, so to say, reinvent the wheel? Regardless, thank you for the channel! It's a treasure trove of content on these nifty devices.

[@mayooreshananandarajah7116]

Thanks for another really thorough review. Steambow keeps bringing out cool stuff faster than my bank balance can keep up this Christmas haha. These look like a good investment though... I've had to replace a few bent old-style bolts over time and these look like they will last longer!

[@fletchedevolution]

My pleasure! Yes, these (the prototypes) have held up really well over the past months in normal use. Once I get more, I will do actual torture testing to see what they will handle. I also like the higher weight, and think it is especially good for draw weights higher than 90 in terms of reducing stress on the limb and end caps (though I use aluminum end caps above 90 lb).

[@DKFX1]

They look really nice. I hope they're somewhat affordable although im doubting it. Recently saw the new metal end caps on steam bow web shop, but at the price of an entirely new limb set I was a little bit hesitant in my celebration.

[@fletchedevolution]

Yeah, the end caps are spendy for sure, I use them for a 120 lb limb since I don't trust the plastic at that point. The plastic caps have been fine for me at 90 as long as I control my inner idiot and don't dry fire.

[@DKFX1]

@@fletchedevolution I wonder if a slightly reinforced plastic end cap could get the job done for a quarter of the price of these new metal ones. Pad the inside with a slice of rubber perhaps.

[@fletchedevolution]

@Sabertooth Turtle Yeah, I was also musing about different materials. Shooting heavy bolts also reduces the stress on the end caps. I read somewhere about someone putting fine sand in the bolt shafts, but I can't remember where now. I was answering a comment on a different video where I said that it is best to be choosy about what upgrades you buy, and to only buy stuff with a function you legitimately want aside from the bling, because money has to be earned. I am not a good role model because I am specifically buying a bunch of stuff to try it out, otherwise the channel would be boring for everyone 😀

[@DKFX1]

​@@fletchedevolution I've also been thinking that the bolts are a bit too light, but I don't have a strong argument behind it. I tried, similarly to what you suggested, to increase the mass of the bolts by unscrewing the bodkin tips and filling them with fine salt. Been working great, took my bodkins from around 10-11 grams to 13-14 grams. Haven't had any issues target shooting at close proximity (5-8 meters). They penetrate deeper on my foam block than the regular ones.

[@fletchedevolution]

@@DKFX1 I know the guideline of 5 grains per pound of draw, but for vertical bows. I am not sure what would apply to these small crossbows. But I do like heavier as opposed to lighter in general for somewhat lower stress on the bow, and you have to figure out the trajectory and hold points anyway, no bolt shoots like a laser unfortunately. My bigger thing for sure is having bolts that will not bend so easily, especially working up to 150 lb with the Stinger platform.

[@JackBlack-gh5yf]

A very interesting discussion. I got my first pistol crossbow in 1982, a Barnett Imp, with a very low 15Ib draw weight. It fired bolts, which were mainly plastic. I only had 6, used them thousands of times, and never broke one. Then I got a Barnett Trident, with a 50Ib prod I think, the bolts were mainly aluminium, with a screw-in steel tip (broadhead tips were available), and a plastic fletching section. I used them a lot, and don't recall breaking one. I lost one side of the fletching on a Steambow target bolt, firing into a Steambow target, on the first shot, and 2 of the 12 Steambow bodkin bolts I received the other day, had loose fletchings. I've tried cheaper aluminium bolts from ebay, and they're OK, but not as accurate. Those new Steambow bolts look great, I hope that QC is good, since I'm sure they'll be pricey. I remember getting some "indestructible" tent pegs from The North Face, made from hollow Easton aircraft aluminium, in the early 1990's. As far as I recall, they weren't any thicker than a crossbow bolt, and I won a lot of bets from guys who reckoned they could bend them ;) Thanks for another great video :)

[@fletchedevolution]

Thank you for watrching and commenting, that's what keeps the channel going, really! I also hope the QC is good and that the design proves itself. Steambow told me this afternoon they are going to ship them thread locked, as I said in the pinned comment, because they fear people will not check them after each shot. Standard practice with any other bows I use (full-sized crossbows and compounds), but I guess Stinger users are now all used to epoxied bolts. And instead of every shot being a process and practice being a very meditative thing, it is far easier (at least for me) to also just have fun and empty a few magazines. I would definitely get in touch with Steambow or the seller about the loose fletchings (even if you have the skill and materials to just fix it and be done with it). I have not had that in a very long time, and only lose fletchings when I strike them with another bolt or they sink too deeply into the target. I do wonder if the wall thickness on the aluminum bolts could not be beefed up, though. Or get some of those awesome sounding tent pegs, dang!!! Or if they should not just switch their standard bolts to carbon shafts and epoxy the whole thing together. If I were Steambow, that is what I would do, because the cheapo Chinese bolts I shoot a lot are not as accurate, but I get 20 for about 35 euros depending on the current pricing, and they take a lot of punishment. Basically like the arrow sets I have been shooting for years in Excalibur crossbows.

[@JackBlack-gh5yf]

@@fletchedevolution I just saw they planned to epoxy them. As you say, checking arrows is not a new thing, nor is screw-on heads. It seems that the bodkin bolts are going to be 35 euros for 6. I reported the loose fletchings to the UK stockist, but didn't get a reply. Perhaps they are old stock. They are a terrible company to deal with (no matter how much money I spend with them). I think I will order from Steambow directly in future, as there shipping is many times faster than this UK company! Those tent pegs were incredible (maybe they still make them)! They were expensive, but perhaps less so than the Steambow bolts! :D I think I might order some of those cheapo bolts too! :D Thank you for your reply, and for your exhaustive research :)

[@fletchedevolution]

@@JackBlack-gh5yf Oh, I am pleasantly surprised at 35 for 6 if you mean the hybrid ones. Which you must, since I just verified the 25 price for six of the current aluminum bodkins. I just ordered some Thorsten Baale bodkins from Germany for a touch over 6 eur each including shipping, since a couple of viewers have mentioned then and asked for a comparison. The cheapo bolts are decent enough, especially for the money, and they get no bends, which cause crappy accuracy from one firing to the next (as is absolutely clear to you). I often let newbies use them because they don't deform under reasonable use, and if they get lost, I can more easily absorb the financial hit 😀 I am going to start testing 150 lb on a Stinger soon, Survival obviously in terms of cocking, and I am curious how any bolts will hold up to that with various targets, some reasonable, and some clearly not. I wish I had a CNC milling machine and lathe, and some tungsten stock

[@JackBlack-gh5yf]

@@fletchedevolution Yes, the prices are 24.92 euros for 10 target bolts, 29.08 for 6 bodkin bolts, and 24.92 for 3 broadhead bolts. I just ordered some of the new bodkin bolts, but now I regret stocking up on so many of the old ones! :D I have orders with the UK company going back to August, so I think I will cancel them all, and just deal with Steambow directly. Ah yes, it would be much better, and a lot easier, to machine your own bolts! Actually, that reminds me of the first time I used a crossbow as a boy. It belonged to an old gentleman. He had worked with my father, in a big engineering firm, before he retired, and my father would make him the tips for his bolts. I'd actually forgotten! :D Good luck with all your projects my friend, and thanks for all your help and advice :) Edit - Just adding a link: www.steambow.at/stinger-arrows/?lang=en

[@fletchedevolution]

@@JackBlack-gh5yf Happy coincidences with stirring up old memories! I also have a lot of the old bolts now, but will shoot them until they fail. Good luck to you with your projects, as well, interesting how the Internet brings people together!

[@chris_stacey]

I imagine they will be more expensive to reflect the quality, but that's not a bad thing if they last significantly longer. Thanks!

[@fletchedevolution]

The prototypes I shot at the end of testing did not bend or fall apart at all, but I did no torture testing on those. Normal target shooting into different foam targets. So I have high hopes for the production series.

[@steveringat4666]

Great videos have watched all. Are the original steambow bodkins aluminum or carbon. Thanks

[@fletchedevolution]

Thank you! The original bodkins from Steambow have aluminum shafts

[@steveringat4666]

@@fletchedevolution I noticed after I commented. Do the carbon bodkins shoot better than the match on the vlad?

[@fletchedevolution]

@@steveringat4666 The carbon bodkins generally shoot a bit better for me than the match, especially at 90 lb, Stinger or Vlad

[@steveringat4666]

How does you vlad work with the new steambow match bolts. Also the other two new steambow bolts. I have the match and the shoot like crappie out of the vlad. Great in an alligator.

[@fletchedevolution]

Functionally they work fine, but they shoot better out of my Stinger.

[@steveprice3355]

I'd strip them down and recast the shafts