I just saw the new arbalests on Kult of Athena. They are way cool. In the 'new items' section. Complete with rope or steel crank spanners. Gotta have one. My interest in Medieval archery continues to grow... :D ........McM

Saw them and they look neat in photo just not sure I trust something from Deepeeka. However, price seems reasonable so if you take a risk please do share opinion of the product.

I can't see any mention of poundage on these, which would be useful.......

The angle/set of the prod is a little off, as the string looks as if it bears quite substantially on the bolt bed - a potential source for wear on the string, and also the drag makes it more inefficient......

Not sure I like the brass prod 'irons' - their design looks good, it's just the material.

Ultimately, it boils down to how much you trust the quality of the prod on these, as if that fails, you have the potential for a very serious (if not fatal) injury......

And I'm not fond of the look of 'imported' hardwood.......

Just my 2p worth,

Julian Reynolds

I agree with all things said. I think KOA should let someone 'in the know' about crossbows play with one for a while. Then, redo their product description with a little less history lesson and a lot more hands-on facts. One of them would still look totally killer on my living room wall though. :D ............McM

To illustrate my point, the string in the pic below needs to drop considerably (or the prod needs to be raised/angled higher) as it is dragging along the bolt bed under tension. Not only will this reduce energy and efficiency due to the friction, but it causes undue wear on the string.

Picture credit Kult of Athena.

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I totally agree. A good coating of beeswax on the string and the bolt slot would help a lot. I'm thinking of building one of my own. I have an old buggy spring and a thick plank of cedar wood lying about that beg attention. I may just smell a DIY project coming up. ...... :D ............McM