CD Archery began in 2014, when founders Calvin Smock and Dewayne Martin built a revolutionary weight-forward barebow riser to the exact specifications they’d always dreamed of. Two years later, as these risers gained popularity in the archery community, CD Archery sought out Area Tool & Manufacturing for CNC machining, Cerakote coating services, and more. We helped CD Archery scale production and expand its lineup before ultimately acquiring the company in 2023.

Even after the great success of their initial idea, Calvin and Dewayne are always looking to optimize and seeking out feedback from the archery community. Recently, almost one year after we acquired the company, they approached us with their latest design innovation: adding dampeners to our WF29XO riser. 

Find out the benefits of this new feature and learn why this process demonstrates Area Tool’s commitment to constant improvement.

The Benefits of Dampeners

Archery dampeners reduce vibration in risers, helping to improve accuracy and reduce shooter fatigue. Calvin and Dewayne had considered adding dampeners for many years, and, because they are so immersed in the competitive archery community, had heard from many archers requesting the feature. 

When they came to us with the modification, we partnered with a local Crawford County engineer to design the addition. We had to be sure that the addition of dampeners wouldn’t compromise the characteristics that have made these products so beloved, and our engineer was able to perfectly balance these qualities in his design. Once Calvin and Dewayne approved the new design, we began to move forward.

Why We’re Starting With the WF29XO

We’re initially adding dampeners only to our WF29XO riser before potentially expanding into the rest of the lineup. We’re starting with this model for a specific reason: As our largest riser, it experiences the most vibration, and as a result it’s the perfect trial case. By testing design changes on our more challenging model first, we expect the results to translate easily to smaller models.

Aiming for a Q1 2025 Release

This new feature will launch in a slow rollout—we want to ensure the performance of the bows is perfect before general availability. 

We began precision machining the first prototypes last November. Dewayne will be shooting with the redesigned riser at the Lancaster Classic in January 2025, stress-testing it in real competition conditions. Archers at the event can also attend our booth to test it themselves in practice lanes and offer our team feedback. If you’ll be attending the Lancaster Classic, please stop by!

If the riser performs as expected, full production should start in Q1 2025. 

What’s Next: A Potential WF17

If these dampeners are successful, we will consider adding dampeners to our entire lineup of risers. Each dampener addition would be carefully calibrated to the characteristics of these different riser lengths. 

In addition, we’ve received many inquiries over the years about adding a WF17 riser to our lineup. It’s something we’ve considered, and we’re exploring different design options and gauging community interest. If you want to see a WF17, let us know!

The Area Tool Difference

Operating a retail brand is unique for us, and a small part of our business. Yet this process mirrors so many of the values of Area Tool. 

From our collaboration with the founders on a design to the exacting CNC machining services required for these new models, this project demonstrates our commitment to excellence and continuous improvement. The same attention to detail that defines our machining also drives our dedication to improving the CD Archery product.

Request a quote to start your collaboration with our precision machine shop.