If the J-section or the groove where the cables go has a strip of Teflon tape, you can shoot a crossbow without a cable slide. But, if there is no tape, you need the cable slide to prevent your cables from wearing when shooting and cocking the crossbow. To keep the Teflon tape in place, install the riser and then press it down on the cables to avoid it from coming loose or rolling up. It would be best to assemble the crossbows yourself, and these kinds of crossbows contain white cable slides. There are two grooves included if you want to get the slides, one for each cable. The slides naturally fit in with the grooves facing downward as you hold the crossbow in a shooting position. Both grooves are machined; differently. One is more profound than the other. The top cable naturally fits into the deeper machined groove when holding the crossbow in a shooting position. For easier control, lube the cables well before assembly. There is only one way to do it: to apply the lubricant when cocking and shooting the crossbow. Using a cable slide is not that complicated but needs detailed how-tos to handle it properly.