posted
Interesting discussion. I shoot relatively heavy arrows 12-13 gr/lb but my everyday bows now only average 60#. Used to shoot 70-75 regularly but too much computer time and age has made me soft so dropped the weight. Working to get back into the 70's in the hope that I can make it to Oz for a try at buff.
I think the best heavy wood shafts I've had experience with is the forgewood from AFA. They are small dia, extremely durable, smooth finish, and well balanced. But, as Rick pointed out, difficult to get in quantity and are not available on a regular basis.
I liked maple fairly well, have tried some hickory but it did not have a very smooth finish which could retard penetration in this situation where that is the ultimate goal. They are heavy and tough. Have not tried any hickory from Troy and will be doing that soon.
Rick, your comment about getting arrows ready at the last minute hit home and I will be working on that well in advance. Panic mode just before a trip to Oz would take a lot of fun out of the trip.
-------------------- Happy Trails, Chad Posts: 341 | From: T. Falls, Montana, Western Wilderness | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
Hey Chad, I also used to have an issue with the finish of the hickory shafts, but I found that I could use wood putty to fill in the voids and the sand them back down. I had originally thought that getting them to weigh within 5 grains of each other was going to be tough (spine doesn’t seem to be an issue), but found that I could adjust them by adding or subtracting an extra layer of Gasket Lacquer. Occasionally I get a flyer, but that one then just gets put into the stumper box. I do try to use the colored stain. I dye the hickory to the color that I want (Hickory is pretty hard to color with the aniline dyes, but I still try ) and then go to home depot and find the putty that closely matches. So far I have had some pretty good luck.
Take Care Gary
Posts: 32 | From: Somewhere West of the Rockies | Registered: Sep 2003
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Troy, have you had a chance to run any yet? I'd like to get more info. on them when you get time. At worst, bring them with you to some shoots this summer--I figure I'll see you at several and hopefully I'll have my bow by the time they start.
Did a quick try the day I reworked the cutter head. Can't really say how much increase they gained. Got called away from the shop before I was able to resand to normal 11/32" dia. Once I get achance to resand the shafts I'll be able to say how much increase in spine they had with the larger dia. Other than that they came out very nice.
-------------------- Troy D. Breeding
Retirement ain't what it's cracked up to be. Posts: 1170 | From: Quincy, OH | Registered: Mar 2003
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Good deal--I don't even know when my bow will be ready, but I'm sure anxious to try out these shafts. I'm guessing that it will take a spine of somewhere around 110-130#, depending on what weight broadhead I use. Most likely it will be a 160 or 190 grain.
posted
Chad, have you thought about some of the premium fish arrows. I understand some are aluminum with fiberglass inside and others are aluminum with carbon inside, etc. I would think you could get more than enough weight that way. Worth checking into.
Posts: 187 | From: Milton, NC | Registered: Apr 2003
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WL, that might just work if they will spine out heavy enough, but it's doubtful. Besides, I really want to do this hunt with wooden arrows--maybe I'm just nuts? I've thought about upping my bow weight to 90 lbs, but I am confident that with my draw length, a very heavy arrow, sharp broadhead, and a longbow that performs as well or better than a lot of recurves on the market, I can get the job done.
The Forgewoods seemed ideal at first, until I talked with the owner. I'm not putting myself in a situation where I might need some shafting on short notice and not be able to get any, or have to wait and wait and wait to even get started. Right now I have two sources for a wood shaft that I believe will meet the requirements, and made by folks that I believe will be able to get them to me in a reasonable length of time.
I still have Grizzly Sticks and the carbon inside a carbon to fall back on if I have to. The Grizzly sticks are tempting anyway--I'll just have to decide after I start shooting.
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Gents- I want to bring this back to the top and inquire as to if any of you have had a chance to try out the GrizzlyStik Safari model that weights in at 15g/inch.I heard that at the SCI (who I don't know) there were some being shown that had a finished weight os about 1000g.Bob Butler.
Posts: 27 | From: Montana | Registered: Mar 2003
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I've shot afew of the heavy ones and they didn't weigh near that much. More along the lines of 750. If they added something to them it would help. All I know is they are really stiff and it required something around a 250gr head to make them fly for me.
-------------------- Troy D. Breeding
Retirement ain't what it's cracked up to be. Posts: 1170 | From: Quincy, OH | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
Maybe I had that wrong and that third shaft is called "Big Five" or somthing like that.I started adding adaptors, inserts,etc., and could get them on paper to 905 at the 15 g. and 30 inches.
Posts: 27 | From: Montana | Registered: Mar 2003
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