The smell of Archery

[John C Keith]

Ahhh… for me nothing screams archery more than the smell of cedar, preferably from some cedar shafts!  I started trad archery about five years ago and made my first wood arrows, out of some PO cedar of course.  I then moved onto laminated birch and ash.  Not sure why, just thought I needed a tougher, heavier arrow.  But I also noted that the few cedars that remain from my first batch seemed to fly better than my hardwoods.

Keep in mind until last year I was not really serious about bow hunting with trad gear.  I would practice for several weeks get real good out to about 12 yards and go for a few days before I would grab the wheels and leave the stick at home.  Not to mention, I was hunting the super tough whitetail deer, so shaft weight should not have been a concern.

That all leads up to January at the Kalamazoo Trad expo.  I skipped passed the hardwoods (which were good arrows, don’t get me wrong) and picked up a few bunches of cedars.  Which leads us to tonight…  where I finally got around to putting some arrows together.

I was sanding the shafts before sealing and caught the wonderful smell coming out of the shafts.  I had to stop myself or could easily sand away the whole shaft, just enjoying the smell.  I cut the nock and point tapers and I was again elated with the smell of archery.  Now to see what they smell like after doing their deed on a whitetail...

Take care
John

[Jon Stewart]

John, I save all my cedar taper shavings in an old cigar box and let the box sit on the archery work bench.  Great  room deodorizer especially after a pot of chili!!!!

[B.O.D.]

John...             I am going the same route.
I have been trying hardwoods for 4 years now; they fly "okay".

I had a dozen custom parallel cedars made up this winter and they outshoot my hardwoods hands down.

I don't notice any more vibration or noise from the lighter arrows than the ash.

I DO notice that they don't drop like a wet-log after 20 yards.

I'm going back to cedar and I'm trying some spruce as well.  
But man; I LOVE the smell of working with cedar.

Howard Hill could have shot ANY arrow wood; he chose cedar.

BD

[snag]

Jon, you eat chili at your work bench?  lol  Just remember proper ventilation is important when working around toxic fumes.

[Orion]

Welcome to the club.  I've been shooting cedar for more than 40 years.  Hard to beat it.  The smell says trad bows and hunting sort of like Hoppes #9 says guns and hunting.  

Can get close to the weight of hardwood shafts by selecting the heaviest (physical weight)cedars in your spine range and soaking them in watco oil, which adds more weight.  Footing with hardwoods also adds weight and strength toward the front and increases FOC.  I use hardwoods when I want a super heavy arrow for big critters, but it's cedar for me 95% of the time.

[laddy]

Meeting of the CSA is in session.  I think Acmes smelled better than Rose City, Rogue Rivers were okay smelling too.  Has anybody sniffed the Wapiti cedars since they took over Rogue River?

[Hot Hap]

I save all my shavings and cut pieces and put them in with my wool clothes to keep the moths from doing their thing. Hap

[donnyjack]

For those of you who were doing the archery thing like I was 40 years ago you might remember when all archery shops smelled like cedar.  It was not only a joy to the eye to walk into those shops with all those beautiful wood bows but the smell was wonderful.  That was what got me into archery and everytime I break a cedar arrow I pick it up and smell it and remember back to those glory days.

[doctari]

I love working with cedar and making cedar arrows too. Mark  

[Harmless]

Love the smell of cedar, my son always know's when I'm making arrow's as soon as he walks in the door

[Okie 1]

I made a knife handle last night from cedar and I almost sanded it to nothing just enjoying the smell.

John

[bayoulongbowman]

Mark , thats pretty ..marco#78

[SOS]

Yeah, but ya gotta admit, cedar doesn't hold a candle to burning feathers for the true scent of archery....  

[Labs4me]

Hi Doc.

Now that's a good looking bowrack!!!      I still like my bowrack more with each passing day. It's awesome and smells good too!!!

[John3]

A nasty wet cold Feb evening... Warm fire going and the smell of POC being worked.
Yes I love trad archery.


John III

[Legolas]

Ah, the smell of carbonglass or freshly broken aluminum...  :confused:      

Paulie

[John C Keith]

Thanks for the comment and laughs.

I shot a few of my new arrows tonight.  One broke on impact with my layered target       ... and another broke against a tree  :eek:   Wouldn't have happened with the harder woods... but they don't smell so good when they break!  

BTW I bought some cheap "seconds" from Lost Nation at the show.  I was told they were seconds and not fit to be sold as good shafts, told to use them as stumpers... just did not expect one to detonate on impact.  Oh well, they are working great for what I intended with them... to learn cresting.

Happy Hunting!

[laddy]

The good fellow I hunt with is a hog farmer, when we take his truck I quite often need to crack a shaft just to survive the ride.

[Fletcher]

Yep, PO Cedar is a great arrow wood and the smell is wonderful.  Interesting tho, it isn't actually a cedar, but of the cypress family.  That doesn't change the important things tho.

[laddy]

Iowa cedars are actually junipers, take that you you..tree namer smarty