First times straightening...

[JD1983]

How many wood arrows did you all break the first time you tried to make a set?  I have broken two shafts and I just broke a fully made arrow because I can't leave well enough alone.  I think I'm being a little too much of a perfectionist with how straight I'm trying to get these things.

The best way to learn something is through trial and error though, right?  It just means I'll have to put in an order for some more POC shafts earlier than expected.

[longstiks]

I broke a few POC while straightening them but after going to hardwoods I don't break them any more   .
Denny

[Killdeer]

I've even broken hardwoods...  :rolleyes:

[kennym]

Better to break in the hand while straitening than while shootin em! I've broke em sitting in my treestand!

[Orion]

Maybe use a little more heat and a little less pressure.  But, as already noted, much better to break in the hand than on the bow.  Also check for grain straightness.  There's a lot of tomato stakes being sold as arrow shafting.  If the grain runs off the arrow on a cedar, that's a real weak spot and likely to break.  Good luck.

[SlowBowinMO]

I don't think your being too much of a perfectionist, your just being a little strong handed or you've got poor shafting.

Gentle repetition and heat help, you'll get it.  Compression straightening also works very well and you're less likely to break a shaft that way.  If you don't mind the burnished spots it's a good option on raw shafts, it'll mess up your finish on a  completed arrow though.

It's amazing how straight you can get a shaft just hand straightening with some practice, keep at it.  

[smokin joe]

In my experience, working a shaft a bit at a time over several days seems to get it straight without causing it to break. I have worked a lot with wood in my life and I would say that wood of any kind -- arrow shafts or whatever -- will respond well to being slowly encouraged over time rather than quickly forced. Take your time and try not to make the wood change shape all at once or all in one day. Remember that anything made of wood was once a living thing.
Joe

[laddy]

I went through dozens of Rogue River shafts and had two that needed a little touch, then I got some straight cedars and OH MY.  The term I believe was tomato stakes?  I wish I would have thought of that because I burned them and now I am short of tomato stakes.  I am using bent aluminums.

[Big Dave]

Ive broken very few, but the ones that broke were bad anyway and would have probably hurt me later. David

[Bjorn]

Sure I have broken one or two over the years........there is nothing more expensive than cheap shafting.
Get the best quality shafts you can find from a good source---you will never regret that when you are making arrows.

[JD1983]

Originally posted by Bjorn:
Sure I have broken one or two over the years........there is nothing more expensive than cheap shafting.
Get the best quality shafts you can find from a good source---you will never regret that when you are making arrows.

I bought it from 3 Rivers, so I don't think it is the shafting that is at fault this time.

[longstick]

get ya self an Ace Roller buddy..best gadget Ive ever bought

[George Tsoukalas]

Better they break while straightening than while you are shooting one. Here's what I usually do. Jawge
 http://mysite.verizon.net/georgeandjoni/