Wood arrows & R/H vs. L/H ????

[Old York]

The over-analytical geek in me says a wood arrow shaft with proper rift [aka grain run-out] orientation for a right-handed archer will become reversed 180 degrees when used by a left-handed archer.

[I.O.W., the little <<<<< & >>>>>'s will reverse their 12 & 6 o'clock positions]

Am I all wet or is this correct?  

[BodarkOkie]

You're not even damp, Tim!  

[jhansen]

If I understand your question correctly, the answer is "no".  If the nock is oriented correctly with the grain then this does not change if the arrow is flipped 180 degrees.  The relationship of the nock and the grain remain the same.

John

[Old York]

In the case of the r/h archer, the cock feather points left (9 o'clock). The rifts are oriented correctly so in case of shaft breakage, the rear part of arrow slides up and over the front part of arrow. Standard procedure for building a woodie.

Now take that same arrow & have a l/h archer nock it on his bow. That cock feather now points right (3 o'clock) and I'm saying that the rift orientation has rotated 180 degrees; a broken arrow shaft will now have the rear part slide under the front part and conceivably into the bow arm or hand.

N.B.! The parallel, horizontal grain in both cases remains parallel, as it should. I'm talking rift/grain-runout here, not the usual parallel grain business.

It's a fine point but it's a safety concern too.
If I'm thinking this through correctly, arrows should thus be made taking into account if the archers are righties or lefties.

Man, I gotta lairn how to post pics & doodles.

[Jack Skinner]

Way over analizing.

The V's will be at the top and bottom of a properly aligned (nock/cock feather)shaft as it sits on the arrow shelf of the bow ready to shoot. The straight grain will be against the side plate. There can be small differences in the spine from the V side of a shaft to the straight grain side, but usually not much. But all shafts are spined to shoot from the straight grain side which of the two sides makes no never mind.

Now dry off and go shoot  

[Old York]

I know the V's will remain on the top & bottom, I'm saying they will become reversed in the direction they point....and that's my er ah...point!

[Jack Skinner]

So if the V's in the run off are pointing towards you wrist/hand this is a concern to you. Then yes I would say turn the shaft and nock taper the end with the V's pointing toward you.

But I have seen a lot more carbon shafts shot into wrist and hands then wood.

I have never found this to be a concern. But a interestng POINT.

[Old York]

I bring all this brou-haha up because of some books I've seen with drawings carefully showing what happens when the arrow breaks & goes into the hand, etc., etc.

and so I was wondering if arrowsmiths ask their customers if they're right-handed or left handed.

Hell being a geek, ain't it? [grin]

[Old York]

Thanks BodarkOkie!

[Steve P]

I had thought about this before, Old York, related to cock feather in or out. Same 180 degree rotation.


Steve

[Art B]

You got it correct Old York.-ART B

[Grey Taylor]

When building a new arrow, the shaft stays the same, nock index and feathers change 180dg.
If you take the same arrow made one way and shoot it the other way, yes. The rifts change 180dg.
And this is something I check when I make arrows for someone.

Guy

[Fletcher]

I orient them opposite for left or right hand shooters.  Orient the nock index or cock feather so the rift "pointers" on the top of the arrow point away from the shooter.  

Then some guy will decide to shoot cock feather in and mess up your plan.

[Orion]

If you're talking cedar shafts, one should put the straighest grain/end of the shaft on the nock end.  In fact, if the shafts are selected carefully, there should be practically no grain run out the entire length of the shaft, but what there is should be positioned toward the front third of the shaft.  Grain runout also leads to bends in the shaft, and they're easier to straighten there than under the fletching.  It's becaue good arrowsmiths build their arrows this way that wood arrows seldom break if they're spined properly for the bow.  That being said, it's becoming very difficult to find good grain in cedar shafts nowadays.  Grain runout is quite prevalent in hardwoods, but they seem tough enough that they don't break because of it.

[George Tsoukalas]

You are right, Old York, it would be reversed for a lefty. But these<<<<<<<<<<<<<<