Footed arrow questions

[Bill Tell]

I am still pretty new to all of this traditional stuff and I keep hearing about footed arrows.  It sounds like an arrow with markings every 12 inches to me.  So like my arrows are 2 footed 4 inches.    :p  

What the heck are they?  What makes a footed arrow and why would you want one?

Thanks everyone.

[Orion]

On wood arrows, it involves splicing a piece of hardwood dowel/shaft onto the front end of a softwood (usually Port Orford cedar) shaft.  It increases the FOC of the arrow, though not by much, and also strengthens the shaft immediately behind the point, which is the most likely and critical breaking point.

On carbon and aluminum arrows, a short piece of larger diameter shaft is glued to the original shaft right behind the point for an external foot.

Some carbon arrows I believe are now designed with an internal footing, a gradual thickening of the shaft wall toward the front of the arrow.

[Pat B]

I believe the original footed arrows were done as repairs on broken arrows(wood) when arrow shaft materials weren't readily available. Today it is done primarily for aesthetic reasons as well as increasing the FOC of arrows.     Pat