3/16 past center

[Jesse Peltan]

Is it possible for an arrow to be too stiff when your bow is cut 3/16 past center? I would think that if the arrow lines up with the center of the bow a stiffer arrow means less "archers paradox" or bending increasing speed. What bad effects would too stiff of an arrow have on a bow like this?

[flyfish1]

You still need to go with an arrow suitable for the poundage you are shooting not so much to do with the amount cut past center. If too stiff the arrow will come out and tail right if right handed.I guess i should say yes it is possible. My recurves are 3 /16 past and I still bare shaft etc.. every bow out of the presses.Think spine/poundage, not centershot measuements.

[ishoot4thrills]

Just because a bow is cut past center doesn't mean it's actually past center because you're side plate material may be very thick, possibly causing your bow to actually be less than center or cut to center. I like velcro, except that it's kinda thick, which sometimes causes me to have to go a tad on the weak side in choosing arrows.

[McDave]

There's a lot that goes on when you release the arrow.  I'll bet that if you had one of those ultra-fast videos of your arrow, it would wiggle like a piece of spagetti when you shot it, even though you have it lined up as close to center-shot as you can get it.

One of the things that goes on when you shoot with fingers is that the string rolling off your fingers throws the rear of the arrow to the left (for a RH shooter).  This is one of the reasons you really don't want your arrow completely center-shot for a finger release.  Having the front of the arrow a little left of center helps to offset the leftward movement of the nock.

There are a lot of other things that go on when you release the arrow.  Fortunately, you don't have to know what all of them are, because when you bare shaft tune you can deal with results and not causes.

[Bjorn]

Too stiff is too stiff, whether your bow is cut to center or past. My bow is cut 3/16 past and needs lots of spine. I figure you can add 15# of spine for 3/16 past, compared to center cut.

[Orion]

I agree with Bjorn on both points.  On my ACSs, which are cut 3/16 past center, I have go go with at least 15# more spine than bow weight.