wood shaft users???

[stringstretcher]

I have lots of cedar and other wood shaft that are just way to heavy for me to use.  How many of you shoot just parrallel shafts,how many shoot nock tapered shafts, and how many of you shoot a barrell tapered shaft.  Of the two tapered shafts which one works best and why?

[30coupe]

Just parallel shaft for me. They work well, so I see no need to change.

[STEVE R.]

I vote for the parallel. Shot both nock tapered and parallel. I shoot a centershot recurve,so there is no advantage to shooting tapered shafts,and they are harder to keep straight. I do think tapered are better on hill type longbows. JUST MY OPINION

[Orion]

I 've shot both tapered and parallel shafts for years.  When properly tuned to the bow, they both fly very nicely and most couldn't tell any difference between them.  Theoretically, tapered shafts recover faster and perhaps vibrate a little less on impact, resulting in slightly better penetration, but again, I think the difference is so small as to be negligible.

Tapering doesn't reduce the spine very much, from not at all to about 3# plus or minus on most shafts.

When my current supply of tapered shafts is used up, I'll go back to parallel shafts for the additional physical weight they provide.  Tapering removes about 30 grains, plus or minus from a 11/32 shaft.

Keep in mind, too, that almost all carbon and aluminum shafts are not tapered.  They seem to work pretty well.

You can soften the dynamic spine of a heavy shaft by using heavier points and/or leaving the shaft longer.

If you have an arrow flite problem, it may not be related to spine.  With cedars, I've found that I can overspine by 10# with standard weight heads, say 125-140 grains or so, and by 20# with heavier heads, say in the 160-175grain area, with my longbows, and most of them are not centershot.  With centershot recurves, you should be able to overspine by almost any amount.  Good luck.

[Fletcher]

I have come to prefer tapered shafts for all my shooting, unless I'm shooting 5/16 shafts, and I've considered tapering them to 9/32.  On 23/64 shafts I will taper the point end to 11/32.  Tapered shafts just shoot nicer for me.  I believe they recover from paradox quicker and I like the increase in FOC.

[Tater]

I shot parallel Cedars for years, but a few years ago I switched to Tapered Doug Fir, I get a heavier mass weight arrow with a little better foc and I can tell a difference in how they recover from paradox.

[Bjorn]

I shoot them all but prefer a hunting tapered cedar shaft, I like how they fly and the slimmer front may even help with penetration.

[varmint]

I shot parallel for awhile,but now prefer tapered,knock end only.Use tapered on my heavy birch and on my POC shafts.Just like the way they fly better..........

[Alex.B]

I shoot nock tapered shafts, preferably made of compressed cedar. they shoot as well as my grizzlystyks

[Rico]

I have parallel shafts that I taper myself. I prefer to make the weight difference up using a heavier head so I start with a stiff spine. You end up with a  heavy arrow with more FOC

[Eric Krewson]

I have found that tapered shafts fly the best out of my selfbows so I taper every shaft I use. I shoot what ever I can find cheap, cedar, poplar, chundo and an occasional reworked vintage arrow. I can turn a pretty rough shaft into a jewel with my heat gun, taper jig and a little sandpaper.

[TexMex]

I shoot both tapered shafts and parallel.

[Big Dave]

I've shot all 3 and currently use parallel because I use 5/16 shafts. I had some heavy barreled tapered shafts that I could sand the center until I had exact matched spine except a few ,that if I got the spine where I wanted it ,they would be smaller in the center than on the ends, so I didn't use those.   :D    :D

[Stone Knife]

I like 5/16 parallel compressed cedar, they fly like darts out of my Hill

[Dave Lay]

mainly tapered cedar but out of habit more than anything, parallel has always worked great as well..