Longbows, wood arrows

[Squirrel Hunter]

Worth the trouble to me. Aside from the intangible benefits, they can make a better arrow. My woodies are as straight as carbons because I straighten them repeatedly for 2-4 months before making the arrows and throw away the ones that don’t stay straight. They are matched to 1 lb spine difference; all it takes is a homemade spine tester and sandpaper. They are matched to +/- 2 grains; I do that by starting with closely matched shafts and varying the coats of finish.  They shoot quieter than any other material. My pine and light fir arrows are almost as tough as carbon; heavier fir, birch and hickory are usually tougher. Main disadvantages are that you have to periodically check and restraighten, and that it’s more work to make a good set compared to carbon or Al. I shoot carbons sometimes for convenience but always use wood for hunting of serious competition.

[Tajue17]

Wood arrows have a beauty and personality that boring carbons will never even come close to resembling. 
Being honest I do shoot carbons from some bows mostly FF recurves that i dont shoot much but longbows its mostly woods and selfbows its only woods….  woods to me are just nicer arrows and they have a personality some are a real pain in the butt. And i only tune woodies with broadheads which get dull then have to resharpen and it takes awhile but you kind of bond with those finished woodies especially arrow #1 that you talk to alot of the time in the deer stand and they are just fun.

[NY Yankee]

What the pro-wood guys have posted is correct. I think it's funny how the carbon arrow guys will tell you wood arrows are fragile and always warped. It's a rare event if I break an arrow and rare too that I have to straighten one. I always refer to the warning put on carbon arrows about checking for cracks and reading the manufacturers instructions for doing so. They are not indestructible either.

[PrimitivePete]

What the pro-wood guys have posted is correct. I think it's funny how the carbon arrow guys will tell you wood arrows are fragile and always warped. It's a rare event if I break an arrow and rare too that I have to straighten one. I always refer to the warning put on carbon arrows about checking for cracks and reading the manufacturers instructions for doing so. They are not indestructible either.

I'll second this, I shoot wood arrows and stump shoot all off season, most of the time the worst that happens is a bust a nock

[Ben Maher]

I shoot all kinds of arrow material , but at heart , I’m a wood arrow kinda chap.

Not really sure why , it’s aesthetic , it’s a weird emotional connection I make to each arrow I build . They fly quiet , are way tougher than most think and just go hand in hand with Longbows .

It’s a little bit - if you have to ask , you wouldn’t understand kinda deal.

Wood arrows are for the cool kids who sit up the back of the bus

[GCook]

I break wood arrows.  I break carbon arrows.  That said it doesn't hurt near as much to break a carbon shafts. When I break a wood shaft I cringe.

[NY Yankee]

I break wood arrows.  I break carbon arrows.  That said it doesn't hurt near as much to break a carbon shafts. When I break a wood shaft I cringe.

If and when I break a wood arrow, I snap of the point, put it in my pocket, drop the rest of it by a tree and leave it for nature to recycle. I can make more later. Damage a carbon arrow and you have to take it back to put in the trash.

[LookMomNoSights]

Hate to start something, but are wood arrows worth the trouble, or are they not that much trouble? I just can’t see an obvious pro that sticks out over carbon stuff these days. Are wooden arrows just a personal thing or is there an advantage or is the advantage iffy with all bows/shooters, etc. I can’t imagine working up a set of woodies for many bows, but have always loved the look of a fine wooden arrow crested with bright paint.

Wood arrows have a mystique about them that is often times difficult or impossible to describe.  There's no trouble with one or the other,  they are simply 2 different animals to build and how they feel to shoot.  If someone was only used to shooting aluminum and carbon and had never shot a wood arrow,  they owe it to themselves to at least try ......  and I'm talking arrows built by someone who knows how to,  and to work with a particular bow.  I'm not going to say a wood arrow is ever more durable or straighter or giving you consistent advantage per say with regard to accuracy.   But to many,  the simple feel and sound of them going over the riser and to the target can trump any perceived advantages of the man made material arrows.   I also feel that each wood arrow that is crafted,  has a bit of your soul worked into it,  much more so than simply assembling the other arrows.  You make a good wood arrow,  you've crafted functional art.  And there's pride in there.  Put all the work in to get close to an animal and harvest that animal with 30 inches of handcrafted art, well I think that is another notch up.   I shoot both carbon and wood.  I like carbon.....alot.   But I could never not shoot wood.

[Mark R]

I make my own Bows and arrows, with arrows be it carbon, Wood, or aluminum I  just buy the shafts and go from there, Wood arrows feel the best coming off the bow and I will only hunt with a Wood arrow and Bow I made Myself just because I like it.  If you buy ready made arrows give a matched set of wood arrows a try I think you might feel what other woodies feel when you shoot them. You like the way they look you might like the way they shoot also.

[Wild Bill MCP 808]

Wood arrows are what you make of them, pay attention to details and they will fly great. Love wood arrows!

[Caranthir]

Self made wood arrows, if carefully made, are a part of the archer. They have "soul" partly yours and partly their own. When you fire one downrange, part of you travels with it. Making them is truly a journey of growth and learning in the art and craft of traditional archery in which one can find true satisfaction.

[Vroomvroom]

Much to building wood arrows?  How do you sharpen to glue tips?   I hear of dipping and cresting.   Much to that?

[toddster]

I agree with what everyone else has said, when it comes to the mystique Wood arrows are awesome.  Like many over the decades have used all types of material for arrows:  Wood (bought and self made), Aluminum, Carbon (both when first came out and now) and fiberglass.  From my experience, just as with much of traditional bowhunting, their is more of a connection when use tackle that is self-made.  Every longbow I have owned have loved heavy arrows, which of course gives natural penetration and more energy transfer from the bow.  It boils down to time invested.
For every bow I hunt with, I have a matched set of wood arrows that are heavy, at same time, I know what aluminum and carbon "recipe" works great out of them.
I like carbon for the simplistic nature after get recipe correct, when I do not have a lot of time.  I have found that stump shooting, especially when done hunting, wood arrows are far more durable, I cannot count how many aluminum and carbon shafts have been ate by stumps and trees.

[Wudstix]

For me it is much easier to get a good set of heavy woodies than to fiddle getting the sane weight in carbon.  2219 Easton work ok, but wood is the hunting choice.
 

[Joshua Grimshaw]

Longbows and wood arrows go together; like beer and chicken wings.

[JohnnyBa]

Longbows and wood arrows go together; like beer and chicken wings.

After starting this thread, I have purchased built woodies and ordered a dozen shafts to build my own. Not that it means anything, but I have quite a few bows, all of the cheaper “no name” branding, some recurve, some TD, some one piece wooden bows from reputable boyers. Point is, woodies aren’t just for long bows or just one piece masterpieces, a;; bows seem to love wooden arrows. I think my bottom line is, like shooting, if I put the time in to the making of an arrow, out of any material, it will satisfy me immensely as I watch it fly like a dart to the mark!

[Trusty Shellback]

It just ain’t right shooting anything but wood out of an ASL.