Hickory arrows

[Wudstix]

I have a good bunch of Hickory made up and fletched arrows that I acquired in trade several years ago.  What is the best way to keep them straight.
 

[Roger Norris]

I had some hickory shafts years ago. Hard, heavy, durable.....but I had a real problem straightening them....honestly I'm not sure if you can

[Pat B]

You might try heat treating them. I do this with hardwood shoot shafts and cane. After straightening I start at one end and apply heat while rotating the shaft and move down towards the other end. A little scorching is acceptable. At the far end steam may appear so be careful not to get burned. After heating the shafts hand straighten them and lay them flat until they cool completely. You may have to do a little more hand straightening after they cool but this usually keeps the shafts straight.
 By heat treating the shafts you also dry them out so the spine may stiffen a bit but a light sanding can bring them back to the correct spine.

[M60gunner]

Like Pat B said, heat. Years ago I made a couple dozen Hickory arrows for a friend who was on his way to Africa. The heat gun was my friend and my Ace roller. I by chance remember reading in Howard’s book about how he used a torch, that seemed extreme so out with heat gun. I do know my friend took a variety of game with those arrows so they must have stayed shootable.

[dnovo]

Any body have a source for hickory shafts that would not be quite so heavy for a 49# longbow?  I'm not wanting to be shouting 7 or 800 grains.

[Wudstix]

Would the heat work since these are already finished arrows?
 

[Pat B]

You will burn the finish off. Heat treating(tempering) works on bare shafting.

[Wudstix]

I'll try to straighten and perhaps put a couple more coats of sealant on.  Tip to feathers.
 

[Lefty]

That's always been the problem with hickory shafts.  They are heavy and strong, but hard to straighten and harder to keep straight.  Heating the bare shaft helps to get them straight initially, but you will still be constantly having to hand straighten them.  My buddy shot them for a while and would tweak each one before each hunt. 

[Wudstix]

Guess I'll try to shoot the straight ones.  Looks like there are several which are straighter.
 

[Pat B]

Can you not hand straighten them? 
You can also use a smooth shank screw driver or something similar to burnish the crown side of the bend. This will compress the grain and in turn straighten the bend.

[Wudstix]

Pat;
I've heard that and will do.
 

[Maclean]

Wud, as M60 said, an Ace roller is your best friend. Worth every penny.

[Wudstix]

MacLean;
Have an ACE Roll-R-Straight headed my way.  Hope to be shooting some of these heavy hitters soon.
 

[Maclean]

MacLean;
Have an ACE Roll-R-Straight headed my way.  Hope to be shooting some of these heavy hitters soon.
 

Good deal.  I think you'll really like it. I tried all the inexpensive shaft straighteners; brass hook, screwdriver shaft, bottle, etc. but nothing works as good as the Ace. I use it more than any other arrow tool that I own.

[Wudstix]

Have about 18 Hickory arrows that I want to put into service.  Full length they are @700 grains without broadhead.  I'll trim them to @29", so should be around 700 grains TAW. 
 

[Pat B]

Get your full length arrows straightened and tempered with heat then cut to length and seal. You can do the fine tuning later with the ACE roller. The tempering will help keep them straight.

[Wudstix]

Pat;
These are already arrows, stained, crested, fletched and ready to go.  Traded for then at some time in the past.  Not precisely sure of the spine, but I usually traded for 70-75-80#.  I have two cut to @29" and they have been shoot through my Big River recurve and D/R longbow.  Have an ACE roll-R-Straight in the mail right now.  These Hickory arrows were in some of my Found Stuff.  Looking forward to some fun times with these arrows and Red Balau I have to make up.  Red Balau are 660 grains @29" tapered on both ends, raw.  Yummy!!!
 

[toddster]

I shot them off and on over the years.  I used an old technique, I think read it in Traditional bowyers bible to take a nail and make some "scores" along and around the shaft, then heat them.  This is what Native amiericans, did, seammed to work okay.