Old/new cedar shafting

[vtmtnman]

I've heard quite a bit on here about how the cedar shafts today are not of the same quality as years ago.

Exactly what is different about them?

-Tighter grain?

-Better spine/weight matched?

-Better QC at the factory?

[lpcjon2]

This should be interesting hear.

[Tsalagi]

I might be wrong, but I heard that the supply of POC isn't as plentiful as years ago and, so, this kind of limits the makers to what's available.

Darn shame, my brother-in-law cut down a dead POC in his yard and it went for firewood.

[Jim Curlee]

Your brother must live in south-western Oregon.
Years ago all of the POC arrow shafts were taken from downfall. From what I was told it was all on Federal land, so no impact logging. They went in on foot cut the logs into 36" long bolts, these were then helicoptered out.
Not sure if any of this, was because of the Spotted Owl, remember that?
So alot of the cedar of yesteryear was probably first growth downfalls.
They were not allowed to cut standing live POC.
They are now, allowed to cut standing cedar, alot of it grows on private land. POC is somewhat rare.
The shafts were a tighter grain, and heavier.
I was at Rose City 8-10 years ago they were still cutting, and doweling on the same machinery that started the place.  
Another thing is that they never used to kiln dry the cedar, now they are, because they are cutting live tree's.
They still make a great arrow.
Jim

[StanM]

I grew up an hour south of the town of Port Orford, Oregon.  I've been lucky enough over the years to pick up shafts that were made in the 50's or 60's.  In general, the grain is usually tighter than what I can get now.  It is also insanely straight grained.

Stan

[Orion]

The biggest difference I see is grain straightness, or lack of it.  The grains runs off badly on a lot of the stuff I see today. That's partly a function of poorer quality wood available, but also quality control in the manufacturing.  Not as much high spined cedar available today either, though there is still some.  Spine is fairly closely related to grain tightness.  Generally the tighter the grain, the higher the spine, but not always. Not a big point, but ACME, no longer in business, used to put a nice burnish on their shafts.  Made the outside of the shaft a little more resistant to nicks and scuffs, but also made them more difficult to stain.

[rickshot]

About 20 years ago I had the fever bad, went looking for dusty old-stock cedar shafts and what I found was consistently straight grained with tight growth rings. I can also remember, more than 20 years before that, occasionally tripping across higher spine weights in 5/16 shafts…thought that was as good as it gets. Never thought it would end…go figure. Rick.

[lpcjon2]

Can any of the other cedars be used for shafts red,or white cedars? We have tons of sedar in Jersey

[Bjorn]

POC makes the best arrow shafting-the other Cedars are unsuitable.
The rule for Premium shafting was/is 23" of arrow shaft woth parallel grain and without runouts-(pointy things in the grain).
Today the suppliers don't follow that because the selection of good POC just is not as plentiful.
IMO you are better off buying Doug Fir from Surewood.