Hickory arrows or something heafty...

[Legolas]

Anyone shooting heavy wood arrows? I would like to get more penetration than my Cedars. I have tried hex shafts and could not get them to shoot out of my bow.
Hickory or what?

Paul

[the Ferret]

Paul hickory is a good choice for being heavy and tough, the problem with hickory is getting them, and keep them straight. If oyu're one of those guys that's super picky about having straight shafts you might consider another shaft material. I've heard lodge pole pine is nice but have no expereince with it personally.

[Stone Knife]

Try laminated birch, It's heavy can be straightened with a little heat and is tough. I tried some but it was to heavy for my 48# bow it dropped like a rock. Otherwise i really liked it.

[Aeronut]

I've never used any laminated shafts but here is a smapling of woods I have used.

Poplar is a little heavier and a little tougher than Cedar and is easy to straighten.  I like this wood for making shafts for everything...target, flu-flu's, and hunting.

Lodge Pole Pine, AKA Chundoo, makes some good shafts.  It's easy to straighten, takes stain well, and is a little heavier than Poplar.

I'll list Birch next.  It is a little heavier than LPP and is a little tougher.  I've made nutters from Birch and bounced them off of all kinds of things.

Hickory & Ash are tough and are about the same in weight being heavier that LPP and Birch.  They are about the same for straightening and grain runout is not as critical with Hickory.  It will take a really good shock before breaking.

If you are looking for heavy, tough shafts get some Ipe (pronounced ee-pay).  Ipe is a Brazilian Walnut and is a very dense, hard wood.  Ipe's specific gravity is heavieer than water, it won't float.  For an idea of weight.......5/16" diameter - 66-70# spine - 36" long shaft will weigh around 800 - 850 grains.

There are others exotics around such as Bulletwood and Purpleheart that are lighter than Ipe but heavier than Hickory.

Dennis

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Ash is heavy 627grn arrow ( 60-65# 27"BOP selfnock 160grn points 11grn of feathers )

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Originally posted by Aeronut:
If you are looking for heavy, tough shafts get some Ipe (pronounced ee-pay).  Ipe is a Brazilian Walnut and is a very dense, hard wood.  Ipe's specific gravity is heavieer than water, it won't float.  For an idea of weight.......5/16" diameter - 66-70# spine - 36" long shaft will weigh around 800 - 850 grains.
Dennis

I would like to try some of them shafts

[hormoan]

Ramin  

[Shakes.602]

Right On Hormoan!!    Ramin  is where its at!!      

[portugeejn]

I have had some good experience with Douglas Fir shafts being heavier (and tougher) than Port Orford Cedar.

RonP

[Legolas]

Thanks for all the advice. I think I'll call Allegany Wood and see what they have.

Paul

[Barney]

Twig Archery used to sell some called "passthrough hardwoods". Can't remember exactly what they were but I like them.

[San Juan Slim]

Paul,

I just finished making my second half dozen hickory arrows.  I bought the shafts from Allegheny.  The first half dozen was relatively straight.  I bought two dozen and found six that were straight enough to make arrows right away.  I shot them half the summer and into the fall.  I didn't hunt with them--mainly because I was hunting with my 16 year old son and never bought a license.  The second half dozen were very crooked.  I got a heat gun and really had little trouble straightening them.  They have been straight after I sealed them for a month or so now.  I just fletched them a few nights ago.  I shoot full length shafts (32") and they weigh about 875 grains with a 160 grain head on them.  The first ones I made were tough as nails.  I finally broke one and lost a couple while stump shooting.  The guy at Allegheny was great to work with and even called me back several weeks after I called him to let me know he had some 100# spine shafts for me.  Next year it's my son's turn to call for me and I am going to hunt elk with the hickory arrows.  They should be real wapiti killers.

Mike

[Bjorn]

Shaft diameter has a big effect on penetration, and not all cedars weigh the same either. If you have a good supplier you can ask for heavier shafts and have them tapered-fore and aft. The glossy finish will create 'suck' too. Boat racers wet sand the gloss with 400 grit for a dull slick finish-that should help us too.........but at the end of the day where you stick it, will determine if you get two holes or just one!

[jon]

My hunting partner swears by his hickory shafts for a heavy, tough arrow. Took a dozen to Africa 2 years ago and brought back 7 animals. The biggest being a Zebra and a nice Kudu bull. He had pass throughs on everything except the Zebra. He was shooting a RD laminated longbow of his own design that pulled 47# @ his 29" draw. If memory serves me, his arrows weighed something like 850 grains.

Jon

[Legolas]

I appreciate all the comments, sounds like a heavy arrow gets the penetration. My shots are going to be under 20 yards so they won't drop much.

Paul
I called Twig Archery as they are in the same area code.

[Stone Knife]

Why don't you give Hickory creek a call? He's a sponsor here

[Legolas]

Stone Knife,
Brilliant! Thanks for the idea.
Dennis of Hickory Creek fixed me up.
Now I will have a Guinness.

Paul