Arrow life

[Vroomvroom]

Suppose each type or arrow may dictate their longevity.  But I was curious as to how often fellows get new arrows.   How long has a dozen arrows lasted?   

[The Whittler]

If their not bent, broken, or lost their good to go. I still have some that close to 40+ years. I bought/buy new arrow shafts so I could/can use up feathers, it's always nice to have new bright arrows to show off. :-)

[Vroomvroom]

Ha. Yes it is. Might find myself shooting into brick walls just so I can make more…

[durp]

I'm hard on arrows...I like shooting stuff that ain't made of foam or hay and in places that look like where im gona hunt not my yard...so I make a couple dozen woodies a year 

[Maclean]

I'll typically make up 2 dozen woodies a year. But I also have some that are at least 20 years old.

[Vroomvroom]

Yeah so once a year there’s 100-200$ spent in arrows.     I haven’t used wood in 25 years, though I’d like to try them again.   Must be a million of them under the ground where I grew up.  Wasn’t many of my grandfathers barns I didn’t have an arrow sticking out of.   Back then though, no internet, they were hard to come by, broke a lot, and no real way to fix them.   And no money.  Eventually I got aluminum, but again, I didn’t have judo points etc, they were expensive and after losing or breaking a few I stuck to hay bails etc and it lost its fun after a while. Since getting back into it though, with carbons, tools/gear to repair or make my own, and good stumping heads.   It’s pretty good

[Sam McMichael]

Like some of the guys have mentioned, I have some well over 20 years old. Usually, before I lose or break an entire dozen, I make a new batch and set the remnants of the old set aside, causing them to be around for a long time.

[Pat B]

I bought my Treadway bow in 1998 and made a set of POC arrows just for it. I estimated I shoot 10,000 arrows through that bow("First Blood") that first year and shot it many times afterwards. I rarely shoot First Blood any more but I still have 6 of the original arrows. She is called First Blood because that was my first trad kill.

[Vroomvroom]

Tough arrows.   I may visit my parents house to look for some old aluminum’s I had 30 years ago. Curios if I can rebuild them. Even feathers are gone

[Badlands]

My experience is similar to those above.  I am not at all picky about what I shoot at so I break or loose a few every now and then. I probably make up another couple dozen woodies a year but I have dozens of older ones laying around that I use out of this bow or that bow or use when trying to figure out what a new bow likes.

[Vroomvroom]

I haven’t shot wood arrows in 30+ years.   They were cheaper arrows than as there was no real archery store here. How do the wood arrows hold up?  Are they similar to tune?

[Gordon Jabben]

Not long, I squirrel hunt. 

[Vroomvroom]

You eat them? What kind are you hunting? We only have reds.    I just made 3 spiral wound fluflus.   They go 35 yards aimed up at a 45 angle from my 55lb martin savannah.  Most shots on squirrels here would be7-10 yards

[LookMomNoSights]

I haven’t shot wood arrows in 30+ years.   They were cheaper arrows than as there was no real archery store here. How do the wood arrows hold up?  Are they similar to tune?

I think your biggest concern with wood arrows if they are OLD,  is the nock.  Glues can make them brittle over time,  degrading the plastic,  and of course how much those nocks where shot.  How arrows are stored can matter too,  for the fletching and nocks.   A plastic nock replacement is a 2 second job done by anyone.  So long as there are no cracks or splits anywhere in the shaft,  Id say the wood (when properly sealed) is shootable darn near forever.  Carbon and aluminum,  goes without saying...... last forever.  It's your arrow components that might need to be updated.

[Badlands]

I've had good luck with Douglas Fir.  They don't smell as nice a POC when you break one but they are tougher. I've never shot a carbon arrow so I don't know how they compare to them.

[Pat B]

I use only self nocks now and never had one break but I've had plenty of plastic nocks break.

[M60gunner]

I have more arrows than God, least that is what wife says. Some go back to the 80’s, wood, aluminum. Just acquired some carbons from the late 90’s. My 2020’s go back to mid 80’s. I have refurbished a number of them multiple times. Long as they’re straight they are good to go. I do change out old nocks and re glue inserts and points on woods. Just refurbished 10 Bear 8.6 Metric Magnums. Seems I am always putzing with arrows.

[Vroomvroom]

What string do you use on the fletching and self nocks?

[Pat B]

Mine are wrapped with sinew but silk thread or any thin, strong thread works, set in glue.
 If you make reinforced self nocks with a spline in them they don't need to be wrapped.

This arrow has a rawhide spine in the self nock. I did wrap it too be it isn't necessary. I think I used artificial sinew for the wrap.

[Vroomvroom]

Spine in the nock?  Interesting.  I suppose the price varies with shaft material and quality. How much does it take to build a dozen?