23/64 versus 11/32 wood shafts

[Brian Krebs]

I have always it seems shot 11/32 shafts. I am wondering what the advantages and disadvantages are of shooting each - with all other things being equal?

 I shoot a heavy bow; will heavier spined arrows be a better experience in 23/64th over 11/32 ?

 If you prefer one over the other - can you share why ?

       

[Shinken]

Greetings Brian!

I have used both sizes.  I prefer 11/32 with the BHs that I use (5/8s would be even better if they were available on a regular basis) for a combination of better penetration and having the center of the shaft closer to the arrow plate for less archer's paradox on some of the bows that I have owned.  

Having said that I also have used a lot of 23/64 shafts successfully over the years as well, but they can tune differently from 11/32s out of the same bow since the center of the shaft is slightly farther from the arrow plate.

I do prefer having a 10 inch taper on the nock end of the shafts that I shoot now - particularly with hardwoods - as they seem to recover much faster than non-tapered arrows.

Shoot straight, Shinken

[Ric O'Shay]

Shinken - was 5/8s a typo? 'cause that's equal to a 20/32 or a 40/64 shaft..... can you say pool cues?

[Orion]

I'm sure he meant 5/16.  Brian:  I prefer 11/32 for the same reason.  The arrow rides just a tad closer to the center of the bow than the thicker 23/64 shaft.  Most glue on broadhead ferrules are the same size or a little larger outside diameter than 11/32, which aids in penetration compared to a 23/64 shaft, which is usually larger than the broadhead ferrule.  The two advantages the larger shafts have is that they can usually be found in heavier spine and physical weights.  I either soak my 11/32 shafts in watco oil or buy shafts that were compressed from 23/64 shafts to get the physical weight I want.  Very difficult to find 11/32 cedar shafts spined above 75#.  Still fairly easy to find 23/64 cedar shafts up to 90# spine.

[Shinken]

Thank you Ric and Orion!

Indeed it was a TYPO - truly I meant - 5/16s!

I have not tried the cedar with the Watco oil soak to gain mass, but I did read Mr. Holbrook's article recently and found it of interest....  Thanks for pointing that out again Orion.

Thanks again and have a great day!

Shoot straight, Shinken

[Bjorn]

I know it is a small difference; but 23/64 just look so fat compared to 11/32. And yes, it is getting very difficult to find 11/32 in 75-85# so buy all you can when you see them!

[jonsimoneau]

I've never been able to notice any difference of 1/16th of an inch.  Actually, I have heard that the 23/64 size are normally straighter.  If they are 11/32's are supposedly made from 23/64's that did not make the grade.  I'm not possitive on that, but it's just something I have heard.

[Bill Carlsen]

The diameter of a wood shaft needed to obtain a specific spine has to do with where it came from in the tree. Shafts made from a large tree that are milled closer to the heartwood will be denser. In that situation a particular spined shaft can be much smaller in diameter than a shaft from the same tree that is milled from wood nearer the outer layers (sapwood). In general, a good wood shaft can come from only a tree that has straight a straight grain. Changing the diameter of the shaft does not change its quality unless there are surface irregularities, and making the shaft smaller will only decrease the spine.

By the way, most of  my life i have always preferred a smaller diameter shaft. For hunting they are better for penetration. Since they are denser, they are generally tougher. As far as i can see the only benefit to a larger diameter is that if you are competing the larger diameter may give you a higher score because it will more likely "be a line cutter" on those shots close to a scoring ring on a target.

[Brian Krebs]

Thanks everyone !

       

[Tree man]

Bill, You are correct that denser usually equates to stiffer (of course there are many exceptional pieces of wood) as far as denser wood being nearer the heart...sometimes that is true but there is no statistical correlation between  position and density. Wood density is the product of species, individual tree  genetics and growing conditions. Heartwood in trees with a distinct heart tends to be heavier than sapwood due to chemical compounds deposited by the tree.However, basic wood density can be greater near the center or at the outer edge-it simply depends on how the tree was growing and adding material.