Switching from Ash arrows to ????

[Zradix]

Hi!
I'm thinking about changing my arrows from Ash to...another wood. Seems the ash just likes to bend.
I bought them for toughness. But they seems to be a pain to keep straight. What's everybody's thoughts on hickory? If hickory is just as bad maybe its time for me to conform and use cedar...lol. There might be a reason why so many people use em..Also, in general, Can you switch from one type of wood to another as long as your spine is matched with out to much retuning? I realize the trajectory would be different from weight. Thanks all!

[moebow]

Zradix,

Looked at your other post about the trouble you're having with ash.  I've never tried the hardwoods.  If you're looking to change though, you may want to check out sitka spruce (lighter but strong and stable) or douglas fir ( heavier and strong and stable).  That's lighter and heavier related to each other not to ash. Both these shafts need to be straightened during the build process but once finished with a good quality finish, I seldom have issues again.

[Paul Mattson]

Take a look at Surewood Shafts (Dougals Fir).  They will need very little straighting and once straight they stay that way.

  http://www.badgerarrow.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=19&products_id=99&zenid=c0e1df6f80f90abf15135006b313af08

[sou-pawbowhunter]

Laminated birch might be worth a look.

[hvyhitter]

.........or laminated maple.

[Orion]

I agree with moebow.  I personally like birch a little better than ash, but it,too, will bend a little at times, particularly when I carry it in a bow quiver under my arm.  Hickory will, too, but much less so, it seems to me.  Most of the hickory I have has stayed very straight.  Birch is about the same weight as ash;  hickory will be heavier.  Doug fir is a good compromise.  Very tough and almost as tough as ash. And, I agree with Badger Arrow, Surewood makes about the best Doug fir shafts around.  Can probably go with the same spine in Doug fir maybe drop down 5# or so.  Probably need to drop down even more in spine if you go to spruce or cedar because they're physically lighter and recover from paradox quicker than hardwoods. Good luck.

[snag]

Surewood douglas fir shafts...the best you can find today in wood.        You'll probably be able to use the same point weight in relation to the same spine weight. You can always buy a couple of the same spine and a couple in the next stiffer and next weaker spine categories to try out.

[Zradix]

Thanks a lot everyone

[Ham]

My cedar shafts in 80-85# spine are about 30 to 40 grains heavier than my ash shafts although individual lots can vary much more.  I also have some hickory shafts that are some what heavier.  I would need to dig some out to weigh, but I think they are about 50 gr heavier than the ash.  I never did get the hickory arrows straight enough to bare shaft.  Those hickory shafts just seemed to have too much memory.  I found that ash shafts also have memory.  If the ash wasn't too bad from the start, I found a little heat and a good sealer have kept these arrows in good shape for years.  Personally, I swithched to AD Hammerheads this summer.  I'm pleased with weight, NO straightening problems, and I haven't broken an arrow yet.  It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be giving up 50 years of wood!

[Ham]

Sorry, I meant the cedar shafts are lighter than ash.