wood arrow popularity

[Stumpkiller]

I see Ron's point, and it is a valid one.  I guess he's thinking that starting out with wood is like buying a car with ignition points and Zerk lubrication fittings.  If you work on them yourselves it is harder, and you need to own a timing light and grease gun - but who can repair electronic ignition anyway?  It is a step harder and in the "wrong direction" for newbies than for those of use who grew up with nothing else and don't know no better.  

But why learn something you'll cast aside?  If you whomp up a dozen cheap, unadorned woodies and lose one over the bales you're embarassed.  If you put a $10 carbon in the grass you're still out at midnight on your knees with a flashlight, cussin.

[snag]

If I loose a wood arrow it just means I get to make another one! Yeppie!  Just never felt that way with non-wood arrows.

[Stumpkiller]

That reminds me.  I have to whip up a dozen fir shafts.  Sittin' on the deck with a beer tapering shafts and watchin' the chickens forage.  Good times.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by voltradhunter:
 

attention newbies - stick with alums or carbons when starting on your trad journey.  if it leads you to woodies - as you gain form, consistency, and confidence - that's just fine and a very natural progression.

I understand why you would make such a recommendation but I would modify it slightly by saying that you should start with carbon, or aluminum, or a set of well made, well matched, wooden arrows that are +/- 10 grains, +/- 2 pounds of spine, from a reputable arrow maker like Joe Lorenz, or Paul J. (elite arrows), etc. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a newbie starting out with a quality set of wood arrows. [/b]

there is everything wrong about a newbie starting off with a shaft material that is far too easy to go out of round - that will be far more difficult to happen with varbon or carbon.  as a newbie, i'd wanna know that it was my bad form that caused the arrow to miss and not because the arrow was the culprit.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by bsoper:
"attention newbies - stick with alums or carbons when starting on your trad journey. if it leads you to woodies - as you gain form, consistency, and confidence - that's just fine and a very natural progression."

Thanks for the advice, Rob. Although woodies are less complicated. Carbon and aluminum have a million different sizes and every company is different. Also, most manufacturers and the people who sell them don't have a clue about using them with trad gear. So while carbons/aluminum are more consistent for a newbie, like myself, to learn with, they are overwhelmingly difficult to figure out which to buy.

then use alums instead of carbons - they're relatively easy to size out.

[LimbLover]

I'm with Rob on this one. I feel it is crucial in that first year to use the most consistent equipment possible. Simply because a real bad day in the woods or at the range can set your progress back weeks. Nothing worse than shooting poorly and not being able to pinpoint why. You can pick up some REAL bad habits.

I started out with carbons and shot the same 6 for months. I abused the hell out of them. I then moved to aluminums for the weight and price. I moved back to carbons because I was bending too many aluminums.

I did the "unthinkable" last year and switched to woods, buying a custom made and matched set from Fletcher. Then I started building my own. Even my Dad (Ripforce) thought I was nuts at first. I took a lot of jeers and endured a lot of laughter behind my back. Still do. I'm one of two guys that shoots them exclusively at my local range. I was the ONLY guy in league that shot them last year and came in 3rd overall.

I am absolutely addicted to making them. It is my passion. And they have the natural weight, forgiveness, and quietness that no other shaft on the market has. I also find them to be easier to work with and understand. More durable than folks give them credit for too. I had the notion that they were extremely fragile before buying a set. I've only broke two.

Nothing like a D-style longbow and a set of woodies in the quiver. Can't beat it in my book.

[BRITTMAN]

I love my wood arrows especialy out of my Longbow , the two just go together .

[bigbadjon]

For the guys that have trouble sizing carbons and aluminums, if you're not using Stu Miller's Dynamic Spine Calculator you are making things harder for yourselves than necessary.

[bsoper]

Originally posted by bigbadjon:
For the guys that have trouble sizing carbons and aluminums, if you're not using Stu Miller's Dynamic Spine Calculator you are making things harder for yourselves than necessary.

That is even more complicated for a newbie.

[Ed Q]

For safety reasons, I mostly shoot aluminum.  They may bend more easily, but I've heard they're less prone to shattering into your bow hand like carbon and wood if you don't check your arrows for stress cracks and nicks:

 

[bigbadjon]

All you do is plug in your bow stats and it generates a good starting point for your required spine. Then you can plug in arrow and component combinations til you see one that works for you. Nothing to it I assure you.

[bigbadjon]

Ed Q if you are not checking your arrows for defects you have no one to blame for injury but yourself. An injury like that pictured probably was not caused by a cracked arrow either.

[Ed Q]

Even so, I really enjoy shooting bamboo and wood just for the sheer "traditional" aspect of it all.  Here are some woods I made:

 

 

[Ed Q]

Originally posted by bigbadjon:
Ed Q if you are not checking your arrows for defects you have no one to blame for injury but yourself.

Words of wisdom BigbadJohn!  I check mine, but you never know.  Just don't want an injury like that to happen to me, so I shoot mostly aluminum.  By the way, if you do a google search for "carbon arrow injuries," you'd be surprised at what you find, besides the gory pics and all.  I've since stayed away from carbon, and I definitely check my woods and bamboo the few times I shoot them.

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

There's no reason wood arrows can't be made to the same spine and weight tolerances as carbon or aluminum. Any good, quality arrow craftsman should be able to match them for you.

[bigbadjon]

I've seen lots of pictures like that one and I would wager that almost all of them are related to overdraws. But if you never shoot carbon arrows you certainly will never get a carbon through the hand... unless shot by a fellow archer.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by Jason R. Wesbrock:
There's no reason wood arrows can't be made to the same spine and weight tolerances as carbon or aluminum. Any good, quality arrow craftsman should be able to match them for you.

absolutely totally correct.  those are the pre-production woodie issues - spine and mass weight - and i've built sets of completed woods to with a few percent of both values.  not a big deal to achieve.

the essential post production problem is in keeping a woodie straight.  this is where the rubber meets the road and where woods can too easily fail.  plus, will the shaft be affected by weather/environment?  this is why byron ferguson went from wood to alum.

[voltradhunter]

Originally posted by Rob DiStefano:
 

Originally posted by voltradhunter:
 

attention newbies - stick with alums or carbons when starting on your trad journey.  if it leads you to woodies - as you gain form, consistency, and confidence - that's just fine and a very natural progression.

I understand why you would make such a recommendation but I would modify it slightly by saying that you should start with carbon, or aluminum, or a set of well made, well matched, wooden arrows that are +/- 10 grains, +/- 2 pounds of spine, from a reputable arrow maker like Joe Lorenz, or Paul J. (elite arrows), etc. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a newbie starting out with a quality set of wood arrows. [/b]

there is everything wrong about a newbie starting off with a shaft material that is far too easy to go out of round - that will be far more difficult to happen with varbon or carbon.  as a newbie, i'd wanna know that it was my bad form that caused the arrow to miss and not because the arrow was the culprit. [/b]

I'm not the sharpest broadhead in the quiver but one of the first skills I taught myself when I started shooting wooden arrows was how to roll one on the kitchen counter and watch for it to wobble. ;-)

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally posted by voltradhunter:
 

Originally posted by Rob DiStefano:
 

Originally posted by voltradhunter:
   

quote:attention newbies - stick with alums or carbons when starting on your trad journey.  if it leads you to woodies - as you gain form, consistency, and confidence - that's just fine and a very natural progression.

I understand why you would make such a recommendation but I would modify it slightly by saying that you should start with carbon, or aluminum, or a set of well made, well matched, wooden arrows that are +/- 10 grains, +/- 2 pounds of spine, from a reputable arrow maker like Joe Lorenz, or Paul J. (elite arrows), etc. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a newbie starting out with a quality set of wood arrows. [/b]

there is everything wrong about a newbie starting off with a shaft material that is far too easy to go out of round - that will be far more difficult to happen with varbon or carbon.  as a newbie, i'd wanna know that it was my bad form that caused the arrow to miss and not because the arrow was the culprit. [/b]

I'm not the sharpest broadhead in the quiver but one of the first skills I taught myself when I started shooting wooden arrows was how to roll one on the kitchen counter and watch for it to wobble. ;-) [/b]

where's yer kitchen counter when yer out hunting?

look, this is simple stuff, woodies just can't take the punishment that the nasty shaft material arrows can.  

i can build and shoot woods with some darned good accuracy at hunting distances, which is all i can ask for.  i know what i'm doing.  newbies, for the very most part, don't have time to think about arrow straightness nor will they hit the butt every time.  newbies and woodies are not a smart combination.

[LimbLover]

My kitchen counter is the biggest liar I know. ; )

Tapering correctly is another issue that can be overlooked. I've spent hours trying to get a shaft to spin without wobble. An improperly glued nock can cause nightmares as well. I would hate to have been a newbie and worry about things like that.

I think some of the guys who have been building arrows awhile forget about this stuff.

Remember what it was like the first time you drew - even something as simple as keeping the arrow on the rest was hard. I'm only 2 years removed from that and it is hard to recall.