Doug Fir / Sitka Spruce

[Flying Dutchman]

Originally posted by moththerlode:
Stone knife .. What didn't you like ?

X2

[dragonheart]

Love the surewoods!

[STEVE R.]

I agree with Dutch about the cracks.I really do not want to turn this into a debate , but I have tried them all and for some reason returned to cedar.I find spruce breaks easier than cedar,and fir is so so at best.

[Stone Knife]

Originally posted by moththerlode:
Stone knife .. What didn't you like ?

Had several shafts break straight across the grain for no apparent reason, now I don't trust them. I have shot a lot of cedar and Doug fir and like them better. I would never buy Sitka spruce again.

[Big Riser]

BOBTAIL SITKA SPRUCE ARE VERY TOUGH.SITKA SPRUCE IS USED IN SPIERS IN AIRPLANE WINGS ALSO FOR MAST ON THE MOST HIGH PRICED YACHTS.

[snag]

I believe in real world experience. They also make buildings out of laminated beams. Does that mean a laminated shaft is better than a solid wood shaft? No.  I think our experiences with different woods for arrows is what is most important...not boats, airplanes, and beams.

[Flying Dutchman]

Mind you, the cracks or fractures ONLY occur with a obvious reason. i.e when I shoot at full speed in a tree, it can happen. No POC would survive that and break right away in pieces. I experienced that many times. Not only by myself but with lots of other 3D archers. I would say that in 50 % of the cases Sitka DID survive. It seldom breaks in pieces, but cracks or fractures may appear.

But no way that they break without an obvious reason. Shafts don't  break from themselves.

[Stone Knife]

Originally posted by Flying Dutchman:
Mind you, the cracks or fractures ONLY occur with a obvious reason. i.e when I shoot at full speed in a tree, it can happen. No POC would survive that and break right away in pieces. I experienced that many times. Not only by myself but with lots of other 3D archers. I would say that in 50 % of the cases Sitka DID survive. It seldom breaks in pieces, but cracks or fractures may appear.

But no way that they break without an obvious reason. Shafts don't  break from themselves.

Guess again, no solid hits just into a foam target. Bad batch maybe but I have heard of this before.

[AWPForester]

I sincerely like the doug fir real well.  It is tough , stays straight, looks great when stained and sealed and basically is a great wood for arrows.

I also shoot and like the Hildebrand spruce as well.  Tough as nails, holds their alignmenet real well, stains almost exactly like doug fir, and are exactly the right weight I am looking for when I call and get them from Neil.

Here is my expierence with the shafts, which isn't nearly as much as some but has some merit also.  I am shooting the doug fir in 75-85 spine and they are coming out of a 60 pound recurve like a missle.  They hit real hard and make for a dynamite combo.  I am also shooting some 75-80 spine spruce outta that same recurve.

I have yet to break a spruce shaft.  I have broken 4 fir shafts and no spruce shafts.  Now, no more samples or shots that I have of them both it may be a little biased but I have shot the spruce into the same stuff I shot the fir and didn't have a problem.  

Now you have got to understand, I am not shooting the premiuim shafts in the fir as I am in the spruce and they do have a little grain runout in them, so this is probably the difference.  A couple more dollars on ordering day and this wouldn't happen and I am certain of that.

The bottom line is that both are excellent choices and both make dandy arrows that are strong, stay straight, and both are found in a large variety of weights.  And both Surewood and Hildebrand are top notch people bro.  I say get a dozen of each in your spine and weight range, finish them, and you are going to have a real hard time telling the difference in their performance.

God Bless