Now I Understand...

[Grey Taylor]

For some time I've been puzzling over guys who said they got 100 shafts and were only able to make seven good arrows out of them.
All I could figure is that these fellows were so extraordinarily picky that they just couldn't be satisfied.
Now I understand.
I've been working with Sitka spruce and Douglas fir shafts from Hildebrand and have been pretty happy. The great majority of these shafts have no grain runout.
Ditto with POC shafts I've gotten from Wapiti Archery. No grain runout.
I recently received four dozen premium POC shafts from another large supplier. I was suprised to see that their included catalog stated premium shafts have grain that follows the shaft for at least 21" before it may run off the shaft. I always thought premium meant no run off.
On this four dozen premium shafts a good number of them have grain run off that does not follow that 21" standard; it's worse. Now I know what people mean when they say they're going to carbon because they can't get good POC shafts any more. My suggestion is to change suppliers, not give up on wood.

Guy

[Rufus]

Be my experience and I agree with your advice. The last dz. I bought from a particular company were sorry. Actually the spine matched, grain was so so but the weight............ the gr wt.was sorry match. A 90 gr. weight difference with 4 of them being at the higher end, 4 more midways and the other 4 at the bottom end. I'll not purchase shafts there anymore.

[ChuckC]

We have a sponsor here who deals with another kind of wood (rhymes with Fouglas Dir I think).  I have only purchased from him twice.  The first time I didn't even straighten the shafts, they were that good, as were all the other parameters.

I just received the second batch and frankly, only rolled one, but in looking them over in the bundle, I am thinking that same thing will happen again.

I have never gotten that from cedar.

Just saying
ChuckC

[Grey Taylor]

I've looked at Surewood's products at events and spoken with them about what they make. They have good stuff, no doubt about it. But I haven't used their shafts and only wanted to comment regarding those I have actually used.
This post was supposed to be less an advertisement and more of an observation.

Guy

['46]

I doubt you will ever get many shafts without runoff if you understand how they are made. The folks running them have to make a profit and can't be THAT particular. Wapiti bought the shaft machines that Rogue River, (Cecil and Paula) brought down from Alaska many years ago. They produced, undoubtedly, some of the finest POC shafts EVER produced for many years. Weight and exact spine noted on each shaft, and burnished to a sheen. I've only purchased a couple dozen from Wapiti and they seem to be of very good quality.
   Whatever shafts you shoot, if thy are of quality and your form is consistent AND they are matched to the bow, they will shoot well. The key word is "consistent" form. So many folks attribute lack of accuracy to their equipment, but shoot a stick, 5 or 10 or 20,000 times or much, much more and be amazed. It ain't something that comes quick.  
Good luck

[Grey Taylor]

Originally posted by '46:
I doubt you will ever get many shafts without runoff if you understand how they are made. The folks running them have to make a profit and can't be THAT particular.

I must be reading something wrong.
I think this means that companies supplying only premium, straight grained shafts will go out of business...?

Guy

[Sal]

Getting 100 premium shafts with no runoffs is quite common with non POC suppliers.


The simple explanation is this:

-People assume that cedar is inherently better than any other wood.
-Since cedar is better, any quality, including bad runout will do.
-Non-poc shafts must be straight grained with no runouts to even begin to compete with inferior cedar.
-Hence, non-poc shafts will have no runouts.  

I rather have straight grain lodgepole pine or sitka spruce, than runoff cedar any day.