The switch to wood, any thoughts?

[gringol]

Wood can be just as effective as carbon.  I think the main difference is the time required to build them.  I've shoot woodies my whole life and I find that I always need to have a batch in the works because breaking them is inevitable.  It's true that surewoods doug firs are about the best shaft available, and are unbelievably tough, but you will break them.

The other big difference is that woodies will not handle high foc well.  That's not really a problem imo, just don't expect to put 300 grns up front.  There's a reason so many heads are 125 to 160 grns....

[Blaino]

I have been shooting wood for a year in Jan. so I'm no expert on wood for sure.  There is something that feels very right when shooting a good flying woodie. I think they are a lot easier to tune then carbon. How many tuning questions are asked on this form every few weeks? Now, how many of them are shooting wood? What I like the most is how quiet they are. No seriously, I always thought my setups were quiet until I went to wood.  Wood arrows SCREAMS traditional archery.  Of course that’s just my humble opinion.

[snag]

You really just need to shoot some good wood arrows to answer the question for yourself. I make wood arrows for quite a few guys who have never shot wood arrows or got away from shooting wood quite a few years ago and have come back to them. They always say that they are surprised by the experience. They love the quietness of their bows and that the arrows fly so true.
I think somethings in life you just have to experience for yourself. Try them and then you'll know.

[Frank V]

I keep hearing how carbon is tougher than wood & stands up better. I gave carbon a try & found if you are going to shoot at targets it's ok. When they get worn they will give you splinters pulling them out.
  That's where it ends for me. I've shot them side by side stump shooting & 3D, if you center a stump with a corbon shaft my experience is it'll shove the insert back into the shaft splintering it. A wood arrow might shove the point back onto the shaft, but will rarely splinter or break. A glancing shot from either usually results in a damaged arrow.
   After breaking some very expensive carbon arrows with the same hits that didn't damage my woodies, I quit carbon arrows. I now shoot only wood arrows & think they are best. They are best for me I know.    

[ddauler]

Whats the difference in shooting carbon arrow shafts and shooting a bow with fiberglass on it? I have been at this 30 years started with wood and laminated longbow evolved to building selfbows and putting my own woodies and cane arrows together. Devolved to a black widow SA111 and aluminum and now shoot laminated longbow and carbons. The only difference for me is durability both in laminated bows and carbon shafts. Killed over 30 deer elk and a pig with each. I can assure you neither is anything like a scientific arrow launcher!

[TraditionalGuy]

Originally posted by yearcher:
There is absolutely nothing even remotely traditional about shooting carbon arrows, and that especially includes the ones that say "traditional" on them. It simply boggles my mind why anybody would quit shooting a compound bow to shoot a recurve or longbow and then shoot anything but a wood arrow out of it. Good gosh hundreds of thousands of critters have and still are harvested cleanly with a wood arrow. That said yup carbon and aluminum are better shafts than wood without question.  But why would anyone label themselves "traditional" and then shoot a carbon arrow?  No question they're better but ask yourself this, "why am I shooting a longbow or recurve in the first place?"  It'd kinda be like putting a scope on a fine flintlock rifle. Just my opinion but I've been at this for over 50 years.

I understand exactly what you are saying here and personally agree with every word. The problem is where do you draw the line at traditional? For me, it is a wood longbow and wood arrows. A recurve can't be considered traditional and neither can carbon arrows. However, there are those out there that would take one look at my setup and scoff at me for calling it traditional. What kind of trad guy uses magnus broadhead? they might say. Glue on plastic nock? See what I mean? I really love to shoot wood arrows. I would never shoot anything else and that is my personal choice. Why we do what we do is all about our personal choice. So give both the carbons and woodies a try and decide for yourselves what feels right

[4dogs]

I dont really care if someone puts a "traditional" label on me or not. I shoot a long bow because thats what feels best to me. I dont have to worry about all the gadgets of compounds and I think it is actually a better hunting tool for ME. Woods work well but carbon works better for ME so thats what I use right now anyway. Like said above, get some and try them its really the only way what works best for YOU.

[centaur]

  Who cares? Shoot what you want, and enjoy yourself. I'll keep shooting wood, but I won't feel superior to those who shoot carbon.

[ddauler]

This is fun ain't it. Simple effective bow's longbow, selfbow, recurves. Arrows are just that arrows. Now pulleys fancy sights anything that can be set up and easy to shoot without practice is not traditional.

I am shooting laminated longbows and carbon shafts because I am lazy and need more time to practice and hunt.

Priorities fellas and keeping it simple.

I built some of my arrows from hand made dowels used cut self nocks etc. I also make some bows with a hatchet some with a bandsaw.

Now recurves ain't traditional but a laminated longbow is gimme a break....

Sinew backed recurves....

[trubltrubl]

wood vs carbon
camo vs plaid
scent blocks vs none
recurve vs longbow vs selfbow

all personal choices lets not argue over what is traditional..there are degrees of traditional

choose yours and don's point fingers
enjoy hunting or shooting a traditional bow

cheers

[Frank V]

Originally posted by trubltrubl:
wood vs carbon
camo vs plaid
scent blocks vs none
recurve vs longbow vs selfbow

all personal choices lets not argue over what is traditional..there are degrees of traditional

choose yours and don's point fingers
enjoy hunting or shooting a traditional bow

cheers

Yuuup!  

[ishoot4thrills]

Originally posted by 4dogs:
I dont really care if someone puts a "traditional" label on me or not. I shoot a long bow because thats what feels best to me. I dont have to worry about all the gadgets of compounds and I think it is actually a better hunting tool for ME. Woods work well but carbon works better for ME so thats what I use right now anyway. Like said above, get some and try them its really the only way what works best for YOU.

X2!    

[ishoot4thrills]

Originally posted by yearcher:
There is absolutely nothing even remotely traditional about shooting carbon arrows, and that especially includes the ones that say "traditional" on them. It simply boggles my mind why anybody would quit shooting a compound bow to shoot a recurve or longbow and then shoot anything but a wood arrow out of it. Good gosh hundreds of thousands of critters have and still are harvested cleanly with a wood arrow. That said yup carbon and aluminum are better shafts than wood without question.  But why would anyone label themselves "traditional" and then shoot a carbon arrow?  No question they're better but ask yourself this, "why am I shooting a longbow or recurve in the first place?"  It'd kinda be like putting a scope on a fine flintlock rifle. Just my opinion but I've been at this for over 50 years.

WOW, what a statement. Two posts since you joined in 2009 and one of those is to bash carbon arrows.

You, sir, MUST be hunting with an all wood bow made from a sapling you cut with a sharp rock(and strung with a grass bowstring) that launches flint-tipped river cane arrows fletched with turkey feathers from a bird you caught with your bare hands........after all, anything more can't be "traditional"!   :rolleyes:    

[ddauler]

Sorry fellas I stirred the pot a lil but the statements about carbon arrows and recurves are non sensical if you are shooting a laminated longbow. To each his own I will get back in my trash can now!

[yearcher]

Sorry I didn't mean to bash carbon arrows or anybody who shoots them. If  you would reread my post I said twice I thought they probably are better shafts than wood. I only thought they were quite a stretch from traditional. And didn't realize the number of posts helped to determine the relevancy of a post or the credibility or knowledge of the poster.  I've read a lot of forum posts over the years that seemed to say very little but I guess it would help get a persons post count up!  I don't really care what a person shoots out of a longbow or recurve. Just glad they're not hunting with a compound or crossbow. That's just me.

[Frank V]

Originally posted by Medic85:
Hey guys I'm running low on arrows and I'm thinking of making the switch to woods.  Is there much of a performance difference in comparison to carbon?.  Also is there much maintenance with them?  Any input is appreciated.

Hope we haven't scared you off with our bantering.
Sometimes we forget someone is trying to find differences between objects.

[gringol]

The man asked for performance differences between carbon and wood and somehow we launched headlong into an argument about "tradition".  Why do we do that?

There ARE performance differences.  Discussing the differences isn't blasphemy.  Let's get this back on track.

[ishoot4thrills]

Originally posted by yearcher:
Sorry I didn't mean to bash carbon arrows or anybody who shoots them. If  you would reread my post I said twice I thought they probably are better shafts than wood. I only thought they were quite a stretch from traditional. And didn't realize the number of posts helped to determine the relevancy of a post or the credibility or knowledge of the poster.  I've read a lot of forum posts over the years that seemed to say very little but I guess it would help get a persons post count up!  I don't really care what a person shoots out of a longbow or recurve. Just glad they're not hunting with a compound or crossbow. That's just me.

Well, I reread your original post and I still get the same message........although it appears as you are backpedalling somewhat now.

Your original post was totally uncalled for and has no place in this thread and was indeed bashing.

[Sam McMichael]

There is just something special about wood arrows, especially out of a long bow. Carbon and aluminum are generally more durable and wood requires some maintenance. Yet wood is just fun, and, as has previously been mentioned, some wood arrows smell great when you break them. If you try them and like them, you may well wind up making your own woodies, which will open up a whole new realm of archery for you. I have found tuning wood to be easier than aluminum but have no experience with carbon. I have mostly shot cedar but also have some Douglas Fir arrows that I like a lot.

[GreyGoose]

I am thinking about switching to wood arrows, too. But I think I'll keep some carbon and aluminum arrows around, partly to be frugal and use up my supply, and also because I like the idea of having some known, matched stock handy if I need it for sorting out a problem.  I think the heart of traditional bowhunting comes down to getting closer to prey than when working with compounds, crossbows, or firearms, and for me, shooting non-woods hasn't relaxed that challenge significantly.