My experience (very limited) with ash and maple were a bit different. The maple I tried wasn' t even as tough as cedar--I broke a few bare-shafting in some really soft foam--haven' t tried them again. Got a dozen ash, very heavy and very durable, but I can' t keep them straight. I got them as finished arrows, and the fellow I got them from used a good sealer, but I was constantly straightening them. They are in a box in the basement now. I had good luck with sitka spruce and douglas fir, but I always wind up going back to cedar. I am in the minority I guess--I shoot full-length shafts, and have no problems getting a 600+ grain finished arrow with a 125 grain point. Maybe the arrow length is why I had problems with the maple and ash?

Chad