JeffB

arrow shafts of course!

Just wondering whom here shoots wood shafting.what are some of the better current popular woods (besides cedar ) ?

When I got into trad sev years ago, Norway Pine was a very popular "new" shafting material...now I don't see it for sale at places like 3rivers. IIRC, it was quite durable , but a bee-atch to straighten.

Double Creek

I see alot guys talking about Sitka Spruce, Poplar, Chundoo, Birch and others. Lot interest lately being shown towards Ramin....... I shoot cedar now and the dang things will break at the drop of a hat. I've got some new arrows ordered and told the guy to just surprise me on which wood... I also just purchased a large supply of Ramin to use for stumping etc.... Maybe I can also get a few dozen hunting arrows out of it.

JeffB

Hmm..those pretty much seem to be all the ones I'm fam with...Chundoo (which I'm told is some type of pine?) I've had...it was a PITA to stain..had a very waxy surface...

Cedar is great.....cos it is easy to straighten even for a idiot like me...not durable, I'll agree with...but god I love breaking one every now and again...smells good! Had a very nice doz. custom made cedar shafts from the local trad guy at one time...

I've been seeing something about a "grizzlystick"? anyone know what the hell that is?

I bought carbons for my new bow...will weight 'em up...but eventually I want to get back to woods when I'm able to go with a heavier poundage bow in the future...

Arthur P

A guy at our club got some laminated birch arrows. Nice looking stuff, straight and consistent but expensive and HEAVY. Even at 26", they were around 700 grains.

I think the quality of cedar shafting you get has more to do with breakage than anything else. The arrows I've made from Rogue River shafts last a lot longer than the ones I've made from Rose City shafts. Of course, the Rogue Rivers also shoot better, which means I miss less with them.

I can buy 2 dozen Rose City shafts for each dozen of RR's so I usually wind up with the cheapies. Not a good move, really. I wind up spending double on feathers and nocks than I would with the RR's and. considering 3 dozen feathers cost almost as much as a dozen shafts.....[:-]!

I've been wanting to try chundoo, but nobody seems to have it in stock when I want shafts.[&:]

Rangeball

http://www.alaskabowhunting.com/

How many grains per # do you plan on shooting? I'm shooting 45# at 28" draw, and the CE terminators with a 125 grain tip come in just an RCH under 10 grains per #. I have a few heavier wooden arrows that my brother bought with the bow originally, and the carbons thump the heck out of the target moreso than the woodies.

I think 10 grains per # is a good balance of KE and trajectory...

wyomingtrapper

Ash makes a nice shaft, bit heavier than cedar, but not bad. If you want to reduce breakage consider footed shafts. They're pricey to buy, but if you build your own arrows, they are not difficult.

JeffB

Good info Art...thanx...always heard RR was the $hit for cedar shafts

JeffB

Ahh...like an old fiberglass shaft...hmmm....Thanks for the linky.

I'll be shooting somewhere between 9 & 10 grains per pound.

JeffB

Hmm...wasn't there a guy up in New Hampshire or something that used to sell alot of Ash shafts?...maybe birch too....can't remember his name...Think he had a writeup in Traditional Bowhunter mag about 5 or 6 years ago...

I tend to lose woodies before I break 'em....I've always wanted some footed shafts...maybe that'll be my first project when I get back into making them...Thanks for the info WT!