Well, I've never seen this video. But I'm hoping that someone that has seen it will respond.

In the video, does Ken Beck say that you should leave your arrow a little stiff when bare shafting?

I always tune slightly weak, I have the DVD somewhere..prtetty sure Ken also said to tune slightly weak too. Most of us are more likely to short draw than over draw..like in a treestand

Hi Robert,

The reason I ask, is someone on another thread said Ken Beck says to tune it slightly stiff.

Not sure what to do.

I thought he said a little stiff but its been a long time since I watched it.

It seems to me he said to leave a bareshaft slightly stiff to accommodate for the additional weight of the feathers.  Very slightly stiff.  I'll have to watch it again to be sure, though.

I also believe he said slightly stiff.

Wood arrows, slightly stiff. Consistent groups.
Carbon arrows slightly weak. Feathers stiffen up dynamic spine.

I called Black Widow, and they say that when bareshafting with carbon arrows, you should leave it slightly stiff. This is to compensate for the broadhead.

This is what I've always done with wood arrows as well.  When calculating spine with woodies, you add an extra 5 lbs for the broadhead.

that is what he said on the video.

Wonder what BW means "compensate for the broadhead?"  Will it be a little heavier than your fieldpoints? if so why would anyone do that? or can it predictibly draw the arrow into a false sense of being spine weak by its mere presence at the end of the shaft? no matter what direction it is mounted?  Maybe the broadhead is a little longer so it puts more weight out at the end of the arrow and hence, weakens the spine?

Most of these are rhetorical questions but one does have to wonder.

I tend to think this is just another one of those times when maybe we are doing just a little too much thinking about shooting and not enough actual shooting.  Im just as guilty as anyone about this.  In the end as long as your spine is close you are good to go.

"compensate for the broadhead" means that a broadhead effectively weakens a shaft.  So when you bareshaft with field points, leave it a little stiff.  That way when you put a BH on, it won't be too weak.

The whole purpose of this thread was to gain knowledge about bareshafting.  Half say leave it weak. The other half say stiff.

Since we're shooting at living animals, I think its important to do it right.

Well, some say the broadhead stiffens the arrow a bit because its weight is on a longer section then the field point.
Others say the BH weakens the shaft because it lengthens it.

I for myself couldnt find any difference with matching BHs and field points if the arrow was tuned perfectly before putting BHs on.

Seems to me like a Vanilla or Chocolate thing...  

when I make a bareshaft arrow for tuning I either take a razor blade and cut tne feathers off leaving the quills on for weight or I add a few wraps of electric tape arround arrow near nock for weight.. Been tuning like this for 20 years, it works for me

If a field point and broad head is the same then it shouldn't matter but the length between the 2 is different some. Bareshaft slightly week and then add feathers then should be in line to near perfect

While I like to investigate these things as well, I highly doubt that many of us have a good enough release to even make this an issue.

I am guessing it is because most broadheads are at least slighty.....and in alot of cases, quite a bit longer than a field point. But that is just a guess. An inch longer arrow shaft changes spine quite a bit. If you shoot a longer broadhead, ie. woodsmans, tuffheads, grizzlys ect. it could be an inch or more longer than your field point. Good guess?

QuoteOriginally posted by Mike Bolin:
I am guessing it is because most broadheads are at least slighty.....and in alot of cases, quite a bit longer than a field point. But that is just a guess. An inch longer arrow shaft changes spine quite a bit. If you shoot a longer broadhead, ie. woodsmans, tuffheads, grizzlys ect. it could be an inch or more longer than your field point. Good guess?

I've read the same as well.

If in dought why not call or email B.W.? Just my 2cent worth.

doesnt make since if you're allowing for the weight of the feathers...weight on the back of any shaft regadless of what it is, will increase the dynamic spine of the shaft....exactly the opposite of putting more weight on the front end that slightly weakens it.   Its why most of us go slightly weak!   Start adding paint/wraps and fletching you'll end up too stiff.....

Why not just make a few and shoot them?  you'll get your answers that way....dont make a hole set up.  If they are off save them for stumping/small game heads or send them into never never land just to watchm fly!