Does anyone do this to help with arrow penetration?  If so, what do you use?

I use blood and other fluids from the heart or lungs.

I wax wood arrows for water protection but it would probably help with penetration because they are slick.

No!

Not to help penetration but I have heard of using things like soap, paraffin or wd-40 on the front couple of inches to make pulling shafts from target butts easier.  Especially the cellotex (sp?) type stacked panel outdoor range permanent butts that just love to burn fibers into just about any wood finish out there.

whatever you do, don't use vaseline.  Its a coagulent.  This also applies to those who use it to prevent rust on their broadheads.

I thought that was the idea with the teflon on the eclipse broadheads, maybe that is for rust protection, I don't know?  I know people use armoral as well as the things Dave said above to ease arrow removal from 3D targets.

Guess I will have to look that up.

I don't, but found a product this past weekend for use on the sailboat that might work.  It is from a company called McLube and the product is called Sailkote.  This stuff is a dry lubricant.  It is an aerosol that sprays on wet but dries in seconds.  It is absolutely amazing; moving pieces on the boat that would barely budge now just glide along.

That was the idea of the teflon on the eclipses.  and according to Dr. Ashby there is definitly something to it.

Never been comfortable with the idea myself. I can't help but think that if I make a non-lethal hit that the animal should recover from, anything I spray onto my shaft could help to cause infection or sepsis, leading to the animal dying slowly & painfully. I've got nothing to base this theory on, just a feeling.

coagulant, sepsis, I am starting to think this redneck is out of his league.

I'm sure it would help penetration but for me it's going overboard and may even make handling the arrow a little less safe,not to mention picking up dust and debris as well.

Probably the biggest factors in penetration are structural integrity and good arrow flight.

Dr Ashby does mention shaft slickness as a factor and mentions buffing a shaft with 0000 steel wool.I have done this and if you follow it by buffing with a paper towel,that helps a little too.This seems like a more sane approach,to me.I would have to think the wax would help also.

I would think amorall or somthing would make you smell like a new car. Just keep them clean and shinny.

I use a silicon-based automotive tire dressing (learned this from Gene Wensel). I started regularly getting pass-throughs, which I rarely experienced previously, even with heavy (625-725 gr)arrows shot out of a 65# recurve. I shoot heavy spined wood arrows that only come in 23/64"  diameter (i.e., fat), and this REALLY cuts down on penetration. It really works! Just apply to shaft from the BH to the front of fletchiing, let dry, and buff with a clean cotton cloth. It does not bother the arrow finish.

There is no reason why a lubricated arrow would increase the chances for sepsis - unless you are lubricating your arrows with fecal material, you will not be introducing any more bacteria into a wounded animal that is not already there on the shaft from you handling it, unless you make a regular habit of wiping your arrows down with 70% alcohol.

I too payed attention to Gene Wensel watching him coat his shafts with the tire protectant gel...

If Gene believes this aids in penetration I would tend to agree.  Look at his bowhunting den. The evidence is hanging on the walls... LOL


John III

I don't like the idea of putting a lube Armarol, WD 40  or any thing like it through my meat..but for those outdoor butts whatever works.Just me.

The Sailkote Idea is very intriguing for several reasons.

First, its dry-so its doesn't pick up dirt, debris, and likely has less odor

second, it permanently bonds to the applied surface, making it very durable to repeated use and seemingly (to my feeble mind) not more toxic than the permanent lacquers on wood or finishes on carbon.  They actually claim that "it will not transfer" from the original surface to another.  

third (possibly most importantly) its hydrophobic (sorry mo. huntin), so blood and other wet slimy stuff that it comes in contact to is actually repelled, making the slick lubricating value that much more effective.  A blood suffuse environment wouldn't even slow it down in theory!  

Fourth, its simple to apply, no bake-on rubbing or buffing.  just spray evenly and let dry (which happens 'quickly').

finally, on the website, they make the claim , "Sailkote is typically five times as effective, and lasts much longer than, wax, oil or Teflon® based lubricants."  

I see no reason not to give her a go.

Like Jeff and John I use the tire cleaner as recommend by Gene.  When it has dried and been buffed out there isn't much difference in its composition then paste wax and other finishes commonly used on arrows, except it is a lot slicker.  

The Sailcote sound like it might work even better, I will give it a try some time.

It's illegal to "add chemicals" to arrows in some states.  Ky for one.