First set of wood arrows

snowplow · August 21, 2025, 03:02:54 PM

Hey guys, it's been awhile. This starts with a little bit of a story. A couple years ago I lost my dad. I miss him every single day. Not long before he got diagnosed. He had a custom whip made because he liked my Chinook so much. He didn't get to shoot it much and always wanted to try to kill a deer with it like I do. He thought it was the coolest thing. It might not work out this year because I'm so busy with kids in high school but one way or the other I'm putting a deer down with this bow for Dad. When I was going through his stuff a while back I found an old box of arrows. I remembered it instantly. When I got my first compound when I was about 13 (I'm 41 now) My dad got excited like he did and bought me a set of wood arrows with broadheads on them. He was always fun because he would just get excited about something and kind of impulse get it. I think he was probably just trying to get me excited about the new bow. Obviously I never did anything with them. Anyway, I ran across my old box of six. All fletched up with broadheads, with my name written on the box by my dad just like it was. Back then we didn't have a clue about spine or anything, but I happen to notice these were spined 40-45. I shoot heavier bows but it just so happens his is 41 lb. I was thinking it might work out set up these old arrows Dad got me when I was 13 with his woodsman glue on broadheads. And I could cut the feathers out of my daughter's first turkey she got a couple years ago. That'd be a pretty special package for me.

All this is familiar to me, except the fact that they're cedar arrows. Does anything about this package stand out has something that wouldn't work? There may be a mismatch I'm not aware of at this point.

As far as tuning goes, I usually bare shaft. I've read you don't want to do that with the wood. Does anybody know of a good tutorial on cedar shaft tuning?

TRich · August 21, 2025, 07:57:22 PM

https://www.tradgang.com/tgsmf/index.php?topic=23.0

Best advice I've seen on woodies for a simple guy like me. How long is your draw and how long are the arrows?

Stumpkiller · August 21, 2025, 08:35:57 PM

Bare shafting works with wood.

https://understandingarchery.wordpress.com/2018/02/19/arrow-tuning-101-traditional-bow-edition/

TRich · August 22, 2025, 06:55:47 AM

I'm sure some fellas bare shaft with wood fine. My experience was split and snapped shafts faster than I could finish adjustments. Mileage may vary I guess

Stumpkiller, how do you do your wood bare shafts and not split and snap them? I've probably lost $40 in surewood shafts attempting it and now I use that guide and go for it. I do have pretty good arrow flight using that though.

Gordon Jabben · August 22, 2025, 12:29:40 PM

Sounds to me like you're pretty well set up. I didn't understand the part about your daughters turkey feathers if the old arrows are already fletched. I don't bare shaft wood arrows. I think the arrows will work fine.

M60gunner · August 22, 2025, 02:57:39 PM

I don't bareshaft wood arrows either. I follow the 5# recommendations. If the arrows are over 28" add 5#'s of spine for every inch. Broadheads or points over 125 grains add 5" of spine. Right now I am using 50#-55# spine from my Wes Wallace Royal, 45#@28. I cut them to 28.5 with 125 grain points. Bow is cut to center and using an D-97 string. I would change the nocks if you haven't thought of that already.

snowplow · August 22, 2025, 06:00:09 PM

Quote from: Gordon Jabben on August 22, 2025, 12:29:40 PMSounds to me like you're pretty well set up. I didn't understand the part about your daughters turkey feathers if the old arrows are already fletched. I don't bare shaft wood arrows. I think the arrows will work fine.

They are fletched with vanes for some reason. They have what l think are old satellite glue ons. I have a 28-1/2 draw and the arrows are pretty long. Looks like l have a ton to play with.

Stumpkiller · August 22, 2025, 08:11:37 PM

Quote from: TRich on August 22, 2025, 06:55:47 AMI'm sure some fellas bare shaft with wood fine. My experience was split and snapped shafts faster than I could finish adjustments. Mileage may vary I guess Stumpkiller, how do you do your wood bare shafts and not split and snap them? I've probably lost $40 in surewood shafts attempting it and now I use that guide and go for it. I do have pretty good arrow flight using that though.

I shoot two and then pull them from the bale. ;-). I'm also shooting Douglas fir that is fairly rugged. Though, as you say, groups can be counter productive.