Let's talk Rift!

[Dave Pagel]

I love making and shooting all types of arrows, but there is nothing like a nice wooden shaft out of a longbow.  

That being said I have one situation that is a bit confusing.  I know the grain on the top of the shaft is suppose to run away from you, but what if a given shaft has grain that runs one direction for part of the shaft and the opposite on another part?  I typically put the part that runs away from me nearest my hand and the part that runs to me to the point end.  What about the rest of you wood arrow assemblers?

D.P.

[Walt Francis]

I quit worrying about it.  I teach everybody who takes my selfbow classes what rift is (they have to build a set of arrows for their bow as part of the class),  but if it goes from one side to the other,  I'm not smart enough to to tell somebody one way is better than the other.  Always figured it would be a crap shoot, each individual arrow requiring an individual accessement.

[Grey Taylor]

As you mention, the rift should be on the top of the arrow and pointing towards the bow.
That's the standard that we wood arrow makers go with.
But... have you ever actually seen an arrow split right along those grain lines? I haven't and I've only spoken to one fellow who has.
Every shattered arrows I've seen has completely ignored the grain lines when it breaks.
And here's another aspect of the issue: what about four fletch arrows? Guys shooting four fletch say they don't have to worry about how they orient the arrow on the string because the feathers are right either way. But the grain is going to be wrong in one orientation. Do we hear of four fletch wood arrows killing their users?

My take on the whole thing is that it doesn't matter a hill of beans. But, I still make arrows like that for the uniformity and because everyone expects to see it.

Guy

[Surewood Steve]

I four fletch and I always keep the straightest grain at the back of the arrow.  If there is any grain run off I keep it at the front of the shaft.  Arrow shafts with too much grain run off I don't use.

[highlow]

Rift? A little info needed here. Would be interested in knowing what that is.

[Green]

I have only had one arrow break along the grain line, and it did so upon hitting a solid foam target from blank bale distance after literally thousands of shots.  Never had one break upon release, but I have had issues with nocks breaking at that moment.....make sure you inspect those!

[Jack Skinner]

An unnecesary precaution in my opinion. I make my own shafts from boards. In the process I constantly bend and straighten the shafts. Any with flaws will break quickly after the turning process and rarely thru the grain but at a small pin knot or unsean flaw. No shaft that has made it thru the turning, sanding, finishing process has ever broken at shooting no matter the rift direction. Align the shafts as Green shows above and good to go. I also avoid shafts with a lot of run off and they usually dont make it thru the turning process anyway and break in the doweler.

[Kelly]

Never paid any attention to it and still don't. Just don't break that many arrows, either. Lose them faster from stump shooting than break. Broken ones almost never are on a grain line(actually these are the trees growth rings).

[Ray Hammond]

the issue of course is that there will be a weakness, which only shows itself under a load- I've seen it happen....and it's usually the bow hand that pays the price - with the broken shaft pushing through your bow hand ....it's not pretty....and I always make stakes for my wife's bushes out of any shaft that demonstrates a funky grain.  

Of course, I have hundreds and hundreds of shafts from the old Acme premiums I used in my arrow business ages ago- and didn't pay much for them in the eighties and early 90's.

The issue now is good quality POC is difficult to find....but is it really worth taking a chance on missing an animal, alerting a big buck, or injuring your hand in the middle of the season?

[Grey Taylor]

In my haste to jump on a rift orientation soapbox I neglected to address the original poster's question.

A shaft with grain as described would not be an arrow in my shop. I'll tolerate some run-out of the grain on a shaft but a rift on both sides of the shaft sounds like a third rate shaft that will be better used for garden stakes or kindling.

As Ray mentioned, it can be a real challenge to find good POC shafts these days. There is a particular large POC shaft manufacturer that I refuse to buy shafts from. I've seen way too many of their "premium" shaft with poor grain run-out.

For good POC I'd look towards Wapiti Archery. Dan knows his stuff and puts out a great shaft.

Guy

[Dave Pagel]

Thanks for all the replies.  I still put them together as if the rift was primary, but I wanted some input.  If a particular arrow doesn't fly well I will sometimes turn it over and shoot it.  It always amazes me the different flight it often gives me.

D.P.

[LostNation_Larry]

I tend to agree with the "it isn't a big deal" opinion, but like Grey said, "My take on the whole thing is that it doesn't matter a hill of beans. But, I still make arrows like that for the uniformity and because everyone expects to see it. "

[David Mitchell]

One thing arrow makers need to remember when making arrows for lefties is that the nock will be 180 degrees different than for righties if considering the orientation of the rift. Arrows made for a rightie with the rift on top of the shaft and pointing toward the bow when shot by a leftie will be on the bottom.  So I guess in that sense there are left handed and right handed arrows.      I don't know if it matters but I do take it into consideration when I make my own arrows.

[Ryman Cat]

I tell myself mountain top toward the nock in the string grove.LOL

[Grey Taylor]

David, you should see the odd looks I've gotten when I ask someone getting new arrows if they are right or left handed.
The reason for the question can be explained to a new archer but some old timers have just about blown a gasket at the question      

Guy

[bowberry]

I think I missed some thing!?

When I make arrows I orient the grain horizontal for a number of reasons, but I never new about rift.

If I understand; your pointing the runoff grain a certain way, but what is the thinking behind the safety issues?

[wapiti]

The thinking is if it breaks on release it will break at the runout. If the rift points away from the shooter and resides atop the the shaft while in the nocked position it will ride up and over/away from the bow hand. In reality it usually doesn't happen that way. Most times the shaft has been culled to tomato stake status or broken during examination by flexing while spining the shaft prior to putting it into arrow production.Breakage often occurs along the shaft where damage has been caused from impact of striking something hard like a branch, stone, another arrow etc. Be more concerned with elimination of shafts with run out as best you can. Gawd I remember the days I shot woodies out of my compound. Acme POC and they had virtually ZERO runout in the premium grade.DEADLY little missles I must say!

[Bud B.]

In my experience I have yet to see a grain-run break upon release. I have yet to see any wooden shaft break upon release. From anyone nor have I heard of it first hand. Does it and can it happen? Certainly. So be safe and try to run the grain with the rift pointing away from your bow hand and on the top of the arrow when nocked.

If you look at the painted arrows of old, from Ben Pearson and from Bear, they had no idea of whether a righty or a lefty would be shooting these shafts/arrows. As long as the arrow is undamaged (flex test) and of proper spine, I'll shoot it. I'm a lefty.

Yes, some would argue the older arrows/shaft were better than today's, but do your best and just shoot'em  

[bowberry]

Thank you.

Scott

[Jon Stewart]

I just fletch them up. The only time I worry about the grain is when I self nock.