Originally Posted By: Recurve
Originally Posted By: R_H_Clark
Originally Posted By: Recurve
Originally Posted By: R_H_Clark
Originally Posted By: Recurve
Originally Posted By: TGbow
Surewood is good shafts. I've tried Poplar, Ramin, fir and cedar.
I think fir is my favorite too as far as wood shafts.
Seems pretty durable. I've shot wood, aluminum thru the years, shooting GT here lately.
Hard to beat a good tapered wood shaft though.


I have used carbons in the past but to be honest, I can fiddle with a wood arrow enough to where it flies perfect. I have never been able to do that to a carbon/aluminum arrow. There is only so much you can do with those. For example my chechen wood recurve shoots best at my draw length and weight with 580 grain arrows (including tip/broadhead). I have these at exactly 579.6. I tend to get a higher spine (75-80). That weight is with stain, cresting paint, 3 dips of finish, fletching, knocks, and heads. I've gotten it down to a well oiled machine at this point...plus its fun to create something like that and be able to actually kill an animal.

But yeah, Surewood shafts are some of the best I've seen. I'm anal about all this stuff with grain weight and you can order within 20 grains every time and they'll usually get it within 10.


You did a great job on those. I have a couple dozen old Acme shafts from the 40's. It's surprising how straight and spine and weight matched they are from that era. I only use them to be legal with selfbow competition.

I actually prefer Carbons.The carbon Express Heritage is my favorite shaft. You can tune carbons really well,you just have to do it by length and tip weight,and possibly adding rear weight via a wrap.

I bareshaft tune my carbons out to 40 yards and they will impact right with my fletched shafts if I don't flub the release.Feathers correct mistakes. When tuning my carbons,I might trim 1/4" at a time until I get them where I want. I never cut a carbon to a specific length and then try to tune.


Thanks man! I never did have that kind of luck with carbons, although I probably would with the right set up. I had used Easton's arrows sold by 3 Rivers for my carbons and they shot ok. I haven't used the kind you mentioned. My cousin Matt can't shoot woods at all. He just can't get them to fly right. He's shooting a Black Widow PSA. It's funny how unique each of those bows are from bow to bow and also the person shooting it.

I even tried the 5 grain inserts on the Easton shafts I have with a heavier head. It helped but didn't correct the wobbly flight. I like to have them for practice though. I basically glue heads on all the wood arrows I make to test a few shots with each one and then I store them for hunting and practice with my carbons.


Do you bare shaft test your carbons? Personally,I wouldn't shoot a carbon without bare shaft tuning,otherwise they are just a shot in the dark. However when tuned well,they will recover paradox faster,and are just as tough as any wood shaft if not more. They penetrate a little better because of shaft diameter and they always stay straighter than any wood shaft. Not saying at all that wood won't get it done.


I don't. The reason I don't is buy them ready to shoot because I usually just use them for practice only. I understand you. All the work I put into arrows goes to wood. I may take off the fletching on my carbons and bareshaft tune them at some point though. If nothing else just to get a reliable practice set.


Definitely take the time to tune carbons. I wouldn't shoot them at all if I didn't.

I wish I had the equipment to paint and crest some Carbon Express Heritage shafts like you did those woodies.I love the look and nostalgia of those beautiful arrows.

Sorry I've ran on about bareshafting so much.I tend to go longer than necessary sometimes. Just FYI I'm not nearly as much of a know it all in person as I sometimes sound like on here.