arrow grain

[flungonin]

I received a dozen arrows from an E-bay bid. I was anxious to shoot them (that evening Friday) as the next morning I anticipated being in the woods shooting a new bow (Checkmate) that I had waited for a special occassion to use. Well looking over the arrows, the grain wasn't parrallel to the shelf. Most of the arrows (9) the grain ran at a 45 degree angle to the shelf, one arrow the grain lined up and down with the string, 2 arrows however were correct. I have made a lot of arrows and this is the first time I found the grain in question. Am I worrying needlessly, or am I correct in assuming this is could be a health issue. The arrows are spined for #60-65.

[Pat B]

The grain flames(>>>>>) are generally on the top of the arrow or bottom. The side(with long grain lines) is generally the stiff sides. Some run offs are OK on wood arrows. It is the degree of the run off that can be critical. If it is too steep it can break when it goes through paradox.
  All of my arrows are 60# or below so I'm not sure about the higher weights. Can you post pics of the grain run offs?

[scattershot]

Sounds like whoever made those arrows wasn't paying a lot of attention. The grain should be perpendicular to the bow for best results. This can be fixed by re-positioning the nocks, but it should have been done right to begin with.

[paulc]

Can someone explain a bit more what you are talking about...?  I am currently working on pine shafted arrows I cut out of a plank and have no idea what you all are concerned about.  TIA, paulc

[Pat B]

Paul, on most doweled shafts you will have grain lines down 2 opposite sides and grain flames(>>>>>) down the other 2 sides. The sides with the grain lines are usually the stiffest sides so one of them will go against the bow.  The grain flames will be on top and on the bottom of the shaft.
  Also grain run off is critical. You don't want short runoffs. The arrow can break there. You want runoffs to be long and gradual.

[Kegan]

I've shot birch arrows with grain that wasn't good out of an 80# bow. They weren't in danger, but they didn't seem as consistent as other arrows. As in not good for long range.

[George Tsoukalas]

It's sometimes is difficult to knowhow the nock groove was placed by looking at the "flames". The nocks should be set so that the groove is  at right angles to the end grain or parallel to the shelf as you put it, flunonin. Any arrowsmith making arrows for the public probably knows that. The stiffest spine occurs when the end grain is placed vertically ( ||) in the spine tester. Another issue is usually shafts have some run out so that you'll see this >>>>>>>>>on one side and this <<<<<<on the other side. When the arrow is in shooting position  these <<<<<<<should be pointing to your shooting hand. That way if the arrow breaks at full draw it will beak up and away from your hand.  I do the best I can to orient the grain properly. It is not always easy to do and see. I've had 2 arrows go on release. That got my attention so I pay attention. Jawge

[flungonin]

Thanks George. I had another issue with these arrows. I rechecked each one and ended up with only one out of twelve that was oriented correctly. The others had the grain as previously mentioned from 45 degrees from parallel to the shelf to a full 90 degrees. I removed all the fletching and nocks. The one I had left, that was correct, I used to show a friend (recently introduced to tradional archery) how his arrow would be nocked on his newly aquired recurve with a new flemish string. I didn't even get the nock seated and both sides broke of the nock broke. I couldn't believe it. I'm glad I checked all the arrows out. The original plan was when I ordered these arrows was to have them in time to start the archery season. I did get then 2 weeks later than expected , but I figured, hey it's Friday, take them in the back yard and see how they fly, if they fly good I'm set for tomorrow, and if not I can cut and retaper before heading out. I'm glad I checked. I don't like loud noises and surprises.

[Jim Davis]

What wood are those arrows made of? You seem to be describing plastic nocks, so I'm wondering how a nock could have broken by putting in on the string--unless the nock groove was a whole lot smaller than the string diameter.

Just for the record, I have spine tested hundreds of shafts and have NOT found that a particular orientation of the grain is consistently stiffer than another. There is an unfortunate willingness among humans to take a few examples of something and then conclude that they represent an undeniable principle.

It is undeniable that shafts with the least runout make the best arrows.

Just for thought, what part of the force of paradox would make an arrow break up, or down?

Once when my son was about 12, we were shooting at a tossed milk jug that was stuffed with rags. After a hit, he picked up the arrow with the jug impaled on the end. Before I noticed, he had nocked and drawn the arrow with the jug on it. I hollered "No!" just as he loosed. Of coarse the arrow snapped  like a tooth pick. Guess which way the pieces flew--away from the bow. The only direction there is ever any side force on a shaft.

I have seen the pictures of broken shafts (usually "unbreakable" carbon) sticking in somebody's hand. I still have to wonder how in the world they did that. (Part of me is extremely skeptical.)

I have never had an arrow break in the act of shooting, but I check my arrows when pulling them from the target or digging them out of the dirt or whatever else they hit. If a splinter has lifted anywhere on the shaft, I don't shoot the shaft again without repairing it, or if unrepairable, I break it to avoid a dangerous mistake.

Jim Davis aka Reparrow man

[Tom Leemans]

Yay! when you line the nocks up, you'll have to see if they fly o.k., or if you have to refletch.

[Del the cat]

Can someone explain a bit more what you are talking about...?  I am currently working on pine shafted arrows I cut out of a plank and have no idea what you all are concerned about.  TIA, paulc

Another way is to sand the end of the shat before you put on the nock or point, you will see fine lines of the grain, if you were slf nocking the arrows (eg cutting a slot in the end) you would want the slot going across those lines to minimise the risk of splitting...I dunno about the spine issue IMHO you'd need to be a superb shot or have a very fussy bow to notice the differnce, but I'm quite happy to be wrong about this...
Del