Arrow tuning?

[Jakesnyder]

When shooting my stick bow I notice it shoots better with no tip on it versus with even a 70grain field point. Why is that? Arrow spine to low or too heavy?

[Pat B]

Too light, I say. What type of shafting is it? Have you checked the spine? With selfbows generally the arrow spine will be about 10# lighter than the draw weight.

[stuckinthemud]

Sorry Pat, fletching is a new skill to me, are you saying arrows for a 35 pound draw weight bow would need a 25lb weight to test the spine?

[bownarra]

Yes for a 'normal' handle width. You would want between 5 and 10# less spine than bow weight. If using a 28 inch draw and around 100 - 125 grain points.
There are many things to factor in but this is a good starting point.

[Pat B]

When you buy spined shafts the dynamic spine of the shaft is determined for a 28" arrow with a 125gr point. For each inch over or under 28" the effective spine drops or raises by 5# per inch respectively and for every 25 grs of tip weight above or below the 125gr will reduce or increase the effective spine of the arrow by about 5#. So, if you have a 30" arrow with a 150gr head and the shaft's dynamic spine is 50# that arrow will fly like a 35# spined arrow. 10# lighter because of the 2" over 28"(5# per inch= 10#) and 25grs over the 125gr standard(5# per 25gr over 125gr).
 I hope this isn't too confusing.  I draw to 26" but cut my arrows to 30". This gives me a weaker spined arrow but with a little figuring I can make the arrows fly well. I like a longer arrow because I think it gets around the bow better.

[stuckinthemud]

Really helpful, thank you.

[Pat B]

I learned this from Art Butner(artcher1). Art is the best arrow maker I know and especially for cane and shoot arrows but he understands the dynamics of arrows whether he hand planes shafts of collects them from the woods. The basic info is the same for any of them.

[Todd Mathis]

Too light, I say. What type of shafting is it? Have you checked the spine? With selfbows generally the arrow spine will be about 10# lighter than the draw weight.

Pat, this is an interesting answer.  I find that with bows above 45 pounds a reduction of 10 pounds for a primitive style (no shelf) bow is a good thing.  But below 40 pounds, I find that 5 pounds is more appropriate, but then again, I am using bamboo.  I wonder what the others have seen with other woods?
Interesting question!!
Thanks