Bamboo arrow shaft question

[Mesophilic]

I've been using bamboo shafts from China for the last number of months.  Bought in bulk for a fairly good upfront cost. 

I'll explain my experience, and ask if you guys could tell me if this is normal or if I should give them another shot from a better supplier?  Right now I'm planning on using up what I have and go back to wood.

Spines are relatively matched,  but diameters and weight very quite a bit as one would figure for this product.  Fortunately they are light enough that I can make my arrows match closely in weight by adding nails or wire to both ends to bring the lighter weight shafts up a weight matching the heavier weight ones and still keep around 10gpp.  This seems to be working fairly good.

One problem I have is that maybe 10% are straight enough to make an arrow out of the box.  About 40% are cork screwy enough that I am unable to make a shaft until my skill level with straightening improves a ton.  Another 10% are cracked.  After culling I end up doubling the cost of the shaft from $2 to $4.  Not too bad compared to other shaft materials but considering I can get shafts from True Shaft for significantly cheaper and most importantly, not invest as much time prepping I'm not sure  anymore if bamboo is worth it anymore.

Another issue I'm having is shafts splitting and shattering from glancing blows to 3D targets or pretty much anything that's not a perfect shot.   Is this normal for boo?  Or maybe caused by the suppliers processing methods?

I did try garden stakes but decided they really aren't worth the amount of effort for me.

ETA: I had a lengthy email discussion with the supplier and he assured me all of his customers are quite happy with his products.  I did order a second time, and even after reminding him of our previous discussion on straightness and cracking I received the same results as above, 50% culled shafts.

[Weylin]

Doesn't sound worth it to me. I just bought a spined, straighted, sanded and weight matched set of 12 bamboo shafts from a guy for $45 dollars to my door. That's cheaper than your $4 per shaft and I didn't do any of the work. They were great and I made a sweet set of arrows that fly straight and feel indestructible. (of course, I always hit the target, so...  )

[DC]

I've made my own with garden stakes and even with heavy sanding they are very tough. The only ones I've split are ones that hit straight on into the steel frame of my clubs targets and they were fixable. I'm wondering if your supplier is using too much heat when he straightens them and it's making them brittle.

[Mesophilic]

Thanks guys.  I'd read how tough bamboo is claimed to be and I'm definately switching  suppliers if  I decide to continue to use it.  I could deal with either the brittle-ness or the extra work, but just can't abide the amount of culling and both  the brittle and the crooked shafts on top of it.

I like narrow diameter shafts in my spine weight, and the hollow aspect for ease of manipulating the shaft weight.  I did just find  a perfect douglas fir board at the big box hardware store so probably going back to woodies when my supply runs low.

[paulsemp]

I bought a couple dozen at a shoot few years ago probably the same product. all the nodes were sanded flat. I've never been comfortable with that. Spines and weights were all over the place. I've come to the conclusion if you want to make arrows from scratch then start with a raw product and be willing to invest the time. But I really appreciate shafts made by someone who knows what they're doing and at $4 a shaft you could pretty much buy anything on the market. I would stay away from the Chinese bamboo personally

[Mesophilic]

On these bamboo shafts  in question, the nodes are sanded flat.  The breakage occurs between the nodes though.  The only times I can recall breakage at a node is when theres a node within an inch or two of the tip and I hit something hard like a rock.

Typically these shafts end up splintering apart between the the nodes.  Not sure if this is significant. 

[osage outlaw]

Sounds like you need to find a better source for shafts.  Try the trading post on here.  See if you can talk Pat B out of some hill cane shafts.  They are my favorite bamboo/cane shafts.

[Eric Krewson]

I picked up some from a friend the other day, they were from China. She had bough them in bulk and matched they properly, I haven't made arrows out of them yet but they are straight, and well finished.

[jimmi the sammi]

I have purchased hundreds of bamboo shafts direct from one of the Chinese folks.  He stamps his name on his product with poundage in 5# increments.  I know many archers who are using his product with little to no problems including me.  Some of the shafts have developed splits but have so far not been an issue while shooting.  I have checked the spine with my personal spine tester and the shafts have been right on.  My understanding is the process of manufacturing has to do with the bamboo shoots being rolled between large sheets of heated metal.
If this is the same supplier I sure would like to know.  These shafts have been quality products so far and if they have changed it will make a difference for future ordering.

[jimmi the sammi]

Just a side note, having made many hunting shafts out of Martha Stewart garden stakes of varying diameters and sanding down most of the nodes, they can be some work but will make very useable arrows.  Just be sure to shoot every arrow with the head on it you plan on using to make sure it flies true.  And that is with every arrow you make no matter the material the shaft is made of.  Having made arrows out of many materials, don't assume the shaft material will always make a good arrow.  Shoot it before deciding it is a good arrow.