Carbon, Wood or Aluminum

Curveman · May 15, 2007, 06:20:00 PM

TSP. I can appreciate your point on woods but I am confused when you include aluminum as OK in your quiver. Aluminum doesn't grow in a forest. I'm lost on their being more tradtional than carbon unless you are defining traditional as OK if it was in the Sears Catalogs. I am getting new woods for my longbow -that has carbon lams! I'm not saying that anyone has to be consistent or logical! :D

whitebuffalo · May 15, 2007, 07:53:00 PM

WW, I feel the same day in and day out consistanst arrow flight and I don't have time for woodies but some day I'll get and itch to build some for sure..

hormoan · May 15, 2007, 08:05:00 PM

I shoot all three, but mostly carbons & alum. I only get bent, when my qwivers empty. Filler up with any thing. And I'm a happy

Brent

pseman · May 15, 2007, 08:43:00 PM

I just switched to trad in February and have already switched from aluminum to carbon. After a few weeks of aluminum, I remembered why I switched to carbon when I was shooting wheels, aluminum bends too much. When you are just learning to shoot instinctive, you don't always hit the target and aluminum doesn't hold up well at all to misses.

I want to give wood a try because I have never shot them and because of their nostalgic appeal, but for now carbon can't be beat.

alligatordond · May 15, 2007, 09:42:00 PM

Wood, simply because it's what I want to hunt with. Killed 1 deer with carbon 2 years ago and I felt like I cheated myself out of something. I check my arrows regularly and hand straighten as necessary. Nothing against carbon, aluminum and those who shoot them. It's just the way I am.

Orion · May 15, 2007, 10:00:00 PM

As G. Fred Asbel said in one of his books, "You either like wood, or you don't." I'm one who likes wood. Though I've tinkered with aluminum and carbon to keep abreast of new technology, I've always shot woods and always will. No doubt that aluminum and carbon are more consistent, durable, at least in the case of carbons, and easier to make, etc.

Making and shooting wood arrows is part of my commitment to traditional archery and bowhunting. Part of my definition of traditional is doing it for yourself. It's just another way of placing greater limitations/challenges on oneself, and increasing one's enjoyment and sense of accomplishment.

It takes time and effort to build good wood arrows, and it's not for everybody. It's tough to find good material. If vendors will let me, I'll look through hundreds of shafts to find a dozen or two that meet my requirements for grain straightness, spine and weight. Then it's closely matching grain and spine, straightening, staining, sealing,dipping, cresting, grinding, fletching, etc.

By the time I'm done, I know each arrow very well, and that instills confidence in its quality that carries to the woods or target range. I know it will get the job done if I do my part.

Plus, wood has two characteristics that aluminum and carbon can't match. Every broken cedar arrow is an aromatic treat. And, with a quiver full of cedars, I've always got my fire tinder/starter with me, regardless of the weather.

Gordy · May 15, 2007, 10:15:00 PM

They all have their advantages and I have all three. Wood just feels right out of the longbow and is fun to build. Aluminums are cheap, straight and easy to build. Carbons need to be weighted properly and are a little fussier to build, but they are tuff and tolerate a wider range of bow weight.

Does a guy really have to make a lifelong decision here ? ....I haven't, but if I could only keep one, it would be my tapered cedars.

Weekend Warrior · May 15, 2007, 10:16:00 PM

I'm shooting wood now..Thought about switching to carbon or aluminum.. But like alligatordond I feel like I cheating myself out of something?

I have shot carbon & aluminum and they shoot good out of my bows

There is just Something about wood arrows that I can't make myself give carbon or aluminum a fair chance..

JEFF B · May 15, 2007, 10:17:00 PM

at the moment i am shooting carbon but i find them a little expencive when i smash one as in robinhood it. but apart from that they are good they just go where you put em. but after saying that i do shoot woods as well there is just somthing about em when ya make em yourself all the time spent makeing them straight then puting a self nock in the end and sealing them with stain oh the smell. then when you do smash one i just say oh well back to the woods where ya came from.LOL!!! but hey as long as ya have fun. doing it

TRADITIONAL ONLY · May 15, 2007, 10:17:00 PM

carbon all the way! wont even touch a aluminum arrow for anythin except footing, never shot a wood arrow, because im afraid that whoevers it is, ill break it and im not one of those that like to use other peoples stuff (unless i know you then your up a creek, cause im gonna use it!).
i shoot carbons because i know thats its nearly impossible to break one...
3 things will break one,
1) another carbon arrow
2) a piece of metal that looks like a piece of rotten wood (dont ask, ans they were BRAND NEW!!!)
3) ROCKS, and BIG ROCKS at that, and thenits only the rear ends on mine...

thats why i shoot carbons...

jonesy · May 15, 2007, 11:58:00 PM

wood seems to absorb the energy from the bow much more efficiantly and seems to make the bow much more quite for hunting applications but, i shoot ADs for the 3-d circuit, it depends on how quite the bow is for me when i head into the whitetail woods.

Hot Hap · May 16, 2007, 04:19:00 AM

POC for me, although I did recently buy 20 Dz. aluminum shafts and 2 Dz. carbons. Fletched up two carbons and they are way too stiff for me. I haven't done anything yet with the metal ones. Hap

Jeff Strubberg · May 16, 2007, 12:01:00 PM

I've shot every kind of arrow you can think of. I rolled my own woodies for years, including dowelling the shafts from doug fir, pine and ash. Those of you who say wood can match any material are correct...sorta. It isn't impossible to make very fine wood arrows, but I can guarantee you that you will see a difference in the 3D scores between the wood arrow shooters and those using other materials. That's not a slam, that's something you can check for yourself.

Just to give another perspective, I'm really not interested in how "traditional" a material is. Traditional is really just a function of how long a material has been around. What keeps me in trad archery is simplicity.

It's not nearly as simple as "traditional" and "high-tech". Even ten, fifteen years ago, aluminum was still "high-tech" in the traditional community.

Randy Koleno · May 16, 2007, 04:45:00 PM

I'm still In the process of converting to carbon. I have some of my trusty 2018's left and will shoot them occasionally, but as I replace arrows, I will be buying carbon. I'm using Gold Tip Trads (3555) now. They shoot very well out of my bows that stretch from 43 to 55 pounds. I may shoot Alum during winter league, my wood arrows will stay on the wall, but for hunting, 3D, stumping etc. Carbon is my choice.

Onehair · May 17, 2007, 08:38:00 AM

Wood to carbon to wood.... Never aluminum

George Tsoukalas · May 17, 2007, 08:39:00 AM

I shoot selfbows and wooden arrows. I make my own bows. I hand plane my own shafts or shoot shafts from wild shoots. A set of arrows, planing the shaft, cutting the selfnock, fletching (tv time:) ), wrapping the feathers, finishing the arrow, cresting, etc. takes me 12 hours. Why do I do this? Because it's fun! I like making my own tackle. Jawge