Hi ya'll,

I'm getting the itch to try wooden arrows for my recurve bows. I'm looking for advice for two of my bows, a 45# GreatTree Deerslayer and a 50# Bear Grizzly. I have a 28.5" draw and will be looking at probably a 30" shaft (I don't want an arrow slipping off the shelf and slicing my hand). I'm looking for a quality "arrow smith" to make up some for me, particularly the Grizzly. I'm looking at using 150+ gr broadheads such as Magnus Snuffers, or Woodsman Original or Elites. What diameter shaft should I use and what should the spine be with 5" fletching? I'm a newbie when it comes to traditional, so no flaming please. Thanks.

That's a real tough question to answer without shooting a few. With a 30 inch shaft and 150gr head you'll need stiff spine since both of those factors weaken a shaft. Easton says about a .400 deflection, which is a 2117 for your #50 Grizzly. That is the arrow I use but I shoot #58 and a 28.25" arrow with about 145 up front.

Other things affect spine too, like degree of centershot, release etc. I would try to find someone local to you and maybe try a few arrows. Stickbow.com and tradgang.com are two great sites for hooking up with other trad shooters. I'm on both.

Finding spine can be a bit of voodoo, and trial and error (to a degree) seems to the be the experience of everyone I know who shoots recurves.

Good luck.

OOps, I see you say wood arrows... lemme add that the same basic rule applies, you'll need to go stiffer for that 30 inch shaft. For my #58 pounder, I typically shoot 65-70 spine. But this can vary a bit with wood material (port orford versus laminated birch, versus ash etc) - each wood recovers differently. Again, trial and error will likely be needed, but I would say 50-55 spine shafts, or maybe 55-60 would get you close. Just depends on the many factors of bow/shooting style.

I would call Kustom King and ask. I like the taper cedar arrows.

Mate, get on the TradGang.com forum.

Heaps of info there.

I'll try to dig-up my spine formula.

To get you started:

Draw weight of bow at 28" plus five pounds. If bow is cut to or past centre, add another five. For every inch of desired arrow length over 28", add another five. If modern, low-stretch string material is used, add another five. If you want to put a point heavier than 145 grains, add another five (up to 200 grains; more spine required after that).

This formula has served me and my friends well, and many big game animals have fallen to our sticks. I usually simply use whatever this formula presents me. One friend is a better shot than me, and uses the formula as a starting point for fine-tuning.

Send me a PM if you'd like to chat about tradbows.

Cheers,

Ben

Thanks all. Per BenKK's easy formula, I will need 70-75 spined arrows for my Grizzly. Now to find a good arrow smith . I will check out Kustom King and any other suggested sources. Thanks again!

Sounds good. 3RiversArchery.com or KustomKing will have test kits available in cedar. Then, once you determine your spine, check TradGang for many smaller, better custom arrow makers.

Also what about fletching, helical, offset, or straight?

Plain old helical, mate, the more the better!

I like the banana cut now.

I'm seriously looking at 145 gr heads for the 50# Grizzly. Is that too much for 20-30 yd shots at white tails?
That said, I,m looking at 4" or 5" flething? I'm guessing 4". Please advise a trad newbie.

Mate, if you want to use those broadheads, go for it! They'll be fine. As for fletching, I usually use 5" or 5.5"... More feather helps that arrow fly better if my release isn't perfect. Let me know if I can help more, but do yourself a favour and join TradGang.com.

Go to Tradgang,s site, sponsor classifieds, look for D&M Custom Arrows. Think he does a lot of Easton arrows, and cedars. I just shoot carbons out of the long bows and recurves, so don't have any first-hand experience in that regard. Leatherwall is another good site for trad stuff. If burning or cutting feathers, plenty of options, buying arrows and having them fletched, will usually be either shield cut or parabolic. Prefer 5" parabolic feathers myself. Shoot 3 under, like to feel the feather touch my nose at anchor, parabolic gives me just a scoshe more draw, feels a little more natural to me. Depending upon whether you're shooting 3 under or split, and your anchor point, far as shooting goes, feather cut might not even enter into the equation.
Neither one is right or wrong, just personal preference.

Guessing you're shooting right handed?
Probably wouldn't be a bad idea to figure out if you want to shoot left wing or right, if shooting single bevels like the Grizzly, match the bevel to the feathers..

Whoops. Was thinking Grizzly broadheads, for a moment, not the bow..
But that wouldn't be a bad combination..