Author Topic: Durability testing materials  (Read 1978 times)

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Offline Mo_coon-catcher

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Durability testing materials
« on: April 30, 2015, 06:13:18 pm »
Jus curious if any one else durability tests arrows. Yesterday a buddy and myself decided to see how much a couple of hickory arrows could take. The arrows had flat sides from not being large enough blanks to cut round in my dowel cutter. Didn't have the best grain and were went back to crooked from the humidity. We were using a brick as te target and lp smart side plywood for a back stop. The plywood didn't even phase the arrows. And we managed to bounce one arrow off the brick about 4 times. The only thing that had an effect was shooting a steel gong from 5 yards and all it did was nock the point off and bounced the arrow back to us. Which we kept shooting that arrow without a point until it finally snapped after bouncing off the brick and hitting the plywood about 20 more times. It broke when it finally developed a crack and hit a corner of one of the ridges in the plywood. The only other one that broke we hit with a Broadway earlier and put a slice 1/4 through the shaft. Those arrows held up enough to impress me, especially since they weren't even good quality arrows to start with. So does anyone else test arrows like that?

Kyle

Offline bow101

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Re: Durability testing materials
« Reply #1 on: April 30, 2015, 07:22:30 pm »
I do not test arrows as such but from what I made I would say the ones that broke were Douglas fir shafts.  They have the wild grain pattern which makes them vulnerable.  You have to really pic thru a bundle to get good grain that runs almost equal from end to end.  :)
"The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are."  Joseph Campbell

Offline ajbruggink

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  • Aaron Bruggink, Oostburg, WI, USA
Re: Durability testing materials
« Reply #2 on: April 30, 2015, 08:07:38 pm »
No I haven't but I want to test arrows like that some time. I have used different arrow materials and I remember what they were like. The ash arrows I used were indestructible, I never broke one by shooting them at anything but they were a lot of work to straighten but the durability makes it worth it in my opinion.

Aaron

Offline Mo_coon-catcher

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Re: Durability testing materials
« Reply #3 on: April 30, 2015, 08:20:29 pm »
Ash is one that I'm wanting to try. And the indestructible nature of hickory definitely makes it worth the right to keep it straight. I think if I would have put a tip back on I would still be shooting it. We found a perfectly straight grain 9 foot 2x4 that we're going to make into arrows. I'll probably give it a test too and see how Douglas fir holds up.

Kyle

Offline Pat B

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Re: Durability testing materials
« Reply #4 on: May 04, 2015, 01:34:17 pm »
Seasoned poplar shafts are quite strong and make great arrows. I think the strongest shafting I've used is sourwood but cane comes in a close second.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Slackbunny

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Re: Durability testing materials
« Reply #5 on: May 06, 2015, 11:49:14 am »
I did some testing with some ash arrows I made a year or so ago. I shot them directly into a concrete wall at about 10 yards with a 50lb bow. Ruined the tips but the shafts were fine. I don't make arrows out of anything else now.

I'm not a very good shot and I can't stand breaking arrows, so ash is a great pick for me.