straightening tricky shoot arrows

[ntvbowyer1969]

[/img]Good evening everyone. I have another question for everyone this evening. I have no problems straightening all of my arrows except on type. I can get them close but i was wondering if anyone has a technique for handling "dog leg" bends in shafts? Maybe as a electrician and bending plenty of pipe in my time before retiring i am overthinking how to get them out . I usually try to bend the bump out first and then bend on either side of the bump in opposite directions. I was just wondering if anyone has any other ways to handle them. I have cast aside many great arrows that were poker straight except for a little dog leg. The picture i am posting shows what i am talking about. They are made more drastic than what i am dealing with i just drew them that way for a example of my conundrum. Thank you.       

[Pat B]

Arrows don't all have to be "arrow" straight! If you can compensate that bend by adding one to offset it you can get good arrow flight. As long as the point and nock line up and the arrow spins true on it's point it will fly well. I love stepping up to the practice range at an archery shoot with a "crooked arrows" and putting it in the 12 ring. The expressions from the carbon shooters is priceless. 

[BowEd]

Some of the dogwood shoots I shoot are perfectly straight,but most are'nt.They have to fly like darts yet for me though.Here's the tools I use especially on the ends for more stubborn shafts.A slight countering wiggle in the center of a shaft is OK as long as those ends are lined up good.

A mantle lantern for heat and a stick.I'll work one end of shaft then go to other end to work to let first area cool.Been having pretty good luck with them staying straight.

[ntvbowyer1969]

thank you guys for your response. yes i know they dont have to be perfectly straight  to fly well. I was trying to save time and not go through the whole process of cutting nocks,fletching,and putting tip in to have a wonkey flying arrow. I do try and make them fly as straight as possible. The dog legs are the ones that elude me to get them out or as close as possible. I like the picture of the tool posted thats real cool and i could see how that would bend the arrow after heating very well.I was just wondering where would you bend the arrow at to get the dog leg out? on both sides in opposite direction? I am going to try and post another pic on this reply. it isnt a arrow. it is a metal conduit but this is the type of bend in shaft i was referring to. The arrow is pocker straight but this one little spot that has a bend like this on the shaft? its exaggerated in pick but same concept. If you would leave it in and dont worry about it how would you face the bend toward the riser or up and down on hand/shelf?[/img]

[ntvbowyer1969]

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[Pat B]

If the rest of the arrow is straight and the point and nock line up those with the kinks in them can fly well. I wouldn't use one for hunting because the chance of impeding penetration. Sometimes the kinks are too severe to eliminate without the shaft breaking. The easiest way to prevent this is to not cut them. Be a little more picky as you cut shoots.

[bjrogg]

NTV. I have the best luck with straightening that type of bend like you first described. I have a tip for my heat gun that really funnels the heat and concentrates it on the spot I want to bend. I make the first bend then leave it sit for awhile to completely cool before making the next straightening bend. That has seemed to help. Like Ed and Pat said though. They don't have to be perfectly straight.
Bjrogg

[ntvbowyer1969]

Thx everyone. Its hard sometimes when cutting to see those little kinks with a stick in your ear , nose , up your coats, in your eye and on your knees crawling at the same time...lol Thx again great info.

[Pat B]

Sometimes I have to use an arrow wrench on bad kinks. Like bj said do a small section and let it cool completely before trying to bend the next section or you'll loose your first bend.

[ntvbowyer1969]

Thx Pat

[BowEd]

ntv....Nice pics...The bend in center of shaft your [?] picture shows I would do by hand wearing a cotton glove and work from left to right heating 3 times.If too sharply a bend a risk is taken breaking it though.My wooden bending wrench is used mostly for any imperfections on the ends of the shafts where no room is left to grab ahold of the shaft.
If length allows it you can get rid of it too.I cut my shafts 40" long lots of times just to get the best out of it I can.
I usually figure to get a dozen good shooters if I'm lucky out of 14 to 15 shafts cut most times.There's other imperfections in them too besides bends that can exclude them from being a servicable shaft.After cutting and making enough of them a person is pretty discriminatory about which shaft is cut to save on work.

[DC]

You can reef on them pretty good. Don't worry about breaking a few. It's a proven fact that the ones that break wouldn't have made good arrows anyway