[Horsebow] Carbon /aluminum arrows for horsebow

Yonniol

New member
Hello,

Can I use a horsebow with aluminum or carbon arrows? Tried some woodens but didn't get on with it. Could have been the poor quality of those particular ones but I would prefer not to venture there again.

Was thinking xx75 or carbon ones.
 

frustratatosk

New member
I'm interested in this too. I tried 2016 XX75s at 32" in order to get the full draw length but was hitting the side of the bow (about #42.)
Too weak. Then tried a friends #50 pine shafts of about the same length and they cleared nicely.
Koreans use only bamboo or carbons for traditional competition but boo is not allowed at my club and I don't have deep enough pockets to invest in 12 carbon ally shafts as an experiment (would want to use feathers.)
I think stiff carbon ally would be the way to go.
[Edit] should have said that 2016s were just stiff enough at 30" but I want to draw back to my ear.
 

Berny

Active member
Easton Powerflights are pretty good - lot's of us shooting field with them.
They may be the cheapest carbons on the market & do live longer than wood.
Bowsports/Merlin circa ?32 (incl. VAT)/doz (with nock & point insert, unfletched).
 

Yonniol

New member
My draw length is 23" so the power flights are too stiff. I need a 900/950 spine? I have some 900 Apollo's lying around somewhere but have to refletch them with feathers.

Many out there seem to prefer wood? Why is that? Is it to "conform" to the traditional aspect of archery (sorry I'm not sure conform is the right word but can't think of the right word right now).

Is there a reason bamboos are not allowed at your club?

Might get some xx75 to see how it goes.
 

frustratatosk

New member
Is there a reason bamboos are not allowed at your club?
.
Haven't really got to the bottom of that but I think it is an ArcheryGB thing that is repeated in club rules. They are more prone to splinter in a harmful way maybe? (But are pretty tough none the less)
My draw length is 23" so the power flights are too stiff. I need a 900/950 spine? I have some 900 Apollo's lying around somewhere but have to refletch them with feathers.

Many out there seem to prefer wood? Why is that? Is it to "conform" to the traditional aspect of archery (sorry I'm not sure conform is the right word but can't think of the right word right now).

Is there a reason bamboos are not allowed at your club?

Might get some xx75 to see how it goes.
 

Riceburner

Active member
Haven't really got to the bottom of that but I think it is an ArcheryGB thing that is repeated in club rules. They are more prone to splinter in a harmful way maybe? (But are pretty tough none the less)
How is that different from Carbons splitting?? (which they do).

I'd love to try some carbons out of my horsebow, they'd probably be bloody fast!
 

Tassell

New member
Haven't really got to the bottom of that but I think it is an ArcheryGB thing that is repeated in club rules. They are more prone to splinter in a harmful way maybe? (But are pretty tough none the less)
I thought the down on bamboo was purely because of Archery GB's stance that bamboo is technically not wood, despite being used increasingly and globally as a substitute.

- - - Updated - - -

Haven't really got to the bottom of that but I think it is an ArcheryGB thing that is repeated in club rules. They are more prone to splinter in a harmful way maybe? (But are pretty tough none the less)
I thought the down on bamboo was purely because of Archery GB's stance that bamboo is technically not wood, despite being used increasingly and globally as a substitute.
 

Tassell

New member
Haven't really got to the bottom of that but I think it is an ArcheryGB thing that is repeated in club rules. They are more prone to splinter in a harmful way maybe? (But are pretty tough none the less)
I thought it was down to Archery GB's mindset that bamboo is a grass rather than a timber. Way out of kick when bamboo is increasingly used globally as a substitute for hardwoods.

- - - Updated - - -

Not easy to edit posts on here, is it? :blush:
 

Yonniol

New member
I thought it was down to Archery GB's mindset that bamboo is a grass rather than a timber. Way out of kick when bamboo is increasingly used globally as a substitute for hardwoods.

- - - Updated - - -

Not easy to edit posts on here, is it? :blush:
Happens to the best of us ;)

I'm now very curious to look for bamboo arrows. Do you know if they handle like wooden arrows? I now dislike wooden arrows unfortunately.

Have found some carbons and have ordered feathers. Will update later on.

- - - Updated - - -

I thought it was down to Archery GB's mindset that bamboo is a grass rather than a timber. Way out of kick when bamboo is increasingly used globally as a substitute for hardwoods.

- - - Updated - - -

Not easy to edit posts on here, is it? :blush:
If a thing is worth saying its worth saying 3 times :) I think your probably right.
Well said!
 

Tassell

New member
It seems a shame to abandon wooden arrows on a single bad experience--if I'm reading you right. Have you tried making your own wooden arrows and matching the weights of the shafts within 10 grains, or less, if possible? It made all the difference when I stopped to think about things instead of churning out homemade arrows from any old shafts. Mind you, my next lot will be carbon or bamboo.
 

Yonniol

New member
It seems a shame to abandon wooden arrows on a single bad experience--if I'm reading you right. Have you tried making your own wooden arrows and matching the weights of the shafts within 10 grains, or less, if possible? It made all the difference when I stopped to think about things instead of churning out homemade arrows from any old shafts. Mind you, my next lot will be carbon or bamboo.
I got a dozen woodens last Christmas but they weren't really good ones (the person who got it for me is totally foreign to archery bless him. It was sweet of him though).

A few broke on impact despite just using a 22# bow. It was meant for a 40# bow. Got a few splinters in my fingers (from non broken arrows) and spent a couple of hours getting them out (that was fun). And one sorta exploded on impact. No idea what happened, I was just happy it didn't happen as it was released.

I am aware that it's probably the worst wooden arrows every produced in the world but I'll probably be staying away from it for some time. Plus I prefer the slim/small profile of carbons and aluminums.

Let me know which one you decide to get in the end :)
 

frustratatosk

New member
I'd like to try the powerflights but as we shoot on a rugby pitch they all have to be found, by detector if necessary. The aviators are not to pricey but got to have a doz. Only seem to be available around 400 though (which I think might be about right for me)
 

Yonniol

New member
I'd like to try the powerflights but as we shoot on a rugby pitch they all have to be found, by detector if necessary. The aviators are not to pricey but got to have a doz. Only seem to be available around 400 though (which I think might be about right for me)
Oh dear! Perhaps aluminums then?

Update: Got my feathers and have fletched them. Have a brilliant feel to it, very light and fast. Flies straight too compared to those disastrous woodens. I think I'll stick with the carbons for now. Might order some more to go with the 38# horsebow.

One thing though is that it is wearing through my make shift arrow/strike plate that I placed where the arrow would make contact with the bow. Used electrical tape as a buffer but cut through that. Using the soft side of a Velcro strip but also wearing through it. Any thoughts on this? I shoot the feathers off my bare hand and don't get any grief from it. Just worried that if I don't put anything between the arrow and the bow it might wear the bow out?
 

English Bowman

Well-known member
My guess is that the arrows are not clearing the bow cleanly. If the spine is close enough to being right you may be able to get the clearance by changing the bracing height or maybe the number of strands in the string.
 

frustratatosk

New member
Funny thing about the horse bow I've noticed is that changing the brace height is not as easy as a recurve because twists on the string cause the big loops not to 'ride' properly on the syiahs (sp?) (String guides.)
Adding a loop at one end around the bow and resetting the nock has just occurred to me - would raise the brace by 1/2" I guess and better than twisting. ( Untried theory so far!)
 

Yonniol

New member
My guess is that the arrows are not clearing the bow cleanly. If the spine is close enough to being right you may be able to get the clearance by changing the bracing height or maybe the number of strands in the string.
Funny thing about the horse bow I've noticed is that changing the brace height is not as easy as a recurve because twists on the string cause the big loops not to 'ride' properly on the syiahs (sp?) (String guides.)
Adding a loop at one end around the bow and resetting the nock has just occurred to me - would raise the brace by 1/2" I guess and better than twisting. ( Untried theory so far!)
Thanks I'll try both and report back!
 
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