History of barreled shafts

LionOfNarnia

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Excellent article from Bow International magazine.

"ROLL OUT THE BARREL"

Despite the views of recognised experts, who saw virtue in the profile, and present-day preference for barrelling of the shaft, it did not sit favourably with perhaps the greatest 19th century champion, Horace Alfred Ford.

He dismissed it because, in his view “the shape, by providing a central high spot on the shaft does not allow an even passage past the limb of the bow. Therefore none other than the straight shaft is recommended.”
 
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Deleted member 7654

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He didn't understand the physics of the archers paradox* as it was not discovered until Hickman devised high speed photographic methods.
The "article" doesn't really tell us anything about the history of barrelled shafts... :oops::rolleyes:. Just one man's misunderstanding and opinion
Del
* I'll explain this yet again for those who don't understand the actual paradox, which is that an arrow on the bow (ELB) at brace points well to the left. As as it is loosed common sense would dictate that it must pass through that position before it leaves the string. Ye it doesn't kick left, it flies along the line of sight made at full draw!
The answer to this paradox is that the arrow flexes round the bow. The flexing isn't the paradox... it is the answer to the paradox.
 

geoffretired

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I think it is logical to imagine the arrow stays in contact with the bow all the time until it is beyond the bow. I guess it is also logical to imagine the arrow remains straight all the way to the target : that's how it appears to us. My guess is that some wondered why the arrows didn't fly off to the side, hence the paradox. But it would be difficult to work out why.....and I guess very few bothered so long as their arrows went where they wanted them to go.
I never thought anything about arrow flight until I was told about it.
Now, I find it fascinating, and continue to want to know more. Barreled arrows seem to make a lot of sense to me, but so do ordinary ones.
As for misunderstanding archers paradox..... I guess it is easier to understand the mistaken view than to take on board the reality.
 
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Deleted member 7654

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...
As for misunderstanding archers paradox..... I guess it is easier to understand the mistaken view than to take on board the reality.
AROOOGAH AROOOGAH! RANT ALERT
Arrgh... exactly... it's easier!!! And there lies the road to hell.. it's like the other current thread where they are having to run 10 minute sessions to teach the basics 'cos newbies (and some old uns) don't understand the basics and can't be bothered to apply critical thought.
I can remember at the age of about 10 looking at the way the arrow pointed left at brace on my home made stick bow (with very low brace height) and wondering why the arrows didn't kick left.... even my Dad didn't know why 😲.
So I'm sure people had wondered about this for millennia.. it's just that Hickman found the answer....
Now we get loads of ill informed sloppy thinking armchair experts (and plenty of Youtubers) thinking arrow flexing is itself the paradox... they mess about trying to tune a bow without any real understanding... then they moan at me being pedantic.
Everyone wants "easy" and they don't appreciate the level of effort and attention to detail required to get the best out of something.

I recently took a video of me shooting one of my bows the other day... I took the video 3 times, and even painted the handle of the garage door to stop it glaring and interfering with the image! (Also made an improvised screen to shade the sky) I still wasn't entirely happy with it, but it started to rain...
... and ... relax...
Del 😉
 

geoffretired

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Hi Del, love the little bow. I am worried about the arrow through the doorway! It did look as if the enemy died instantly,so no slow painful end!
I made bows as a kid but always shot with the bow horizontal so no kick left. We all used thumb pinch on the arrows so all arrows seemed to shoot well.
I think that taking the easy option is pretty normal, specially when the topic is not of huge interest to us. Sometimes it takes a few words from a real enthusiast to open our eyes to the fascinating details. You, and several others on this forum, open my eyes to things I never knew about. I am very glad that you / they did, too.
 

LionOfNarnia

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I find it AMAZING that after 25 years, no-one has trumped the X-10.
Can anyone find another example of such unchallenged supremacy in the sporting world?
('Corporate' compulsory equipment doesn't count!)
Anyone care to speculate on how long it will be before a different arrow will win WC/Olympic gold?
 
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Deleted member 7654

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I find it AMAZING that after 25 years, no-one has trumped the X-10.
Can anyone find another example of such unchallenged supremacy in the sporting world?
('Corporate' compulsory equipment doesn't count!)
Anyone care to speculate on how long it will be before a different arrow will win WC/Olympic gold?
Unchallenged supremacy ... in a very narrow sector of the archery world...
I don't s'pose that arrow has made much meat in the regions of the globe where archery is a way of putting food on the table. Or in field shooting in ELB or primitive classes?
Del
 

jerryRTD

Well-known member
I find it AMAZING that after 25 years, no-one has trumped the X-10.
Can anyone find another example of such unchallenged supremacy in the sporting world?
('Corporate' compulsory equipment doesn't count!)
Anyone care to speculate on how long it will be before a different arrow will win WC/Olympic gold?
The aluminium riser has to have been going for more than 25 years I saw my first ally riser on 1974
 
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LionOfNarnia

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Manny Pacquiao prolly has a greater claim to that than JE.

He may have HELD the record since '95 but I don't see him still competing now, never mind winning.

- But he's a good Geordie so I'll forgive him ;)
 

geoffretired

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OK
I have already posted that perhaps Horace Ford's dislike of barreled shafts was based on a misunderstanding of the arrow's action during the launch. If he misunderstood that, perhaps his dislike was unfounded.Perhaps he never shot barreled shafts, so never found out their true value.
 

LionOfNarnia

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misunderstanding of the arrow's action during the launch
I'd say his recorded words actually prove that misunderstanding - but in the days before high-speed photography, how could he have known?

Whether he ever shot BS's is a moot point, he certainly didn't shoot precision-manufactured carbon/alloy shafts on a windowed riser against a plunger.

Yet the facts remain - only one manufacturer produces barreled shafts, and only 2 models at that (OK 3 if you count the wheelie version as a different model). Despite the high price, every top (recurve) archer uses X-10's, as do many who aren't even top in their own clubs.

- So they must be doing something right!

Perhaps the biggest question mark is why no other maker has succeeded in bringing to market something which can even begin to compete with the Easton dominance - although the article hints that such a challenger may be relatively close now. Not even the masters of knock-off copies in the far east have done it - and there have to be good financial reasons for at least trying.

Me, I'm a long way from being able to justify spending that kind of money on arrows - but I am trying to get a 2nd-hand set of A/C/E's before next Easter. Only because my new club has an all-carbon embargo though. If it wasn't for that I'd still be thinking CE nano's for my next big upgrade.
 
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