Your setup

[TheBlindCat]

I guess I'm going to shoot some more VPA's. The Texas trip has them sending us sizes from 160 to 250, both glue on and screw on and in different widths. First time being being part of "test" crew.

Wish they sold a glue on single bevel though. I’m going to try some grizzley 190 grains for my first wood arrows setup.

 

[JSEXTON23]

I guess I'm going to shoot some more VPA's. The Texas trip has them sending us sizes from 160 to 250, both glue on and screw on and in different widths. First time being being part of "test" crew.

I just received my 250 and 300 grain screw in premium tool steel single bevel VPA heads this week. They’re really nice.

 

[NMSbowhunter]

Wish they sold a glue on single bevel though. I’m going to try some grizzley 190 grains for my first wood arrows setup.

I've been using Grizzly 190 single bevels for several years now and I have had great results. They do require a good bit of sharpening when you first get them. They are just rough ground. I use a KME jig KME Broadhead Sharpener (bestsharpeningstones.com) staring at 80 grit sandpaper and work my way up to 2000. Go slow and it works. I also bought a curved tooth file a few years ago after figuring out that that was what I was looking at in a picture posted by Dr. Ashby showing different profiles for the grizzly broadheads. I mounted my file to an oak board and it works great for roughing in broadheads.

Adjustable Curved Tooth Steel File Holder Car Body Polisher Files 14Inch Files | eBay

Another thing to mention since i saw you bought a Bitzenberger fletching jig, always make sure you leave the little metal bar across the magnet when you are not using it. If you forget and leave it off for a long time the magnet can get weak.

 

[TheBlindCat]

Good to know about the magnet, thank you. I have the KME sharpener and like the sandpaper approach too.

 

[TheBlindCat]

I've been using Grizzly 190 single bevels for several years now and I have had great results. They do require a good bit of sharpening when you first get them. They are just rough ground. I use a KME jig KME Broadhead Sharpener (bestsharpeningstones.com) staring at 80 grit sandpaper and work my way up to 2000. Go slow and it works. I also bought a curved tooth file a few years ago after figuring out that that was what I was looking at in a picture posted by Dr. Ashby showing different profiles for the grizzly broadheads. I mounted my file to an oak board and it works great for roughing in broadheads.

Adjustable Curved Tooth Steel File Holder Car Body Polisher Files 14Inch Files | eBay

Another thing to mention since i saw you bought a Bitzenberger fletching jig, always make sure you leave the little metal bar across the magnet when you are not using it. If you forget and leave it off for a long time the magnet can get weak.

My first dozen wood arrows, first time I’ve tapered or fletched anything.

-23/64, 75-80 spine POC bare shafts
-True North light walnut stain
-3Rivers Gasket Lacquer with an Eco Dipper
-5” shield cut feathers with Bohning tape and Duco Cement
-Bohning Classic 11/32 nocks
-190 grain point

Bow is a 1974 Herter’s Perfection Itasca with a #65 pull at 28”. I shoot my 50 and 55 lb recurves more accurately, but I really want my first archery deer with this bow. I’ll just have to keep shots to 15 yards.

Turned out looking nice, they fly great. 630-650 grains all done. I’m interested how well the fletching tape holds. I’ve got some Grizzly and Cutthroat 190’s I’ll mount on some for this season.

I got some Tamarak 75-80 spine bare shafts that are 620-630 grains that I’m going to make next. Those are going to be absurdly heavy though.

 

[Bowtie747]

Just reread through this. Anyone know of anymore rendezvous this year? I’d really like to try a couple different bows out before I bought one.
I’ve been watching “the push” traditional archery channel on YouTube and it’s got me pretty fired up.

 

[Equinox631]

Orvis 54” 45# at 28
Rosewood
Wing Falcon 62” 49# at 28

 

[Tr33_n1nj@]

Another thing to mention since i saw you bought a Bitzenberger fletching jig, always make sure you leave the little metal bar across the magnet when you are not using it. If you forget and leave it off for a long time the magnet can get weak.

Never heard that before, I always thought it was just to help alignment for different size shafts. Now I have to go find it.

 

[kbetts]

My first dozen wood arrows, first time I’ve tapered or fletched anything.

-23/64, 75-80 spine POC bare shafts
-True North light walnut stain
-3Rivers Gasket Lacquer with an Eco Dipper
-5” shield cut feathers with Bohning tape and Duco Cement
-Bohning Classic 11/32 nocks
-190 grain point

Bow is a 1974 Herter’s Perfection Itasca with a #65 pull at 28”. I shoot my 50 and 55 lb recurves more accurately, but I really want my first archery deer with this bow. I’ll just have to keep shots to 15 yards.

Turned out looking nice, they fly great. 630-650 grains all done. I’m interested how well the fletching tape holds. I’ve got some Grizzly and Cutthroat 190’s I’ll mount on some for this season.

I got some Tamarak 75-80 spine bare shafts that are 620-630 grains that I’m going to make next. Those are going to be absurdly heavy though.

Tape is ok on wood, but not my first choice. I like tape for everything else though. Let us know how it holds up. I'm not opposed to trying it again.

 

[kbetts]

Just reread through this. Anyone know of anymore rendezvous this year? I’d really like to try a couple different bows out before I bought one.
I’ve been watching “the push” traditional archery channel on YouTube and it’s got me pretty fired up.

Join Tradgang. I'm sure there are a number of trad shooters around you. Those are the guys you want to shoot with.
I'll never forget going over to an older gentleman's house to shoot one afternoon. He had about a dozen bows laid out.

 

[HuumanCreed]

Question. I'm setting up arrows for a 41lb longbow. So far I got 600 spines at 28 inches with 150gr to fly straight bare shaft and planing to use 3 fletching of 4 inch feathers. But I was hoping to use 200gr broadheads for better whitetail hunting FOC at lower poundage. I would preferred not to cut arrow any shorter because I don't want to cut off my finger if human error happens. So what do you suggests?

1. Add weight via lighted nocks and 4 fletching of 5 inch feathers.

2. Go buy 500 spine and start all over.

I'm still open to cutting the arrow because some people have said that when you feel the back of the broadhead touching your finger, it does act like a mental trigger. That they have use it as an indicator to help with consistence drawing. I'm intrigued by this but really worried that I'll slice something off.

 

[gcr0003]

Question. I'm setting up arrows for a 41lb longbow. So far I got 600 spines at 28 inches with 150gr to fly straight bare shaft and planing to use 3 fletching of 4 inch feathers. But I was hoping to use 200gr broadheads for better whitetail hunting FOC at lower poundage. I would preferred not to cut arrow any shorter because I don't want to cut off my finger if human error happens. So what do you suggests?

1. Add weight via lighted nocks and 4 fletching of 5 inch feathers.

2. Go buy 500 spine and start all over.

I'm still open to cutting the arrow because some people have said that when you feel the back of the broadhead touching your finger, it does act like a mental trigger. That they have use it as an indicator to help with consistence drawing. I'm intrigued by this but really worried that I'll slice something off.

I’m honestly surprised you have 600 spine flying well out of a 41# bow with 150 up front but I guess they are just 28” long. What is your draw length? It would half to be less than 28?

 

[HuumanCreed]

I’m honestly surprised you have 600 spine flying well out of a 41# bow with 150 up front but I guess they are just 28” long. What is your draw length? It would half to be less than 28?

I'm drawing 27 sir. Its a bow that is marked 41@27. But to be fair I have not measure the lbs myself.

 

[gcr0003]

I'm drawing 27 sir. Its a bow that is marked 41@27. But to be fair I have not measure the lbs myself.

Gotcha. Well, if you’re only wanting to add 50 gr to what is already flying good now, I don’t think you’ll need to take 1” off. I’d go to the local archery store and have them cut 1/8” off and try it, then another 1/8” etc until you hit the sweet spot. I’m guess 1/4” may be all you need off it. If you have the cutting tools at your house, even better. Shoot it bare shaft with the weight you want and have them cut it off the fletching side. Once it flies good bareshaft your done.

 

[GCTerpfan]

First thing I would do is shoot a 200 gr field point and see how weak the shaft is. If it’s only slightly weak an arrow wrap and fletching will stiffen it up. If not, Then like @gcr0003 said a 1/4 or so would probably be enough, you have plenty of arrow left to cut a little off if your draw is only 27”.

 

[BTaylor]

First thing I would do is shoot a 200 gr field point and see how weak the shaft is. If it’s only slightly weak an arrow wrap and fletching will stiffen it up. If not, Then like @gcr0003 said a 1/4 or so would probably be enough, you have plenty of arrow left to cut a little off if your draw is only 27”.

I agree, likely no reason to need to cut the shafts down only adding 50 grains. Adding a wrap and/or a lighted nock should keep it very close to where it is now. However doing all of that is going to be adding approx. 80-85 grains of total arrow weight. That will affect your drop some. Change one arrow up and see how it flies for you. You might decide just staying with a 150 grain head works better for you. Testing, woohoo!!

 

[Petrichor]

I’m honestly surprised you have 600 spine flying well out of a 41# bow with 150 up front but I guess they are just 28” long. What is your draw length? It would half to be less than 28?

That maddog is not quite center cut if it’s anything like mine. If you want 200 go 500 spine. However for that poundage 150 should give you plenty of aero weight for that drawl weight. You may just find the 200 on a 500 spine will dive for the dirt.

 

[NMSbowhunter]

Never heard that before, I always thought it was just to help alignment for different size shafts. Now I have to go find it.

operating-Instructions.pdf (bitzenburger.com)

Yeah, the guy who recommended the jig gave me that tip, but the warning it is in the instructions too. It says to protect the magnet. I heard it is to keep the magnet from losing its strength.

 

[HuumanCreed]

That maddog is not quite center cut if it’s anything like mine. If you want 200 go 500 spine. However for that poundage 150 should give you plenty of aero weight for that drawl weight. You may just find the 200 on a 500 spine will dive for the dirt.

Hmm...you're right about that. But I'm confused. If the shelves is less cut out, wouldn't weaker arrows be better for it as it flex more to avoid the riser? Please educate me.

 

[TheBlindCat]

Question. I'm setting up arrows for a 41lb longbow. So far I got 600 spines at 28 inches with 150gr to fly straight bare shaft and planing to use 3 fletching of 4 inch feathers. But I was hoping to use 200gr broadheads for better whitetail hunting FOC at lower poundage. I would preferred not to cut arrow any shorter because I don't want to cut off my finger if human error happens. So what do you suggests?

1. Add weight via lighted nocks and 4 fletching of 5 inch feathers.

2. Go buy 500 spine and start all over.

I'm still open to cutting the arrow because some people have said that when you feel the back of the broadhead touching your finger, it does act like a mental trigger. That they have use it as an indicator to help with consistence drawing. I'm intrigued by this but really worried that I'll slice something off.

You can also lower your brace height a little and see what happens.

Edit: Sorry, lower the brace height if you increase the point weight. You risk string slap and making the bow louder through. Don’t lower it more than the bow manufacturer recommends though.