Bamboo Arrow Shafts, 9mm diameter Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I ordered these as an experiment in making 100cm arrows for Japanese archery (yumi ya's). The cost of finished arrows in that length is very high, and the only other sources for shafts that I could find required ordering in high quantities and with the long delays and high expenses of shipping from China. These shafts, in contrast, could be ordered in smaller quantities of only 10 or 25. Shipping costs were modest, and they were delivered the very next day after I placed my order!
I ordered 10 and found that they are almost perfectly straight and with the nodes sanded down. When adjustment of straightness is needed, bamboo has an amazing ability to flex over heat or steam and then to hold the new position. Thus, the very few that were not acceptably straight could be easily adjusted.
The individual shaft widths varied from 8-9mm, with one end usually being slightly wider than the other. Most would fit a standard 11/32 taper tool for the addition of 11/32 glue-on nocks and 125gn glue-on field tips. A few were too wide at one end to fit into the taper tool, but these could be tapered using a bench grinder.
The shafts spine tested in the roughly 60-75# range (3/8 inch deflection when 1.94 pounds were suspended in the center of the shaft, with its ends resting at 28 inches of length). The general rule of 5# of dynamic spine gain for each inch over 28 meant that these should work well in a 42# (19kg) yumi (7 inches over 28 equate to about 35# of spine reduction). They flew very well out of my western recurve bows with draw weights of 31# and 38#.
They were easily fletched on a standard jig, and fly well with 5-inch shield feathers. One can also buy 5 1/2-inch feathers - or full length feathers which can be cut to 6 inches for the more traditional Japanese style.
The fletched and finished arrows weighed roughly 46g, with a few being about 55 and one over 60. Thus, one drawback to these is that they are not weight-matched, and they are also heavier than an ideal yumi arrow.
Some call bamboo "nature's carbon," and these shafts are remarkably strong. Overall, I am very pleased with these shafts and can recommend them. I just wish they were offered in a choice of spines and were weight matched. However, this is not a major issue, as one can sort them on arrival.

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