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why tonkin bamboo shafts and arrows might fail.
Todd Mathis:
--- Quote from: dieselcheese on October 29, 2019, 06:23:38 pm ---Since this topic is about bamboo breaking, I figure I'll mention my issues with it.
I've tried a few different bamboo shafts, I won't go in to supplier details for obvious reasons. They do great when we actually have humidity. I live at 7500 feet in New Mexico and our normal humidity levels are extremely low most of the year, below 10% a lot....combine the elevation and lower vapor pressure, its sort of like a wood freeze deyer up here.
We had an unusually wet summer in 2019. I shot the heck out of my bamboo arrows. Shot a bunch of 3D, had many misses and didn't break a single shaft. Bounced them off of trees, hit rocks, etc. Then the weather dried out. And now any deflection off of a tree or stump shatters the bamboo. Rocks are instant death. My douglas fir shafts suffer from the same fate.
My moisture meter regularly reads wood here at sub 5%, not just on the outside mind you, but even after freshly cutting in to it, so I have to assume my arrows would have a similar moisture content.
I'm in the process of throwing in the towel and eyeballing carbon at this point.
I throw this out there just as a suggestion for Todd to take environmental factors in to consideration as you analyze breakage.
--- End quote ---
YEP! I'm still trying to figure this out because I live in a fairly humid area. San Antonio, TX. is hotter'n hell and very humid much of the time. I have often wondered about that. I have a customer who lives in northen New Mexico. He says they never break for him. He loves them because they are tough. curious.... Do you hunt with your arrows too? I'd love to hear more about your bamboo experiences. interesting point....
Todd Mathis:
--- Quote from: Deerhunter21 on October 30, 2019, 04:43:07 pm ---Stupid question but are they sealed? If you humidify them and then seal them with tru oil it should stop the moistuer from comimg out
--- End quote ---
wow! if that works it is simple to do! hmmmmm....
Todd Mathis:
--- Quote from: dieselcheese on October 31, 2019, 12:17:00 am ---
--- Quote from: Deerhunter21 on October 30, 2019, 04:43:07 pm ---Stupid question but are they sealed? If you humidify them and then seal them with tru oil it should stop the moistuer from comimg out
--- End quote ---
Sealed with Tru Oil and periodically rubbed down with a paste wax. As DC stated, it can slow down the moisture loss but I don't think any finish could completely stop it.
--- End quote ---
I hope this isn't galactically stupid, but I have arrows that are 10 years old and don't show any evidence of being brittle or dried out, but I used them for archery golf and horse archery into reasonable targets. I can see that a can of worms has been opened here. If anyone has experience with humidity effecting bamboo, I'd love to hear more...
Russ:
what area do you live in?
Todd Mathis:
I appreciate all the feedback. My experiences with these arrows do not include hunting, but they do take a tremendous amount of abuse from my other experiences. Now I spend my time trying to learn to make them group into a teacup at 20 yards so that they are tough and predictable, but on a range. Never had them break at 3D or normal horse archery either, but my usage of them is limited because I don't hunt. Thanks guys. If anyone wants to give me some more feedback, I DO LOVE a good conversation and would like to hear more about what your thoughts are. Best of shooting to all.
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