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in reply to: Hammerhead test #27570
Just a reminder: Structural integrity of the entire arrow system is THE most important penetration factor. Whenever structural integrity of the arrow fails nothing else about the arrow setup matters.
Ed
Why do we apply fletching? We use it to provide enough drag to help the arrow overcome paradox quickly and keep it flying point-first, and to provide a degree of arrow rotation, for more stable flight. With our boradheads we can add that the fletching must provide enough arrow stability to overcome the windsheer effect created by the particular broadhead used.
On arrows in the upper EFOC range, an above, I use the A$A fletching applied as a straight fletch: no helical, no offset. The arrow is already tuned for perfect flight with a field point. With field points we already have extremely fast paradox recovery; faster than normal FOC arrows having large fletches with lots of offset and helical. That means the shaft alone is providing all the drag needed for the arrow to overcome paradox quickly and to provide quality flight downrange. The only additional stability our hunting arrow will require is enough to overcome the windsheer effect of the broadhead. Non-vented, high MA broadheads also have a very low windsheer effect. The natural curvature of the feather induces arrow rotation in flight, so the arrow does still rotate. The straight fletch is more silent in flight. If the offset and helical are not needed to stabilize the arrow all one is accomplishing by using it is draining some arrow energy in flight – which, though a small amount, is still lost arrow force – and making the arrow nosier in flight.
If it isn’t necessary, and it reduces arrow efficiency, why use it? Necessary is the key though. One MUST test their finished arrows, with broadhead, in all wind conditions to be certain they have enough arrow drag and rotation to always stabilize the arrow with the particular broadhead being used. Any fletching induced drag or rotation above the minimum required is simply reducing the arrow’s efficiency.
Ed
in reply to: Quality, yet affordable knife suggestions? #21874For an inexpensive knife of good quality it’s pretty hard to beat a Mora knife. The Swedish military model will get the job done. It cost about $14.00, The “heavy duty companion” model is under $20.00. Both are available from many sources, including Amazon.com. – Ed
Swediah Military Mora
Heavy Duty Mora
in reply to: Bucket list hunt #21861The big Boar Giant Forrest Hogs are usually about 600 pounds. In some area they have a color similar to the one in this photo, but in other areas they are typically red, white and black; much like an overgrown bush pig. – Ed
in reply to: Bucket list hunt #20368Well, the back injury ended my hopes for my bucket list hunt. I always wanted to take a Giant Forrest Hog. Had a hunt set up for the Ivory Coast but, just days before I was to go, the government there was overthrown and things fell into open warfare. I don’t think any modern bowhunter has taken one yet.
Ed
in reply to: Bunker Buster UEFOC arrow #20360Michael,
O.L. uses a series of carbon tubes and a small carbon rod to make an internal footing. That might be worth trying. He has some source on line that sells carbon tubes/rods in many sizes (he also uses them on the remote controlled planes he builds). He uses one carbon tube that’s a slip-fit in the shaft, then a second, somewhat longer tube that’s a slip-fit inside the first tube, then a small carbon rod that’s a slip fit inside the second tube, and a inch or so longer than the second tube tube. He glues this all together with slow-cure (24 hour) epoxy. This creates a step-down IF that works similar to the gradual tapering hardwood IF that I use.
Ed
in reply to: How do I straighten wood arrows? #19785I found a straightening trick when I was testing a lot with the hickory shafts, which can be the devil to straighten, and didn’t stay straight as well as they should. I took a 3” diameter, nylon wheel and filed a groove in the middle of the wheel, all the way around, using a 3/8” round file. The wheel came with the mounting already attached. I mounted that on a short piece of 2X4 board, then mounted that on a slightly longer piece of 2×4, and mounted that on a third piece of 2×4. I clamped that third board into a bench vice, wheel up. Heat the shaft in the area of the bend and roll the high side back and forth across the wheel while flexing the shaft downward. Works slick and fast, and gave better ‘retention’ than hand straightening.
Ed
in reply to: A short rant about KE… #19776colmike wrote: Before you recycle take it out to the range and see how far different point weights penetrate–my carbon ex.350 with 300gr up front had a clean pass through–then I urinate on it and took it to recycle:D
Dang, I KNEW those Cabela’s catalogs had to be good for something.
Ed
in reply to: Bows in the Military #19302Bows with flaming arrows were used in Vietnam by some of the Swift Boats to set huts on fire from a riverine craft, the PBR’s (Mark II River Craft) – a very cheap way to do it without leaving the ship.
Ed
in reply to: A short rant about KE… #19290Despair not, friends. You should have seen what I was called twenty years ago, for making disparaging remarks about KE and arrow penetration and carrying the banner of Momentum as a better indication of arrow penetration into tissues. We’ve come a long way, Baby. I now see a few, well known wheel bow shooters coming around to heavier arrows, rigid broadheads and acceptance of Momentum over KE. I had one such individual hunting pigs here last week, using 850 grain, EFOC arrows with a good, heavy, rigid single-bevel broadhead from a 78# bow. He’s even been using them to win some 3-D field shoots! He did some fancy long range shooting (on a target) with them too, out to 100 yards. However, he recognizes the difference between a target and an animal. He has a self-imposed 20 yard limit on shooting pigs. He’s also working on a book for the ‘compound community’. I read the first draft … and I never thought I would see a compound shooter who thought about arrow design and arrow force the same way we, here at Friends of EFOC, do.
We are making a difference, slowly but surely spreading the word, one bowhunter at a time.
Ed
in reply to: Jumping on the single bevel wagon, w/a question #19262The 160 gr. and 200 gr. are the two toughest of the Grizzly heads, but the 200 gr. is definitely tougher than the 160. Twice I bent 160 grain grizzly heads during the Asian buffalo testing. I’ve never bent the biggest Grizzly head on any tissues, on any animal, and they were in the testing for over 25 years – which has to make it the most tested broadhead of all times. I’d go with the 200 grain Grizzly.
Ed
in reply to: Brace height changes affecting EFOC flight? #14792Tim,
For years I used heavy, “over built’ strings. I used them mainly because I was usually hunting in remote areas, for extended periods of time, and wanted a string that was still usable should a strand or two get clipped. That was so I didn’t have to carry an excessive number of spare strings to cover those ‘just in case’ situations. And, yes, those ‘overbuilt’, endless loop strings would hold without slipping after a few strands were cut, even on my heaviest bows. That I tested thoroughly prior to trusting the concept. Those strings were 18 to 22 strands, depending on the bow.
I’m now using skinnier strings, with the strand count dependent on the bow poundage and particular string material used. I’m still experimenting and have not settled on a ‘best material’ or best strand count yet. Most of the strings are running 8 to 12 strands. I’ve experimented down to four strands, but remember that none of my bows are below 70#. One thing I found is that the extremely thin strings, the 4 and 6 count, are too just too hard on my fingers, even when double-served. I think they would be okay on a lighter draw bow, but not at heavy poundage!
Ed
in reply to: Brace height changes affecting EFOC flight? #11373Here’s the pertinent part of the reply I sent Dave to his question.
“I use endless-loop strings, made with low-stretch materials (never B50; changed from it to Kevlar in the mid 70’s), and don’t have any problem with string stretch (after the initial stretch), so my brace height stays where I set it [which is precisely why they use endless loop strings on compounds ]. I, too, leave my bows strung for long periods of time, only unstringing when I’ll not be using that bow for a good while, or when traveling. I’ve never encountered a tuning problem due to string stretch.
… because of the greater inherent flight stability as FOC increases, you SHOULD have LESS change in arrow flight with an EFOC/UEFOC arrow than with a normal FOC arrow, as brace height changes. …
I never liked Flemish splice strings because of the string-stretch problems I encountered, especially with the high draw weight bows, so quit using them almost 40 years ago!”
Ed
in reply to: Broad head advice #61472Etter, I’m one person who has shot game with the Shark broadheads and had problems. As Dave alluded to, those problems came on heavy-bone hits, especially at an angle. I had one, on a long, quartering away shot, result in the shaft abruptly swinging around, creating a large, shallow wound, then falling out. That was during the Natal Study, and the animal was immediately dispatched by the back-up rifle shooter. It would have definitely been a very nasty, non-vital wound. The curve of the broadhead’s blade hit a rib, causing the shaft to swing forward, with the shaft slapping the animal before coming lose as the animal ran.The Sharks are a tough, well made broadhead but their profile does limit penetration on high-resistance hits. They are, however, one of my my favorite turkey heads.
Ed
in reply to: FOC, Tieing the threads together #60031What I would say, Dave, is, “Structural Integrity of the entire arrow system is THE most important factor in terminal arrow performance. When structural integrity fails nothing else about your arrow’s design matters.”
Ed
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