For wood arrows does the color of the shaft matter? The reason I ask I'm having some trouble with the stain I use. I use mini was american oak. Is their another that would work better for lighter for hunting and general field use.

I like natural. I've stained them from medium to dark brown and definitely prefer natural.

To easily see them in flight early or late in the day, I rattle can a white cap. Add white fletch and they are tracers even in low light, especially against a dark forest backdrop on a north facing slope at dusk. White is very easy to find, snow excepted of course. Don't know if that answers your question but there you go.

Miniwax #1 selling stain is golden oak. I've used that shade on quite a few carpentry projects for myself and clients over the decades. Tha includes wood arrows. It's a very good stain.

Minwax needs to thoroughly dry before finish is applied. I set a couple dozen stained arrows in my arrow block and leave them outside to dry in the sun. No problems.

Water based stain dries very fast. Whole lotta gum flappin but there you go.

I've find that with any stained wood shafting I like a bright fletch, cap or both. JMO

I was thinking about natural because the spar urethane darkens the shaft some. Its nice to know someone else uses natural For me I like florescent green nocks or yellow.

I sometimes use stains but also sometimes do a cap of a color with hobby lobby water based acrylics then the rest of the shaft in a watered down acrylic of a different color. I've done brown, green, white, black and yellow.

I'm with Bob Rowlands. I like to just use clear on the shaft with a bright crown or bright feathers.

I never had a problem using different color stains on wood arrows. Some of the lighter stains are more visible than others when the arrows are in flight, but I usually have a bright crown and bright fletching so I can see the arrow easier in flight.

That right there is why I love wood arrows. Good job Nemo. Thanks for the photo.

Those sure are pretty!

I use early American miniwax. For seal helmsman spar urethane three coats.

I second Dad’s suggestion.

I like darker stain like walnut. I don’t crest or cap my POC arrows and the darker stain makes the wood grain stand out a little better.

MP

Most of the time I use a solid white shaft, thinned Rust-Oleum gloss white enamel.

nice arrows Nemo. I like the white shaft too Sunset

Have some Doug fir shafts on the way,so going your route Nate??

There was a reason that the old woodies are mainly white or yellow!

So that your eyes pick them up as it gets dark!

I liked the clear as well. Lately it’s been pure tung oil. Got tired of cleaning stuff off my arrows from the 3D targets. The targets at the range are compressed carpet which also sticks to painted shafts. Those full length dipped shafts look great. Did those years ago. All bright red. Unfortunately I don’t use enough wood arrows to justify the paint.

Target burn blows. I rub car wax on shaft and that helps for a couple shots.

For strictly target butt arrows I follow Hill's example, forward 1/3 is stained/sealed so the target burn doesn't show on the white shaft

GREAT LOOKING ARROWS! Hope that all of the suggestions will help "DAD" with his situation.

I found that staining my Surewood Doug Fir shafts raised the grain slightly, so I stopped staining. Just use several coats of wipe-on Poly. I've stained Cedar shafts from Wapiti and 3Rivers with fine results. But now just leave the Cedars near a sunny window as I take my time straightening and re-straightening them over a few weeks before starting the Poly coats. I like the Cedars to gain that natural darkening before sealing.

zonic, yes staining normally does that. I let the stain dry and go over it with fine steel wool and it's just fine. It's actually a good thing as you know you're getting a better seal once you do dip or spray it.

Nate, I like that idea of 1/3 stained/sealed. Something about the white cap with feathers . Maybe it’s the videos of Hill and others I saw as a kid?

Some various stains in the quiver for target and roving arrows. The test arrows for new bows are mostly unstained, like the left shaft with green fletching. They allow these old tired eyes to see the flight better. Everything else gets stained and dipped, from very light osage to walnut husks and medium and dark oak.

An unstained shaft just seems a bit naked to me, but its all personal, not that I don't like naked, just not in a quiver so much.

Some nice crests there Scoop.

Not too fancy compared to many on this site, Bob, but each one tells me what pound spine the arrow is by the number of thin lines on it. Works out well for having way too many bows of different weights and lots of arrows. At the end of the day, most of my longbows shoot a fairly wide range, from 65 to 80 lbs. But a couple are exceptions and they need to be right on.

I stain the shaft one color stain and the crown another color (usually light shaft and darker crown)-lightly steel wool when dry and poly dip 3 coats after cresting and steel wooling in- between

I tried the thinned white all dip but think had a bad can of paint and it never dried- stayed stickey and after 3 weeks I threw them away

someone was saying that their is wrap from Jo Ann that you can use for a wrap and then dip them? Anyone do this?

I’ve used coffee, tea, house paint, just about anything shut my favorite is Feebings (sp?) leather dye.

Want to try a set of arrows with a 2/3 crown. I just think they look cool.

Leather dye X2.

I had to replace some nocks. Wilderness Custom arrows. These were favorites of quite a few dozen he made for me.

Gary, I like those, you can sure see the flight in a darkish woods. Back in the late 80's a friend of mine made me a dozen with four white, 4" high profile parabolic and white cap dip. They were awesome. I need to make some for myself like that.

Define "having troubles".

Nicely done Gary. Thanks for the photo.

I've used a variety of stains thru the years, mostly minwax but also varathane and aniline dyes....some other types too probably.

But I agree, minwax natural is a favorite.

I've used alcohol based stains and in addition to natural, have had blue-red-yellow- green and autumn orange shafts. The possibilities are endless.

I too like alcohol stains. More control for a darker tint or lighter. (Rub with denatured alcohol lighten-apply more for darker)

Just for kicks, I dug out most all of the wood arrows that I have.

Left to right, the first three are Surewoods built by Snag. The fourth came from Kustom King (in the 1990s). The fifth was a test arrow from Snag.

As I sit here thinking about it I have two more arrows somewhere. I’ll post them if I can find them.

Just for kicks, I dug out most all of the wood arrows that I have.

Left to right, the first three are Surewoods built by Snag. The fourth came from Kustom King (in the 1990s). The fifth was a test arrow from Snag.

As I sit here thinking about it I have two more arrows somewhere. I’ll post them if I can find them.

Just for kicks, I dug out most all of the wood arrows that I have.

Left to right, the first three are Surewoods built by Snag. The fourth came from Kustom King (in the 1990s). The fifth was a test arrow from Snag.

As I sit here thinking about it I have two more arrows somewhere. I’ll post them if I can find them.

Anyone have trouble with deer seeing the lighter shaft?

That last photo ^ really illustrates why I like all white. They are tracers. My vision ain't exactly gettin any better neither.

Thanks for the photo Gary.

I never knew that their were that many options. I always flrtched feathers ofthe same color. I used different color nock to pick up arrow flight.

Back in the 80's/90's, one of my friends worked for an automotive sales and would get the leftovers of automotive enamel to use for arrows. It was compatible with Fletchtite as well and he made some really nice arrows.

Agree with that George.

Ive used the automotive touch up in spray cans as sold in the parts stores. Tough stuff. It's been a while though. Using the spray cans is a PITA.

I haven’t seen any noticeable reaction by animals. I generally use a Safari - tuff quiver, so the back up arrows are hidden. No noticeable effect when drawing an arrow with normal precautions.

I haven’t seen any noticeable reaction by animals. I generally use a Safari - tuff quiver, so the back up arrows are hidden. No noticeable effect when drawing an arrow with normal precautions.

I use Fiebings leather dyes under wipe-on poly MinWax.

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