# Cutting 1/2 inch off the back of pro tours



## jaydub (May 16, 2008)

I've read it will weaken them. Im shooting 380s at 29 inches/60 lbs. If I cut a half off the back, I can breathe some life into my dozen and make it until next season. How much will it weaken this barrelled shaft? I have over an inch to play with. Would 1/2 more from the front negate the 1/2 from the back?


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## CHPro (May 21, 2002)

My understanding from what I've read is that yes, cutting off the back of a Tapered (not a barrel design like an ACE or X10) X10 Pro Tour will weaken the shaft. Don't know how much will have what impact though. I did have to trim a few down last year (back end cracked from hard impacts to the pins) roughly 1/4" and noticed very little difference in flight or POI compared to the uncut arrows. Pretty certain though that 1/2" would have a more measurable effect. Also, cutting from the tapered, front end should stiffen the arrow reaction. But again, not sure how much of an impact. Guessing though that cutting from front will stiffen the arrow more so than trimming a similar amount off the back will weaken the arrow due to cutting more of the taper down when cutting from the front vs the more parallel back end.

Sorry can't help more, hopefully someone will be able to chime in with better information.

>>--------->


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## jaydub (May 16, 2008)

Same here. Cracked from impact. Ill wait until tomorrow evening. if nobody chimes in, im going to take my Chances and Hack away.


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## hdracer (Aug 8, 2007)

If they are cracked you really have nothing to lose. You can't shoot them the way they are. I know it is not recommended you cut from the back but in your case you don't have much choice. I took between an 1/8" and a 1/4" off one for the same reason. I honestly can't tell the difference unless I stack the arrows and look at the length. But like the previous post, I don't know what 1/2" will do.


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## shawn_in_MA (Dec 11, 2002)

hdracer said:


> If they are cracked you really have nothing to lose. You can't shoot them the way they are. I know it is not recommended you cut from the back but in your case you don't have much choice. I took between an 1/8" and a 1/4" off one for the same reason. I honestly can't tell the difference unless I stack the arrows and look at the length. But like the previous post, I don't know what 1/2" will do.


I agree, you really don't have anything to lose. I would try it with 3 or 4 bad ones and see how they group / impact vs. the full length ones. I would cut as little as possible off though...if you can get by w just cutting off a 1/4" that would be better. Not knowing your complete setup, it seems that a .380 at 60# would be running on the stiff side anyways??


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## GRIMWALD (Sep 28, 2012)

Cutting anything shorter will always make it stiffer, golf shafts are a good example, the shorter the club shaft the stiffer you progress up the scale.
I would doubt an 1/2" would cause to much difference in stiffness, where you may have issues is vane clearance with your string (depending on if you position the cock vane vertical or not). Most arrows are fletched with a space of 1 1/4"- 1 1/2" forward of the nock to allow for spacing of fingers and to offset string pinch when the bow is drawn.
Removing a 1/2" may cause you to move the fletching forward to compensate.

GRIM


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## TNMAN (Oct 6, 2009)

jaydub said:


> I've read it will weaken them. Im shooting 380s at 29 inches/60 lbs. If I cut a half off the back, I can breathe some life into my dozen and make it until next season. How much will it weaken this barrelled shaft? I have over an inch to play with. Would 1/2 more from the front negate the 1/2 from the back?


Cutting from the back end (the parallel and biggest/stiffest end) of pro tours weakens a set of arrows ONLY when compared to a set or subset that is cut to the same length from the front end (the smaller and least stiff end). What you are talking about doing will stiffen each of the arrows cut. Subsequently cutting from the front end would stiffen them some more.


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## jaydub (May 16, 2008)

Tn man, I have read many things that conflict what your saying. Apparently, when you shorten a barrelled shaft, it moves the starting position of the barrell back and makes the shaft act weaker. As for fletching placement as mentioned above, I will reflecth so vanes will be placed properly.


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## Fury90flier (Jun 27, 2012)

Why not add weight to the back of the shaft to stiffen it back up?


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## jaydub (May 16, 2008)

Couldnt hurt.....


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## TNMAN (Oct 6, 2009)

jaydub said:


> Tn man, I have read many things that conflict what your saying. Apparently, when you shorten a barrelled shaft, it moves the starting position of the barrell back and makes the shaft act weaker. As for fletching placement as mentioned above, I will reflecth so vanes will be placed properly.


Yep on the fletching. If cutting your split PT's from the nock end will weaken them, then imagine that you could wave a magic wand and suddenly both repair and lengthen the parallel (nock) end by a couple of inches. Those magic arrows should, by the same token, become stiffer. I don't think so. 

PT's (new shafts) become weaker when you cut from the nock end and leave the little end longer by the same amount. Admittedly, none of my assertions are based on testing---relying upon common sense. Sometimes common sense or intuitive thinking fails me miserably, so cannot make guarantees here, and apologize if proven wrong.

Don't think 1/4 inch cut will make much difference anyway.


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## fmoss3 (Apr 20, 2003)

according to Easton, I had a set of ACE that were cut 1/2" off center (less in the nock end). Tech said that would stiffen the arrows one size. Thing to remember is you need to do all your arrows so as not to mix spines. and remember in the future for replacement arrows.


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## TNMAN (Oct 6, 2009)

Think of these arrows as two sections. Shortening the larger dia parallel section by 1/4" or 1/2" will stiffen that section. The tapered section will remain exactly the same stiffness. Overall, the shaft is stiffer---but again, not enough to make a lot of difference.

The confusion comes in when people read that new PT shafts should not be cut from the back because that results in a weaker shaft over a specified overall length---because there is then more weak/tapered shaft sticking out the front. All they remember after reading that is cutting them from the back makes them weaker.


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## zenarch (Aug 3, 2002)

jaydub said:


> Tn man, I have read many things that conflict what your saying. Apparently, when you shorten a barrelled shaft, it moves the starting position of the barrell back and makes the shaft act weaker. As for fletching placement as mentioned above, I will reflecth so vanes will be placed properly.


You're confusing two different types of shafts here. The ACE's are barrelled, tapered at both ends. The PT's are parallel at the back and tapered in the front. Any cutting on the back end will mean more to a finger shooter and probably not much to a release shooter.


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## jaydub (May 16, 2008)

I cut .5 off the back of all. Didnt even change my marks....


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