# Carbon arrow lifespan



## RedbeardHD90 (Mar 3, 2013)

Does a carbon arrow degrade over time? Will it keep it's spine stiffness after years of use. I still have some carbon arrows that are a few years old. They seem accurate but I was just wondering.


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## Alpha Burnt (Sep 12, 2005)

I have not been able to wear them out.


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## wpod (Mar 30, 2013)

I'm a nooby watching the replies.
Thanks for a good question 

Sent from my VS950 4G using Tapatalk 2


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## arc2x4 (Jun 4, 2007)

I have yet to see an aluminum arrow that went bad either. I have been shooting X7s for many years and never had one splinter. Cracking is also rare and aluminum arrows are easy to straighten and easy to build.
Some time ago I tried building a couple ACCs for my bow and I found that even though they weighed the same as my x7s they hit the target 1 inch lower consistently. But there must be some great advantage to carbons as many folks shoot them.


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## bbjavelina (Jan 30, 2005)

I think the great advantage to carbons is all the hype.


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## aread (Dec 25, 2009)

About the only real advantage of carbons over aluminum is that carbons don't bend. An aluminum can bend from hitting the target wrong and you won't even notice it. 

They used to say that carbons were either straight or broken. Problem is that carbon's weren't all that straight compared to aluminum. 

I've never noticed wear on my aluminum arrows. I have eight 2613's that have been my practice arrows since 2005. Probably 4,000 to 5,000 shots on each arrow. They each have a ding or scratch or two, but they stay straight and there is no loss of spine. I'll be shooting these arrows for years to come.

On carbons, I've noticed that the finish wears on the portion of the front end that sticks in the target. I don't think that it's anything more than loss of the finish, not any loss of the strength or spine. At least my spine tester doesn't show any change.


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## RedbeardHD90 (Mar 3, 2013)

Well if a spine tester is showing no loss of strength then that would answer my question


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## ron w (Jan 5, 2013)

barring any damage, carbon shafts will last forever, problem is,... they haven't been around long enough yet, to find out if they do wear out!


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## bbjavelina (Jan 30, 2005)

ron w said:


> barring any damage, carbon shafts will last forever, problem is,... they haven't been around long enough yet, to find out if they do wear out!


Yeah, forever is a pretty long time. I've got individual carbon and Aluminum shafts that I've been shooting for many years. I've seen no degradation in any of them. If you don't have a spine tester, and check your shafts regularly, what can you add?


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## bigHUN (Feb 5, 2006)

I am shooting (compound) FITA and Field and competing for couple of years. I can confirm that YES the carbon shafts bent, especially the Field is a big abuse.
I need to get myself at least one dozen every year.
Two years ago I was using CX nano XR 450's (only 5 grouping from dozen right now), than last year I wanted to check a bit different length so got 410's, still have couple grouping reasonable good but for this season major tournaments I need to start up a new dozen.
After every major tournament (almost like every month or so) I need to replace the points but for sure run a nock tuning with hootershooter. 
I spine test them and weight them after every chnge, and I am recording any change....and they both change...
About a month ago I ran out and can't get tool steel points here locally (tungsten is out of my budget) and these cheaper stainless steel points are just really getting way to expensive. I have friends swearing for tungsten points lasting them for years.
For nocks (I have tried every manufacturer along years) finding the Beiter is best for a $.


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## bbjavelina (Jan 30, 2005)

Just want to add that my comments to Redbeard were based on his profile as a hunter. No doubt that FITA and Field shooters may be a little pickier. 

I have had Aluminum shafts that were shot until the anodizing wore down to bright metal, but I don't think I have ever worn out a steel field point. That must take more shooting than I'm up to. 

Best of luck to each of you.


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## aread (Dec 25, 2009)

Some Olympic teams retire arrows after a thousand shots or so in competition. They don't throw them away, they just use them for practice or give them to the lower level archers. 

I don't have any personal experience with this and every arrow I've ever spine checked had no loss of spine. But most of us don't shoot at the Olympic level and if there is any loss of accuracy, likely wouldn't be able to see it. 

I suspect that they are retired not because of wear, but from minor damage that results from shooting at one spot. In outdoor target archery and field archery, as many as 24 arrows may be shot at the same target. It's inevitable that an arrow will take a few hits, especially on the nock end. Most of us don't shoot good enough to notice unless the nock is damaged, but at top level, the damage will result in larger groups. 

If you are an Olympic archer or shooting at Jesse or Reo's level, your arrows will need to be replaced eventually. Unfortunately, that doesn't apply to me...... Yet 

JMHO,
Allen


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## jwrigley (Nov 8, 2012)

bigHUN said:


> Two years ago I was using CX nano XR 450's (only 5 grouping from dozen right now), .


Kinda glad I wasn't the one to buy them now....

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2040670


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## bigHUN (Feb 5, 2006)

jwrigley said:


> Kinda glad I wasn't the one to buy them now....


if you buy arrows from any competition shooter, imagine this:
- FITA 1440 - 144 arrows total 6 per round times 3 shooters per target = a lot of abuse especially if you all hit the gold
- FIELD - 28 targets 4 per round times 3 shooters if all hitting the 10 that is even more abouse....
if you got the arrows realativelly inexpencive those will have inexpencive SS points, to throw on them TS or T points you would wonder how come the price is up by 150-280 bucks?
and
btw, I was selling new shafts in 3 spine range what never been in tournament, I was tuning them to the bow at that time when U asked me :archer:
so, I've got toolsteel points on them now ....


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