Lightning Groove Experiment

[@Burboss]

My take is that grooves work as stiffening ribs. Plus, they help to dry up moisture out of the arrows. This is why the grooved arrows keep straightness better.

[@ruthinelshoadley397]

A worthwhile investigation. I recall from Jim Hamm's writing the thought was warp resistance to humidity changes. I have experimented with ash arrows shafts that are ornery about taking a bent set. After straightening and using moderate heat I pressed (not cut) with a dull nail, three longitudinal grooves down each shaft, 120 degrees apart. I use a hand jig with a hole bored larger than than the shaft diameter and a dull nail inserted at a right angle to control the groove depth and the location of the groove down the shaft. So far after two years now, all three are still straight. If I get one that won't behave after that I may try the zig-zag technique

[@northeasternwoodsman2636]

Could you do a video on making the grooves?

[@horsesandarchery8798]

Sure

[@societyofrobots]

I think it would have been better if you just shot each of them 100 times, then recorded the accuracy of each arrow on the target. If the grooves provided any benefit, it would show with your accuracy.

[@horsesandarchery8798]

Using accuracy as a constant to determine straightness I think would be a lot harder considering human error. This test was to determine if lightning groves offer any benefit for keeping the arrows straight . So actual straightness was all I was considering in this test. But considering what you have said if you notice the grouping of the arrows on the first set of shots compared to the grouping of the the arrows on the last set of shots after they all have been heat treated several times more and grooved would suggest what you are proposing may be correct. If you ever do that test and document it I would be really interested in seen your results. Thanks for your comment.

[@societyofrobots]

@@horsesandarchery8798 I'm too lazy to make wooden arrows lol. In the end, all we really care about is accuracy, so I think that's the best measurement. I suggested 100 rounds mainly to average out human error. As an engineer I can't think of any advantages to the grooves.

[@horsesandarchery8798]

@@societyofrobots I’ll try to keep track of these 6 arrows and let y’all know how they perform on straightness over the next several hundred shots.

[@societyofrobots]

@@horsesandarchery8798 It'll be super boring, but create a spreadsheet, shoot each a few dozen times, and record distance and degrees from target center.