Arrow shafts of wood??

Is it possible to have arrow shafts of wood (if making boffer arrows) instead of fiberglass? Or do they have to be fiberglass arrows?

I highly highly discourage anyone from making arrows using wooded arrow shafts.  They are not nearly as sturdy and safe as fiber glass as they are easily broken and susceptible to fractures and splintering.  I have seen first hand a wood shaft arrow that had a stress fracture in it that you couldn't see explode on impacting a player (not at Knight Realms) and send bits of wood every where and left the poor player with a nasty cut from the splintered shaft.  In general they just aren't safe to use.

k thanks.

I highly highly discourage anyone from making arrows using wooded arrow shafts.  They are not nearly as sturdy and safe as fiber glass as they are easily broken and susceptible to fractures and splintering.  I have seen first hand a wood shaft arrow that had a stress fracture in it that you couldn't see explode on impacting a player (not at Knight Realms) and send bits of wood every where and left the poor player with a nasty cut from the splintered shaft.  In general they just aren't safe to use.

I agree with Ben on this, but I'd like to add the addendum that while they're far more durable, fiberglass shafts are still susceptable to splintering and shattering, and that the wounds caused by them can be even worse than wood (I absolutely shredded my hand a few months back). I strongly, strongly recommend you always wear some form of hand protection while playing an archer: proper guards, medical tape, lightweight winter gloves, ANYTHING. I made myself some pretty slick protection out of a pair of $0.79 socks from Wal-Mart, and I'd be happy to show you how.

If wooden shafts are all you have access to (or all you can afford), go ahead and use them, but be aware that it could end up being a penny wise, pound foolish scenario: Generally when I use them, I lose at LEAST one wooden shaft an event to being stepped on and snapped. Up to you whether the cheap cost outweighs having to constantly replace them (sometimes it does).

[/quote]
I strongly, strongly recommend you always wear some form of hand protection while playing an archer: proper guards, medical tape, lightweight winter gloves, ANYTHING. I made myself some pretty slick protection out of a pair of $0.79 socks from Wal-Mart, and I'd be happy to show you how.


[/quote]

thanks can you send me a PM on what to bring to the next event and show me there? That would be awesome...Thanks

That's true.  Any arrow type will do that short of aluminium (which I also discourage people from using as they will easily bend and not fly straight) the fiberglass are less lightly to shatter on impacting another player.  You are quite correct on hand protection, even to protect against shaft splinters it will also protect you from having your hand sliced open by the fletching, which I can personally attest to as being very painful.

Remember as well, if you are going to be making your own arrows that you need to have a Marshal inspect them before use, and that one of them will be destroyed in the process of inspection as it will be cut open to view the guts.

I highly highly discourage anyone from making arrows using wooded arrow shafts.  They are not nearly as sturdy and safe as fiber glass as they are easily broken and susceptible to fractures and splintering.  I have seen first hand a wood shaft arrow that had a stress fracture in it that you couldn't see explode on impacting a player (not at Knight Realms) and send bits of wood every where and left the poor player with a nasty cut from the splintered shaft.  In general they just aren't safe to use.

I agree with Ben on this, but I'd like to add the addendum that while they're far more durable, fiberglass shafts are still susceptable to splintering and shattering, and that the wounds caused by them can be even worse than wood (I absolutely shredded my hand a few months back). I strongly, strongly recommend you always wear some form of hand protection while playing an archer: proper guards, medical tape, lightweight winter gloves, ANYTHING. I made myself some pretty slick protection out of a pair of $0.79 socks from Wal-Mart, and I'd be happy to show you how.

If wooden shafts are all you have access to (or all you can afford), go ahead and use them, but be aware that it could end up being a penny wise, pound foolish scenario: Generally when I use them, I lose at LEAST one wooden shaft an event to being stepped on and snapped. Up to you whether the cheap cost outweighs having to constantly replace them (sometimes it does).